A Great Holiday Weekend, Little Thanks To Budget Car Rentals

For Memorial Day weekend this year, I traveled down to Cincinnati to visit my fiancee. Instead of taking the usual plane trip down, I saw that it was a short trip and I had an extra day, I thought I would save money and fly. After all, when I went online to book it through Budget, I indicated that I was under 25 and picked the necessary coverage and was given a certain price. A price that was way cheaper than airfare (gas included). When I got the actual bill, I was mistaken. Turns out it actually cost me an additional $150+.

I could rant about how Budget wasn't upfront about their pricing policy but I won't. I could also mention that adding the under 25 fee after giving me a price online was a low move, seeing how I had indicated my age at the time of reservation. But I won't do that either. Nor will I mention how I was charged for insurance at the time of reservation AND pickup.

Instead I would like to set my anger aside and take a glass half full approach. After all, I had a great weekend! Anytime I get to see my future wife that one time every 4-6 weeks it's always a good weekend. This past weekend was spent napping, grilling out, trying sushi (gross) and the inevitable wedding planning. We spent most of Sunday after church discussing more details of the wedding including venues, colors, reception menu items and even hotel accommodations for guests. There was a lot of details to cover but we have just over a year to get it all down. I have faith in us.

A weekend of wedding planning: it has its elements of anxiety but still super fun to anticipate and look forward to. Capping it off with a nice Monday morning run, lunch at Skyline Chili and being sent home with homemade snacks by my fiancee and her mom, I really shouldn't have too much to complain about. The traffic driving home wasn't terrible either considering the weekend. I will look back on this weekend and know that it was worth it and happy that I did get to and from there safely...thanks to the rental car company at least providing a reliable machine to do so with.

So in regards to coming home to a ton of extra money spent on a car rental without my consent, I don't want to use this site as a complaint board. I don't want to rant about how if the overall price had been communicated to me initially that I could've saved money flying instead and spent more time with the girl I hardly get to see to begin with. I won't go on about how the front desk gentleman was smirking at my predicament as I addressed my grievance. This blog really should focus on the glass being half full, even if half its contents had been emptied out by Budget Rental Car's shoddy communication and customer service. For a guy trying to save money for a honeymoon and a future life, this wasn't the curveball I needed. But I won't dwell on that either.

This site has thousands of visitors. I could definitely use that leverage against Budget. But there will be no call to action here.

I'm going to take the high road this time. However when I drive on that road, it won't be in a car from Budget.