Tip of the week: How to save on rental cars

Go to the source. Avoid booking a car through third parties when renting from any of the national firms. At their websites, you’ll often find “a separate Web page for hot deals, as well as special discount codes.”

Find alternatives. “Bypassing national chains altogether” can save you big. Getaround.com allows you to rent vehicles from private owners.

Get into advertising. If you “don’t mind driving a virtual billboard on wheels,” you can save hundreds of dollars in some high-traffic cities by finding car companies, like Budget, that rent cars covered in product ads.

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Check the taxes. International taxes on rentals can be especially steep. “Do your homework” to find the best deal. Companies like Auto France “offer unlimited mileage with no international taxes added on.”

Source: Knoxville News Sentinel