Planning a two-month road trip or an extended visit, or simply need a temporary car solution while yours is in the shop? When you look up a standard rental quote for 60 days, the sticker shock can be enough to make you consider walking. Daily and even cheap weekly car rental rates quickly become exorbitant when compounded over two full months.

But here’s the good news: I’ve spent years navigating the world of long-term vehicle hire, and I’ve learned that the standard quoted price is almost never the final, best price. Finding a genuinely cheap car rental for eight weeks requires strategic planning, flexibility, and knowing where to look beyond the major airport counters.

This 10-point guide breaks down the cheapest, most effective strategies to secure an affordable, long-term vehicle rental, giving you the freedom of the road without draining your bank account.

The 10 Cheapest Ways to Secure a Two-Month Rental

1. Demand the Monthly Rate (And Understand the Tiers)

This is the golden rule of long-term rentals: never book a single 60-day reservation. Rental agencies offer steep discounts once you hit the 30-day mark. You must search specifically for Cheap car rentals monthly. The drop-off in price from a daily or weekly rate to a monthly rate is often 50% or more. The cheapest approach for two months is almost always two separate 30-day bookings.

• Pro Tip (The 28/29-Day Trap): Agencies often use 28 or 29 days as a monthly cut-off to charge you the more expensive weekly rate. Always book for 30 days or more to ensure you trigger the lowest tier of the Cheap Car Rentals monthly pricing structure.

2. Bypass the Airport, Head Downtown

The biggest hidden cost in car rentals is the collection of fees, taxes, and surcharges imposed on airport locations. These often include "Concession Recovery Fees" and "Airport Authority Fees," which can add 15-30% to your total bill.

To find a true cheap car rental for your extended trip, search for a local, non-airport branch. Use a query like Cheap car rentals near me or Budget car rental near me targeting city centers, suburban areas, or even smaller regional airports. Taking a $20 taxi to a downtown location could save you hundreds over two months.

3. Embrace the Budget Fleet (The Economy Car Rule)

When renting for two months, luxury and horsepower are your enemies. Rental companies price their cars based on desirability and depreciation. The cheapest car in the fleet—the compact economy model—is always the best value for a long-term rental.

I’ve found that even if you initially need a slightly larger car, booking the smallest option often works. Why? Agencies sometimes run out of the cheapest cars and will automatically upgrade you for free. By targeting the lowest available price point, you ensure you get the absolute best deal, even if you receive a complimentary upgrade. This is the definition of a smart Budget car rental near me strategy.

4. Shop the Peer-to-Peer Market (Turo, Getaround)

Traditional rental agencies aren't your only option anymore. Peer-to-peer car sharing platforms like Turo or Getaround allow you to rent directly from local car owners. These platforms are increasingly competitive for longer durations.

Owners are often willing to provide significant discounts (20-40%) for two-month bookings because it guarantees them income and reduces the administrative hassle of frequent turnovers. While the process is slightly different than a traditional agency, the savings can be substantial, making it a powerful contender for a truly cheap car rental.

5. Look at Local, Independent Agencies

While the national brands (Hertz, Avis and Enterprise) dominate, smaller, independent rental companies can sometimes offer surprising long-term deals, especially for older or slightly higher-mileage vehicles.

Search for cheap car rentals near me specifically for non-branded businesses. These local operations have lower overhead and more flexible pricing power. They are often willing to negotiate or provide a simple, flat-rate cheap car rental monthly price that undercuts the big players, particularly if you are polite and ready to commit to the full two months.

6. The "Cheap Weekly Car Rentals" Strategy (The Renewal Hack)

In rare but crucial instances, the agency’s best deal is actually their cheap weekly car rental rate. This can happen if an agency is trying to hit weekly utilisation targets but their official monthly package is inflated.

If you find that the weekly rate (multiplied by eight) is slightly cheaper than their 30-day rate, you can "game" the system. Book four cheap weekly car rentals, return the car every seventh day (or simply call and extend), and then repeat the process for the second month. It's more hassle, but if the difference is hundreds of dollars, it's worth the 15-minute check-in/check-out.

7. Ditch the Rental Agency's Insurance

This might be the single biggest money-saving tip on this list: Decline the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) offered by the rental company. The agency’s insurance can easily add $15–$30 per day, which translates to $900–$1,800 over two months.

Check your existing personal car insurance policy first—it often extends coverage to rentals. Second, check the benefits of the credit card you plan to use for the booking. Most premium credit cards (Visa Signature, Mastercard World Elite) offer secondary, and sometimes even primary, CDW coverage for free when you use their card to pay for the rental. Leveraging this is essential to finding a truly cheap car rental.

8. Leverage Membership Discounts (Costco, AAA, AARP)

Do not book a long-term rental without checking your existing memberships. Organizations like AAA, AARP, and warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam's Club) negotiate deep, private discounts with major rental brands that are significantly lower than the public-facing rates.

Booking through a Costco Travel portal, for instance, often includes a free additional driver and eliminates specific fees, saving you a substantial amount on a two-month reservation. These portals consolidate deals, making it easy to find a competitive budget car rental near me from a trusted brand.

9. Check Long-Term Lease vs. Long-Term Rental

If your requirement is exactly 60 days, you are right on the cusp of when a short-term lease or a dedicated long-term rental program (offered by brands like Hertz or Enterprise) becomes competitive.

These "mini-leases" are designed for customers needing a car for 1-11 months. While they sound more formal, the pricing can sometimes beat the standard cheap car rentals' monthly rate, as they are structured differently often including maintenance and having mileage caps, which keeps the base price low. It’s worth checking the dedicated long-term section of major websites.

10. Be Flexible with Dates, Pick-Up Times, and Vehicle Class

Rental pricing is highly fluid, driven by inventory and demand. If you can be flexible with your pickup date by even a day or two, you can capture significant savings. Weekends and holidays see spikes in pricing.

Try searching for a Tuesday afternoon pickup versus a Friday evening one. Look for that sweet spot where the price drops after a major holiday. Combining this price-conscious flexibility with a focus on an economy-class car and downtown locations is the best three-step formula to guarantee you find the cheapest car rental available for your entire two-month journey.

Your Royal Road Trip Starts Now

Renting a vehicle for two months doesn't have to be a budget-breaker. The secret to securing a truly cheap car rental lies in moving away from the standard retail reservation.

By committing to a cheap car rental monthly payment structure, avoiding airport fees with a local Budget car rental near me, and leveraging the insurance you already have, you effectively sidestep all the costly traps of the rental industry.

Start your search today by focusing on local operators and peer-to-peer sites, and remember that flexibility is currency. Apply these 10 strategies, and you'll be on the road for your full two months, paying far less than the traveler next to you. Safe travels!