It’s debatable how much the economy is really improving, but it’s not debatable that times are still tough for most people.  There are quite a few ways that you can enjoy yourself and still save money, however. For example, if you are traveling for business or pleasure and want to save some money on your car rental, there are some helpful tips that may help you save money.

1.     Barter for upgrades. Most car rental agents have the ability to name a price—if it meets a certain minimum on their screen—for an upgrade to a nicer car. What’s the benefit to the customer you may ask? A nice car at a cheap price.

If you reserve an economy car, your base price will be much lower initially than if you reserve a larger or luxury car. When you pick up your car, you can ask at the counter what the options are for an upgrade. Most car rental agents also work on commission, so they will be happy to name a low price so that you can get an upgrade. (If you decline an upgrade, it can work against them in the commission system.)

2.     Don't take the rental car agency's insurance. Again, because they work partially on a commission basis, some car rental agents will lie to you about whether or not you are required to take the car rental agency’s insurance; in most cases, you don’t need to take their insurance as you are already covered by either your credit card company or your insurance company. Before you go on your trip, call both your insurance company and your credit card company to determine what your exact coverage is for a rental car.

The main problem with most car rental’s car insurance is that the rates may be more expensive or just as expensive as the cost of the car per day. The only advantage to taking the car rental company’s insurance is that the car rental agency’s insurance usually kicks in before your own insurance is tapped if you are in an accident, which means you won’t have to file a claim on your insurance. However, the accident will still appear on your driving record if it is in the same state.  (For more on the legalities of car rental insurance, click HERE.)

How do I know all this? I worked for one of the major car rental agencies before; while each agency runs things a little differently, the same basic rules about upgrades and insurance usually still apply.