The Detroit News has this story: Car rental rates rise.

A snippet:

“Rates are up substantially year over year,” car rental consultant Neil Abrams said. “There is some variation depending on whether you’re renting on- or off-airport, and whether you’re looking for daily or weekly rentals, but in general prices are going up.” …

Looking at the price of a rental on a mid-sized car, the Purchase, N.Y.-based consultant found a $20-a-day increase from last year. For example, he said, the cost of a one-day rental, booked one day in advance, was $82 this week, compared with $62 during the same week last year.

For a week-long rental, the difference was $8, with prices growing from $284 to $292.

Those of you who live on a budget don’t rent a car very frequently. The last time we rented a car was in 2003, when my husband’s vehicle was involved in an accident and the car insurance company paid for the rental while repairs were being made.

But here are some circumstances when you need to consider the cost of going through such a service:

• Traveling out-of-state to a wedding, reunion or funeral. (Some people rent cars for longer road trips when their main vehicle is a “go to work” car.”)
• Traveling on business. Some of you run into situations where you have to make your own arrangements, and get reimbursed from the company later. Others own small businesses and you’re eating the cost anyway.
• Traveling on the big family vacation that you’ve been saving up for / planning for a couple of years.