Stranded... need suggestions

Does anyone know of a way that I can rent a car without a credit card? I was basically stranded in Chicago by my crazy-ass ex and need to get to my home state. Unfortunately, I have too much shit with me to be able to take a train or plane.

I have a debit card with a Visa logo and access to friends/parents credit cards, but the problem is that those people aren't here in Chicago. Anyone ever run into a situation like this before? If so, how did you solve your problem?

Isn't a debit card with a visa logo the same as a credit card?

My vote is for forgery.

Have you asked at the local car rentals? I'm not sure but one of them might take a debit card. It's worth asking. Good luck.

Just noticed that I was one post from 500 so I thought I would use it to celebrate my homelessness in this cold-ass city. I can afford hotels for at least another week though, so I'm not technically homeless.

Woo hoo! 500 posts

I have rented a car with my debit card before. They said as long as it had a visa/mastercard logo it was fine. It is worth a try.

Can you rent storage till you can get home, get a card and get back?

Enterprise will rent on debit cards with the only catch being a deposit of around $150.

VISA debit cards can be used like credit cards. You're golden.

Kill yourself.

Everyone who's comparing the debit card to the credit card is absolutely correct and should lead the world to a new revolution.

Or, possibly, is just correct.

It depends on the rental car company, but a debit card will work at most places.

There are times that you can't use a debit card like a visa/mc. I used to work for a bank and we weren't allowed to give people cash advances on their debit cards.

Store your stuff, get home, then go back and pick it up later

your card will work as long as you have enough room on it for the deposit (usually around $200 or so). they will reimburse your card for the difference between the deposit and the actual cost when you return the car.

edited before the spelling nazis get me.

[Edited on Jan 29, 2005 by darwinsjoke]

just make sure you look into that at the enterprise you go to/call. in certain situations, and depending on the distance you have to drive, they won't rent out a car without a major credit card being on file. in their eyes, the difference between a debit card and a credit card is that while a debit card (which is attached to a bank account) can run out of money, a credit card (being a free-standing account through a credit card company) will just about always allow for them to get paid, in case there's some funny business and you decide to steal the car or something.

which is not to suggest you would do such a thing, but that is the sort of thing they have to be concerned about, especially over long distance type deals....

Wait. . .people seriously tried to do that?

Steal a car. Go on, you know you want to and you'll have a crazy story to tell your grandchildren.

Either that or become like a bag lady and walk home with all your stuff in a shopping trolly. Disney might even make a movie about you.

yeah listen to clara, she's right. the other thing you could do is take greyhound WITH your stuff, but if you're taller than 5'9" or the ride is longer than about 6 hours, you don't want to do this

Alot of times you need at least a $300 dollar line of credit over the cost of rental. So if you have enough money in your account that is supported by your debit card. you should be able to use that.

Isn't that called "making a withdrawl from your checking account"?

hmmm...
rental cars... yeah you can usea debit/visa card like someone pointed out usually they authorize aminimum.

it usually costs money to drop the car off anywhere besides the exact rental location it came from and some rental places do not allow you to drop out of state

it usually starts to get expensive... I would just go greyhound man

I'd ship your stuff home and take a train. Trains are the way to go. It's more comfortable that a bus and less frustrating than dealing with the airlines.