10 Ways To Save Money On Uber And Lyft Rides

lyft promo codes

Gone are the days of calling a taxi company and asking for a ride. The days of paying extremely large amounts of money for the ride are also gone. With today’s technology, you have better, cheaper options. Today, you can download an app on your Smartphone, get the ride that you need, and pay half the price. The companies behind these ride conveniences are Uber and Lyft. Uber drivers use their own vehicles, and most drive full time.

Lyft drivers also use their own vehicles but each car is outfitted with a giant pink mustache so that riders know when their ride has arrived. Many of the Lyft drivers do this just for extra money. Uber is available in most places in the U.S., even in more rural areas. Lyft is mostly available in larger cities only. If you don’t have a car, if your car has broken down, if you have been drinking, or if you just don’t feel like driving, you should know a few ways to save money on your next ride.

Call For a Ride on Facebook Messenger

Not too long ago, Uber and Facebook teamed up to help people save money on Uber rides. They have even made it extremely simple to do. To get the discount you need to first download Facebook Messenger. Next, start a new message thread. When it opens, you would click on the “more options” section. If you don’t know where that is, check the bottom corner of your Smartphone screen. When the “Transportation” tab pops up, it will connect you to your Uber account. If you are a first-time rider, you will automatically receive a $20 credit.

What’s The Fare

If you desperately need a ride but don’t want to pay more than you should, you can an app called What’s the Fare. It is available on both iPhone and Android devices and it will compare the cost of rides. For example, if you aren’t sure if it is cheaper to take any type of Uber ride, a Lyft ride, or a traditional taxi, the app will generate the cost for all types of rides and it will let you know which would be the cheapest. It is a great way to make sure that you aren’t overspending on your ride.

New User Promo Codes

Lyft and Uber will usually never give you the chance to get a coupon or a discount if you have used the services in the past. If you are a new user, however, you can visit the company’s promo pages, and sign up as a first-time rider. You will automatically get a $20 coupon code to apply to your next ride. If you aren’t going too far, this $20 could pay for your entire ride.

Pay With Capital One Quicksilver

Capital One and Uber teamed up, the same way that Facebook and Uber did. If you have a Capital One Quicksilver card, you can get a 20% credit on your statement for every ride that you take. If you are a new user to Uber, you will also receive two free rides. This deal isn’t going on forever, however, it is only good until April 2017. If you are going to get in on it, do it now.

Get Reimbursed For a Terrible Ride

Unfortunately, some of the drivers for Uber and Lyft can be unpredictable. If they happen to be reckless at one point or another you could be reimbursed for your ride from hell. You can contact either service and explain what happened during your trip. If the company feels that your complaint is valid, you could get credited for the ride. If you had a poor experience on Uber, threaten to switch to Lyft and vice versa.

Cut the Surge

If you have an iPhone, you can take advantage of the Cut The Surge app. This app can predict the Uber and Lyft rates within the hour so that you know when the cheapest time would be to summon a car. This will prevent you from paying any inflated fees on either service.

UberPOOL It

Unfortunately, this service is not available on Lyft, however, you can get it on Uber. If you are going to be taking a night out with friends, you can all take a car together. Rather than deciding who pays or having the other riders give the person paying cash, you can use Uber’s Split the Fare option. When you request your ride, you would enter the names and the telephone numbers of each person who is going to be riding with you. It is important that each person taking the ride are all signed up with Uber. Once they get their notifications, they would need to accept, saying that they are willing to pay their share. When it comes time to pay for the ride, the fee will be evenly divided between everyone in the car.

Walk to a New Location

When it comes to pricing, if you are in a congested area, the prices tend to be higher. If you can walk to a less populated area, you could get a lower price for your ride. This could mean walking a few blocks from your pickup location or a mile. If you are really hoping to save the money, it will be worth the walk.

Create a Second Account

This isn’t the most ethical way to save money, however, if you are broke, the end justifies the means. Uber and Lyft offer a free ride to new riders, therefore, you can get a free ride on your second account. After you have taken your free ride, you can contact either company and ask to have your account canceled. Unfortunately, the companies may not be willing to allow you to do so. If you get denied, simply go back to using your main account and don’t log into your second one anymore.

Referrals Matter

It is a good idea to refer everyone you know to the service. If a person who is not current a customer signs up, you will get a $15 credit from Uber. Lyft does not list the credit amount available. If you refer enough people, you can be riding free for a very long time.

Getting a ride does not need to be as expensive as it once was. If you know a few tips and tricks to take an Uber or Lyft for less, you can ride as often as you need without breaking the bank.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Loading…

0