I venture to make smart financial decisions for the most part.
But every now and then, I make purchases that are just wrong… so wrong for my wallet.
Overpaying for a rental car.
On a recent trip, I rented a car from Enterprise at Philadelphia International Airport.
I chose an economy car with a daily rate of $22.57.
I rented the car for two days.
My total came to $243.63.
No Interest Til Almost 2027?
Balance Transfer = Credit Card Cheat Code
Yep, thats over 10 times the daily rate.
(And thats not factoring in spending about $26 in gas to refuel before returning the car.)
Did you know?
But the thing is…
I could have avoided this optional charge altogether.
Dont check just your auto insurance policy.
Some credit-card agreements also include coverage for rental vehicles.
If youre a AAA member, check what that policy includes.
But it was buried in the four pages of terms and conditions that I didnt even glance over.
It really pays to read througheverythingyou sign.
I could have potentially saved money if I had found cheap transportation to get to another rental facility.
Sometimes the daily rates at airports are also higher compared to non-airport locations.
The $36 I paid to change the drop-off location was more than the daily rate of the rental.
I reserved my rental car after I had landed at the airport and picked up my luggage.
Making financial decisions when youre tired and stressed is not the way to go.
Excuse me while I go off and follow my own advice.
Nicole Dow is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
Writing about her financial mistakes was hard, but she hopes to inspire others to make better choices.
Probably not as good as youd like.
It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.
But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?
Ask one of these companies to help…