Go with the Smallest Choice – Unless you need a lot of space in your rental for a specific reason, go with the smallest choice that is available. Rental car companies always offer the lowest price on their compact cars, so you can save a significant amount by passing on the full-size or SUV, and going with the compact option.

Fill Up Your Own Tank – While rental car companies offer different kinds of prepaid options, you will save more when you handle filling up the tank yourself. Just don’t forget to return your rental with a full tank of gas, or else you will get charged a hefty refill fee.

Find Out If You’re Already Covered – While there may be situations where you do need to opt for the insurance the rental car company offers, before blindly accepting it, find out if you’re already covered. In many cases, you will be covered by your own auto insurance, your homeowner’s insurance policy, or even your credit card. By taking the time to find out about this issue, you may be able to avoid their insurance and save even more money for yourself.

Pack Your GPS – If you want help navigating through Washington DC, decline the rental car company’s GPS, and instead bring your own with you. A GPS is easy to pack, and you will be able to use it for the entire time that you are in Washington DC.

Compare Prices – Price comparison websites are free to use, so do yourself a favor, and use one of them to find out which company is offering the lowest rate on a rental car.