Consumers today are hard-pressed to find what can safely be called the best deal for any product, and most consumers are not willing to spend the time or effort searching for the absolute lowest possible price when making a purchase. This is also the situation with car rentals. Car rentals are becoming more and more expensive, as gas prices and inflation rise steadily. The following are several tips that can help you keep your car rental costs low, even as other factors cause prices to rise steadily.

1. Rent your car from internet car rental sites instead of doing it over-the-counter. Internet sites often offer discounts that over-the-counter car rental companies do not and you can make use of these discounts to lower the overall cost of your car rental and save a substantial amount of money.

2. In order to get your cheap auto rental, you should get the most value you can from it. You are usually required to fill the gas tank before you return your car, or the company will charge you for gas. You should fill the car with the cheapest gas you can find on the way to returning it, as the company will charge you relatively high prices for gas otherwise.

3. If possible, you should choose one car rental company and stick to it, as many car rental companies offer discounts or benefits to repeat customers.

4. You can sometimes exchange frequent flyer miles for cheap auto rentals. If you have frequent flyer miles that are on the verge of expiring, instead of letting them go to waste, you should use them to make your car rentals less expensive.

5. Car rental companies will often give you a discount if you reserve your car early, so you should always aim to do so.

6. You should also increase your chances of receiving a discount or free upgrade by going to collect your car early in the morning when most of the company's cheap rental cars would not have been returned yet.

7. Packages that combine car rentals, airfares and lodging a good way not just to reduce the price of your car rental, but of your airfare and lodging as well. This will ensure that you get the most value for your money.

8. Some internet sites offer a rent-at-your-own-price service, where the company searches for the best possible deal that fits your budget. You should check the company's history before you make a reservation, however, as some of them is not very reliable. Keep in mind that you will not be able to cancel your reservations once you have made them.

9. Car rental companies often have cheaper rates for weekly rentals so, if you are going to rent a car for more than five days, make sure you check to see if weekly rental rates are available at your rental company.

10. Picking up your rental car at the airport is more expensive due to airport surcharges and you will be better off picking the car up at the shop instead.