Having a car on vacation can make all the difference between getting around or being stranded. With the number of car rental places around now, you never know what you're gonna get.. especially at the budget shops. Most of the time, the staff assisting you to rent that car to get you through your vacation, don't have your best interests in mind, and you end up paying a truckload of money for a cesspit of frustrations. Here are a few tips to help you get it right.

1. Seek out package deals like fly, drive & stay, or just fly & drive (ie. not just drive). Most of these types of packages can get you great discounts for car rentals because they have more margin in all three things you're buying from them. However, don't do it with an airline as they tend to be higher than those of outside firms.

2. Try to use the Internet to reserve a rental car. Online car rentals usually offer higher discounted rates than if you call or walk-in. Aside from the discount on the rental, you can also easily get upgrades and inclusions.

3. Ask for discounts applicable to you; one of your credit cards may be partnered with the rental company or your frequent flyer program can get you an additional discount.

4. When you rent a car make sure that you check all sides for damage, and I mean every nook and cranny. If you do find something, make sure you inform the renter so that you won't have to pay for any damages.

5. Every time you rent a car, the rental company will try to sting you for reduced excess by paying more on your rental. This is quite a rip-off but there are ways of avoiding the high excess without paying through the nose for the privilege. You can usually get excess cover included on your travel insurance and sometimes through your credit card benefits.

6. One final tip is to pick up your car as early as possible in the morning; at this time most of the car rentals haven't been returned yet, and you may be able to get an upgrade for a lower price if they don't have the car that you want.

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