Rental Cars for Less for Your Retirement Road Trips
by Reader Contributors

Do you plan to travel in retirement? Hit the open road? Keep your road-tripping costs in check with these tips for reducing the cost of renting a car.
Gary,
My husband and I are about to retire and hope to do some traveling. We’ll probably want to rent a car occasionally. Does anyone have experience on how to reduce the cost of renting a car?
Dianne
Rent Older, But Serviceable Cars
Two of the simplest ways to reduce the cost associated with a rental car are to use affiliation cards, such as AARP and AAA. Both offer discounts on rentals.
Consider renting a car from a company that’s not widely known or local. A slightly older but still serviceable car can be as cheap as $15-20 a day. Also inquire about weekly rentals if you need a car that long. Some companies have special deals for longer terms and for weekends.
If your credit card and your usual auto insurance cover a rental, then don’t pay for the rental company’s car insurance. They will simply ask you to sign a waiver.
Finally, simply ask the rental agency if they have a better deal. Just say, “Can you do any better for me?” Often, the answer is yes.
If the rental company provides a full tank of gasoline, return the car with a full tank, too. Otherwise, they will charge you for gas at a price that is often higher than the local outlets.
Barbara
Find Rental Cars for Less at Dealerships
Many dealerships will let you rent cars from their fleet at a lower rate than you can get from many of the rental agencies. This usually works better if the dealership is in a higher income community. They may not require a deposit, give you a mileage allowance, or make you buy insurance that you don’t need. For instance, renting a minivan for a week could cost upwards of $600. There is a Nissan dealership that gave us a rental for $300 for the week with no deposit, no credit card on file, and no mileage restrictions. We just had to have the gas tank close to where it was when we picked it up. It worked great!
Melissa
You deserve a comfortable retirement.
That's why our weekly newsletter, After 50 Finances, is dedicated to people 50 years and older.
Each week we feature financial topics and lifestyle issues important to the 50+ crowd that can help you plan for and enjoy a comfortable retirement even if you haven't saved enough.
Subscribers get The After 50 Finances Pre-Retirement Checklist for FREE!
Sign up today for your comfortable retirement.
We respect your privacy. We hate spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
Look into Car-Share Programs
Sometimes people will pay you to drive their car to or from a vacation spot like Florida, Arizona, etc. If you plan to go to that location anyway, look on Craigslist or other bulletin boards for drive-aways.
For local driving, look into car-share programs, such as Zipcar.com. They may allow you to use cars in different locations, depending on where they are set up.
Evelyn
Name Your Price
I always use Priceline.com’s “name your own price” option. On my last trip, I got a great deal on a midsize car from Avis. The price on the Avis website was a lot more than that. You won’t know which company you will be renting from until you submit your offer and see which company accepts.
Tex
Look for Coupons
This may not be a creative answer, but it is easy to do. I recently purchased my local Entertainment Book. The book is filled with coupons, including a whole section on travel. Within the travel section, there are tons of coupons for all the different rental companies, hotels, and even “Park & Rides” at the airport. The book is valid for the year, and you can buy them online for places you plan to visit. I recommend waiting for a sale to purchase the book because they go down in price as the year goes on.
Ani
Reviewed March 2022
Sign me up for a comfortable retirement!
Every Thursday we’ll send you articles and tips that will help you enjoy a comfortable retirement. Subscribers get a free copy of the After 50 Finances Pre-Retirement Checklist.
We respect your privacy. We hate spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
Sign me up for a comfortable retirement!
Every Thursday we’ll send you articles and tips that will help you plan for and enjoy a comfortable retirement. Subscribers get a free copy of the After 50 Finances Pre-Retirement Checklist.
We respect your privacy. We hate spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
Popular Articles
- Comparing Retirement Housing Options
- How We Retired With Almost No Savings
- How Retirees Can Live on a Tight Budget
- 9 Things You Need to Do Before You Retire
- What You Need to Know About Long Term Care Insurance Before You Retire
- You Didn’t Save Enough for Retirement and You’re 55+
- Could Debt Derail Your Retirement? A Checklist
- Your Emergency Fund In Retirement: A Comprehensive Guide
- Managing Your 401k In Your 50s

Will You Be Leaving Thousands In Social Security Benefits Unclaimed By Filing at the Wrong Time?
We recommend a tool from Social Security Choices that can help you determine the best time to collect so you can maximize your benefits.
Click here to maximize your Social Security benefits.