With more Americans hitting the road this summer than in years past, car rentals are reaching record highs. Whether it’s road trips to national parks or cross-country jaunts to see family and friends, it’s getting harder to find a good deal on a car rental because demand is so strong. The Groupon Coupons team partnered with Budget Car Rental to bring you all the best car rental discount tips we could find.

Rental Car Prepay—It’s Worth It

Our No. 1 best advice for getting the cheapest rental car right now is to prepay. At Budget, you can save up to 35% off the base rate just by paying for your car rental ahead of time. Trust us, this is always cheaper than waiting to pay when you pick up the rental car. Most reservations can still be canceled up to 24 hours before pickup time (there may be a small fee of up to $50), so you won’t be out much, if anything, if your travel plans change.

Groupon Coupons Exclusive: Save up to 35% off on SUV rentals with Budget promo code BCD B006307

Book in Advance

Car rental pricing is dynamic so if demand goes up, so does the price. The earlier you can book your rental, the more likely you are to beat the rush and the price hike that goes with it. Combined with prepaying, this is an effective one, two punch to keep your rental car price down.

Join Budget Fastbreak for Free Rewards

The more you travel, the better this savings tip is. Budget Fastbreak is a free rewards program (can’t beat that!) where members earn Budget Bucks coupons to use on future bookings. There are no tiers or points like a traditional rewards program, but you can earn up to 52 Budget Bucks coupons in a single year.

Fastbreak Deal: Rent twice before Dec. 31, 2025 to earn $25 Budget Bucks. Sign up today.

Budget Fastbreak members save more than money. They also have access to enhanced services in the Budget app (when applicable), and they have streamlined processes that let them skip the counter at pickup and dropoff.

Budget Travel Rewards

Even though Budget Rental Car doesn’t have a traditional rewards program, it’s still worth signing up for Fastbreak to get a Budget Customer Discount number (BCD). Budget works with major airlines and hotels so customers can earn extra miles or points when booking with a Budget Rewards partner. Learn more here.

More Budget Discounts & Sales

• Groupon Coupons Budget Page: Find Budget Rental Car promo codes and coupons every day that you won’t find anywhere else.
• Current Promotions: Budget Rental Car deals change often. But lately, we’ve seen 10% off week-long rentals, $10 off a three-day rental, and free upgrades.
• Budget Best Rate Guarantee: If you booked with Budget Pay Now (prepay) and then find a lower Budget rate on another website within 24 hours, all you have to do is fill out this form and Budget will match the base rate PLUS give you another 10% discount. So you don’t have to worry that there might be a better deal out there.