When to leave your car at home

If your plans are for a long road trip over the summer, you might want to consider ditching the car you own for a rental vehicle.

With gas prices well above $4 a gallon and rising and analysts predicting oil at $150 a barrel by the Fourth of July, the costs associated with driving is getting higher and higher.

Many travelers are considering cutting back on their driving this summer, vacationing closer to home to save on expenses. For those still planning longer road trips this summer, one way to save may involve renting a car from a company such as Avis, Enterprise, or Hertz.

Rental cars are a more obvious choice after you’ve reached your destination by air and need ground transportation. People seldom consider renting a vehicle closer to home when they could use their own car.

The next time you decide to use you own car for a road trip, it might be worthwhile to take a look at the numbers in driving your own versus renting from a reputable company. You might be quite surprised at the money you could save by renting.

The decision will depend on factors such as your own vehicle’s gas mileage and how far you plan to travel. If the car you own is a fuel-efficient one, the trade-off might not make as much sense as it would if your car is a gas-guzzler.

www.avis.com