Renting a car for a summer road trip? Need to rent a van to haul your student’s belongings to college? With the high cost of gasoline, it is more important than ever to try to cut costs when you rent a car. You can save money on an auto rental by following some practical tips from Todays EscapesSM, a discount program that offers members great deals on family entertainment, including theme park and movie tickets, restaurant dining, and lots of other popular activities.

Here are three tips from Todays Escapes for saving on your next car rental:

1. Reserve early. The law of supply and demand states that the price goes up as supply goes down, and that definitely applies to car rentals. Almost everyone wants the least expensive car they can get, so the smaller, cheaper cars are rented first, according to Todays Escapes.(Going with the smallest vehicle that will serve your needs saves money on refueling, too – another reason to make your reservation early.) The sooner you book your car rental the better the selection. This is really true when planning to travel anytime around the holidays.

2. Shop and compare. Do your research. Go online to check out discount travel sites, web-only coupons, and special offers from the big car rental companies. Many clubs and organizations offer discounts on car rental to their members, and you may also qualify for extra savings by using a particular credit card. Another tip from Todays Escapes: compare the prices quoted by the same company for the same car. Prices quoted online, via their toll-free number, and at the local office often differ. It pays to compare.

3. Fill the tank yourself. Most car rental companies collect a surcharge when you return the car with less than a full tank of fuel.(Your rental agreement should spell out price per gallon). So be sure to schedule some extra time to stop and gas up before you return the automobile to the rental company.

What is the best advice Todays Escapes can offer when it comes to cutting costs on car rentals? Spend a little extra time and save a lot of money! Reserve your automobile well in advance of your trip, do your research and compare prices, and plan to take a moment to fill the gas tank before you return the car.