Money Crashers: Two car-related articles

Money Crashers has posted two of my articles this week, and as coincidence would have it, they're both about cars.

The first deals with car rentals. If you've rented a car recently, you most likely found that the price you actually paid was nowhere near the price advertised. And if you asked about it, the clerk no doubt pointed out that the list price did not include (insurance, toll fees, satellite radio, a second driver fee, a late fee, or what have you). My article identifies these various fees that car rental companies tack on to pump up their bottom line and offers a few tricks to counter them.

How to Avoid Rental Car Fees – 12 Steps to Stop Extra Hidden Charges

The second article is about the car you own — or, to be more exact, your family's second car, and whether you could save money by getting rid of it. I go into the nuts and bolts of what it costs to own a second car, the various ways of getting around without one (walking, cycling, transit, ridesharing, etc.), and what they cost. YMMV (your math may vary), but I can at least help you figure out what to add and subtract.

Should You Become a One Car Family?