When you are renting a limo, you are already spending a chunk of change, which is why it is so important to be at least a little frugal. There are a number of ways to save money when you rent a limo. For instance, limos come in varying sizes – as the limo gets bigger, the price also skyrockets. So, you want to be smart about what you need in a limo. If you are hiring a limo for a wedding, you may want a total different livery experience than if you needed a limo for a school prom. When it comes down to it, you also want to find a limo rental company that has affordable rates – there is no industry standard when it comes to limo rental, so you have to do your research. When it comes to keeping a penny-pinching mindset when you hire a limo, you want to make sure that you remain resourceful and you want to do your research. Here are five cost-effective limousine rental tips.
- Hire a smaller limo. When it comes down to it, you have a lot of options when you hire a limo company. For instance, a limo company like deluxe limo & transportation will have an option for either a town car or a stretch limo experience. Both are luxurious, but a stretch limo will be a lot more expensive. If you are simply taking a limo to the airport or to take someone out on a date, you may only need a town car.
- Skip the alcohol. Many limos comes with the option of having a fully stocked bar or having a cleared bar. If you want to save money, you definitely want to go with a cleared bar. When you choose the stocked option, you will be paying premium prices for top shelf liquor, which can really set you back in the budget department. If you want to save money and keep a penny-pinching mindset, you will probably want to wait until you get to the restaurant or the party to make a cocktail.
- Pick up and drop off. When you hire a limo, you will usually get the option of having the limo driver drop you off and wait, or drop you off and then come pick you up later. If you want to save money, you definitely want to choose the latter option. If a limo driving service charges you by the hour, you could be paying hundreds of dollars for each hour that your driver waits for you outside. If you allow your driver to make other rounds, your limo rental bill will be a lot smaller and you will have effectively saved a lot of money.
- Always include the tip in your final budget. A limo driver is usually expecting a 20% tip on top of the final charge for the limo rental. Many people don’t expect this and then realize that they have gone way out of their budget. If you want to be cost-effective, you want to make sure that you factor in the tip. When it comes down to it, though, some limo rental companies already factor the tip into the total, so it may not hurt to ask whether or not this is the case.
- Factor in your passengers. Some limo companies will factor in how many passengers you have. If you are going out for a celebration, like a birthday party, you may want to have your friends pitch in on the total cost. Even if it was your idea, you don’t want to be stuck fitting the bill for ten of your friends. When it comes down to it, a limo can be incredibly affordable if all of your friends pitch in. Who knows, you may just be able to get a bigger limo and a fully stocked bar.