Most of us are familiar with the standard operating procedure of renting cars. You give the rental company your credit card, they give you the keys. But what if you don’t have a credit card or don’t want to use it? What are your options then?

One option is to use a debit card. When you use a debit card to pay for items, money is taken directly out of your checking or savings account. Most rental car companies do not like accepting debit cards, but they will work with them, usually with several conditions attached.

If you want to use a debit card to pay for a rental car in Washington DC, for instance, you will need to be over 25 years of age. You can expect to undergo a credit check, and a 14-day hold will be placed on your account for a $500 deposit for the car.

Another option is to use cash. It can be difficult getting one of the big names in rental companies to accept cash as payments. You’ll probably have to go off the beaten path and find a smaller company that is willing to bend the rules.

Some rental car companies will let you settle up your final bill in cash as long as you provide them with a credit card number when you drive the car off the lot