Knowing how to rent a car in San Francisco might come in handy when you plan on visiting the city.

San Francisco is known for the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Rolling cable car trolleys and the San Francisco Zoo. A rental car is a good option to navigate from one location to another. Sure, the cable car trolleys and various means of public transportation are available, but you don't really want to be dependent on their schedule when visiting San Francisco. http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/san-francisco-us-ca-sf.htm

If you are a San Francisco resident you might also need a rental car at times. For instance, when your own car is being fixed in the shop or when need a larger vehicle to transport more people. Even if you are in town for a business meeting, a rental car is sure to get you there.

The major rental car companies like Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise and Hertz all want your business. They all have competitive rates and offers, making it even harder for you to decide which company to go with. Offers include free upgrades, extra free rental days and discounted rates. Hopefully this page will help you make up your mind on which company to go with. http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/

THE INTERNET: One of the first things you should do when looking for a rental car in San Francisco is surf the Internet. Find out what vehicles are out there for rent and what rates they are going for. You can rent a car in person at the rental car facility, online or by phone. The benefit of reserving a car online is that you can do it in your own time. Car rental companies all have opening and closing hours and on weekends some of them even close early. The internet is 'open' 24/7 so you don't have to worry about hours of operation. Beside this, if you reserve your car online you will be avoiding that pushy salesperson that's trying to get you into a rental car. Some car rental companies even offer discounts when you rent your car online.

BOOKING EARLY: Booking your rental car early can save you some money. If you book your rental car about one week or more ahead of time, you might get a good deal. Rental rates usually depend on how many vehicles are on the lot of the car rental company at the time of your reservation. Booking you car early has its advantages. http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/116640/article.html

CAR AND HOTEL: During your time in San Francisco, you might also need a hotel. If this is the case you might want to visit travel websites like orbitz.com. They have ongoing promotions for booking a hotel stay together with a rental car. You might be able to get a discounted rate. http://www.orbitz.com/App/DisplayCarSearch http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/

FREE UPGRADES: Sometimes when picking up a rental car, you will be asked if you want a free upgrade to a larger vehicle. This sounds very tempting, but keep in mind that larger vehicles require more gas, which translates to more costs for you. The reason why you are being offered that free upgrade is because the compact vehicles are more in demand. If you are on a budget, you might want to consider declining this offer.

INSURANCE: Over-insurance is one mistake many people make when renting a car. When you drive a rental car, you will need insurance. Car rental companies offer to cover you with car insurance that you can purchase from them. They often have high rates. Their insurance covers you in case of a collision and it covers the loss of the rental company. To avoid being charged for car insurance, check your own policy first. You don't want to be charge for insurance that you already have. Contact your insurance agent and see if your current insurance covers rental cars. If it does there is no need to accept the coverage from the car rental facility. It will save you some money. http://www.usatourist.com/english/tips/carrental.html

AIRPORT PICK UPS: If possible, don't pick up your rental car from the airport. Try going for a pick up at a local neighborhood facility. Not only is it cheaper, but you will also avoid any busy lines at the airport. Airport facilities are more expensive because they charge taxes and fees.

PREPAYING FOR GAS: When returning the rental car you have two options. You can prepay for the gas ahead of time or you can fill up the gas tank of the car before returning it. It's recommended to do the latter. Often you will not use the entire tank and return the car half full. Prepaying for gas is for the amount of a full tank, so you already lose money there. Besides this the gas rates are usually higher than what you would pay at the gas station to fill up the car.

ADDITIONAL COSTS: If you have kids that require child safety seats, you can save money by bringing your own seat. Car rental companies charge anywhere from $5 - $25 for child safety seats. It is cheaper to bring your own. The same goes for additional items like roof racks, GPS devices etc. The additional costs for these items can add up. http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=29&category=2&page=2

When reserving your rental car online for your San Francisco visit, there are certain coupons you can use. Websites like rentalcarmomma.com and retailmenot.com have many coupons in the form of coupon codes, printable coupons and direct links. Coupons might give discounts on rates, free upgrades and extra free rental days. Coupon codes can be redeemed by entering them online while reserving your vehicle. Direct links automatically apply the discounts when reserving the vehicle online and printable coupons can be redeemed at the participating car rental facility. Restrictions and exclusions might apply, so check the small print on the coupons. Also, expired coupons are not accepted, so make sure the coupons are valid before redeeming them. http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/cities/losangeles.htm http://www.retailmenot.com/coupons/carrental

MEMBERSHIP: The major car rental companies like Hertz, Budget, Avis, Alamo and Enterprise have clubs you can join for free or for a yearly fee. When you join you get many perks and discounts when renting cars. https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/emember/join/overview.do?learnMore=all

EMAIL UPDATES: Besides using coupons, you can also stay up to date of the many car rental promotions, discounts and offers that are ongoing by registering your email with the major car rental companies. http://www.enterprise.com/car_rental/intresImage.do?imageId=28443.4&key=996.en.US.......&page=HOM