The GiveGetWin Tour has been my first time renting a car. I've ridden in rental cars; just hadn't done it myself.
After some checking around, I learned that -- at least with Hertz -- you can get both a Hertz loyalty number as well as enter a frequent flyer number from any airline you use to get points.
And you get discounts if you're a member of certain organizations -- if you bank at USAA or carry an American Express card.
Yet, it's surprising to me that many people don't do this. Collectively at Hertz, you get a 6% discount for using an American Express card, probably around 2% cashback for using a rewards credit card, and then another 1 cent per dollar spent in airline miles, and another 1 cent per dollar in car rental awards.
That's 10%! That's a lot.
And many people just pass on it. The few minutes it takes to do things once-off is too much to get the small tangible rewards. Sure, you can get by without -- but why should you? The cognitive cost is so negligible, and it's a good habit to get into.
Take small actions to receive discounts, preferred status, and get cashback and rewards. Ask about options to waive fees and streamline things at just about any company you deal with. These things are small, but they add up. Get in the habit of taking the small one-off actions that stack up those edges.