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Car Rental Apps for a Long Road Trip: The Bottom Line
With many folks choosing road travel this year, we wanted to find the car rental app that offered the best value. We tested ten popular options to see which had the best deals and most options.
Caroline Rothnie
Writer
- 1. Our Pick: Priceline - Travel Deals on Hotels, Flights & Cars
- 2. Runner Up: Turo - Better Than Car Rental
- 3. Also Groovy: Enterprise Rent-A-Car - Car Rental
- 4. Also Groovy: Expedia Hotel, Flight & Car Rental Travel Deals
- 5. Everything We Recommend
- 6. The 411 from our Appventurer
- 7. Other Apps Considered
Our Pick
Best for your bottom line
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Priceline - Travel Deals on Hotels, Flights & Cars
priceline.com
Travel & Local
Save on your next trip with exclusive deals on hotels, flights & rental cars.
5M+ Downloads
An oldie but a goodie, Priceline has been offering great deals on car rentals, hotels, and flights since 1997. The app offered the best deals of all the apps we tested and also had a wide selection.
Why we chose Priceline:
- Around $95 total for a four-day rental booked a week in advance.
- Best prices of all apps we tried for both last minute and farther out trips and both small or larger cars.
- Has special in-app deals with push notifications for sales and price decreases.
- Extra discounts of up to 33% for paying ahead of time rather than at the rental pick-up.
- The membership program lets you access even more deals.
- Trusted and well-established company for travel of all kinds.
The easy-to-use app is a great choice for rental cars and can help you plan your trips and stay organized on your journey.
Read Priceline's Full Review
Runner Up
Best if you like to share
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Turo - Better Than Car Rental
Turo Inc.
Travel & Local
Turo is a car sharing marketplace where travelers book cars from local owners
1M+ Downloads
This "Airbnb for cars" lets you find great deals on rental cars without setting foot in a car rental establishment. Browse through the cars that folks in your area are renting to find the one that suits you best, pick it up from their home (some places will deliver to you for an extra price), and you're good to go!
Why we chose Turo:
- Rent direct from car owners for as low as $30 per day.
- The car-sharing app has lots of options in a variety of price ranges.
- The company requires special COVID cleaning protocols and contactless pick-up/drop-off options are available.
- Hosts (car owners) are rated, so you know you are renting from a trusted source.
- The app is well-designed and easy to use.
- While there are many affordable options, there are also luxury cars available for higher rates if you just want to take a Tesla or Porsche for a quick spin.
This car-sharing app is a great choice for finding what you need at an affordable price. And if you have a car and are looking to make some extra cash, you can list your car on the app as well.
Read Turo's Full Review
Also Groovy
Best single-company rental app
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Enterprise Rent-A-Car - Car Rental
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Travel & Local
Rent a Car at 7800+ Locations Worldwide
1M+ Downloads
Finding a company you trust can take a lot of the stress and guesswork out of travel. Enterprise is a company that is deserving of your brand loyalty. With low rates and a membership program that saves you more money the more you rent, the Enterprise app will make your rental car experience seamless.
Why we chose Enterprise:
- For a four-day rental booked a month in advance, we found rates as low as $125.
- Best deals from a single company rather than a rental aggregator.
- Membership program allows you to earn points towards free rentals, as well as making reservations quicker and easier.
- Particularly good rates if you book farther out.
- Simple and easy to use app.
If you prefer consistency to shopping around, the Enterprise app is a great choice. It's easy to use and offers lots of great options in all price ranges.
Read Enterprise's Full Review
Also Groovy
Best One-Stop Travel App
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Expedia Hotel, Flight & Car Rental Travel Deals
Expedia
Travel & Local
Book car, flight, packages. Get instant access to hotel discounts and 2x rewards
10M+ Downloads
If you want to use one app for all your travel needs, Expedia is a great option. The easily-searchable interface lets you check out all your options for car rentals, as well as flights and hotels.
Why we chose Expedia:
- Four-day rentals around $130.
- Great deals, whether you book early or late.
- Has mobile exclusives to save you more money.
- Handy sort and filter tools make it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for.
- Bundles with hotels or flights allow you to save money when you book multiple parts of your trip with Expedia.
A truly comprehensive travel app, Expedia can offer pretty much anything you're looking for.
Read Expedia's Full Review
Everything We Recommend
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Our PickSave on your next trip with exclusive deals on hotels, flights & rental cars in the Priceline app. From cheap flights to amazing hotel room offers, you’re guaranteed to find deals you won’t want to miss.
Vacation vibes or business trip? 5-star hotel or budget hostel? No matter what your travel plans are, you can save on your hotel room, flights and car rental when you book with Priceline. And thanks to our handy app, you can compare travel deals, book, and save, wherever you are.
Hotels, cheap flights & car rental - 5 reasons you need to download before your next trip. Seriously:
1. Hotel room offers, exclusive to our app users. You won’t find them anywhere else! Plus, save even more as a Priceline VIP.
2. Accommodation for you - get deals on hotels that matter to you with our personalized, relevant hotel recommendations.
3. Travel ready - Have everything you need for your trip or vacation in one place - hotel deals, rental cars and cheap flights.
4. Hotel booking - Book your next hotel room in a matter of seconds.
5. Hostel or 5-star hotel? We’ve got the right accommodation and hotel deals for any trip and any budget.
Love to travel? Join millions of happy travelers who book great travel deals with us every day - download now! Our exclusive offers and cheap flights can help you save some serious money.
HOTEL DEALS - EXCLUSIVE OFFERS FOR APP USERS
You’ll save up to 60% off with Express Deals®. Seriously. Plus, you’ll earn access to exclusive deals on great hotels when you’re a Priceline VIP.
FLIGHT DEALS - COMPARE & SAVE
Travel across the globe with super travel deals on thousands of domestic and international flights. Priceline helps you find flight deals for your next trip in just a few simple steps, straight from your phone. Pace yourself.
RENTAL CARS - FAST & EASY BOOKING
Hit the road with deals on rental cars - choose from 290 car rental brands in 28,000+ locations. We also offer free cancellation on most bookings and no credit card fees. That's how we roll.
COMPARE, BOOK & SAVE
Finding the perfect accommodation and travel deals is easy as pie. Search by city, address or point of interest to book the most conveniently located hotels and rental cars. As you search more, we uncover even more deals just for you.
HOTEL BOOKING - FROM HOSTEL TO HOTEL
In a rush? Our app features super-quick travel and hotel booking, especially when you’re signed in! Whether it’s a hostel for the night or a vacation next month - we do fast well.
TRAVEL BUDDY
Easily access and make changes to your trip wherever you are with our My Trips feature. Need to check your hotel booking or car rental details on the go? Get all of your reservation and travel info right on your phone, even if you booked on your computer, are offline or don’t have service. Like magic.
Our app is rated as Best App for Travelers by Travel + Leisure! Whether you want to book flights or your hotel room at the touch of a button, find new and exciting accommodation or simply want to explore vacation destinations out there, the priceline.com app is the best place to start.
Priceline is part of Booking Holdings, which includes leading online travel brands such as Booking.com, Agoda, Kayak & OpenTable.CostFreeFreeIn-App PurchasesNoNo -
Runner UpTuro is the world’s largest peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace where you can book any car you want, wherever you want it, from local hosts across the US, Canada, and the UK. A vibrant community over 10 million strong, Turo guests can choose from over 850 unique makes and models, while hosts earn extra money to offset the costs of car ownership.
Whether it’s a truck to help on moving day, a swanky exotic for a luxurious weekend away, or a classic cruiser for a picture-perfect road trip, with more than 400,000 vehicles listed worldwide, Turo lets you find the perfect vehicle for your next adventure.
Hitting the road?
• Choose from a totally unique selection of cars and drive the perfect one for your trip
• Book cars directly from local hosts, starting from $18/day
• Safely access cars through a variety of contactless check-in options
• Get the car delivered, and book trips on the go with a quick tap
Car collecting dust?
• Share your car and turn your depreciating asset into an earnings engine
• Rest assured with up to $750,000 in liability insurance backing each trip
Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.CostFreeFreeIn-App PurchasesNoNo -
Also GroovyIt's never been easier to rent a car from your mobile device. The Enterprise Rent-A-Car App is your own free personal assistant for all things car rental. You can easily view or modify upcoming reservations, get directions to a rental branch, call roadside assistance, or find a rental car for your next trip at one of our 7,800+ worldwide locations. Stay signed into your Enterprise Plus® account to make reservations even faster, plus earn points toward free rentals.
Additional app features include:
Make a reservation
Find rental locations near you or your destination, narrow your search with location and vehicle filters and save rental details to make future reservations even faster.
Access all your rentals in one place
Easily view the details of your rentals to reference pick-up or drop-off times, your current rental car information, directions back to your rental branch, and more.
Manage your Enterprise Plus® account
View your reward points balance, update your account details, and redeem points toward free rental days.
Get help when you need it
Contact roadside assistance or 24/7 customer support, and look up your rental branch details including phone number, address and directions.
Favorite a location
Visit a location frequently? Make it a "favorite" to quickly access the information you need or start a reservation.
We're there when you need us. And now we're making it even easier to experience the benefits of Enterprise from your mobile device.
By clicking on "Install", you consent to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy including access to or storage of performance and usage device & app related data for analytic purposes by Enterprise Rent-A-Car or its third party providersCostFreeFreeIn-App PurchasesNoNoExclusive savings on hotels, flights, cars, and travel for the ultimate travel experience.
Book your hotels, flights, rental cars, things to do and bundle deals on the app and get Double Expedia Rewards points! Over 500,000+ hotels worldwide including some of the best hotels in the US, including boutique hotels, luxury hotels, airport hotels, hostels, B&Bs and resorts. Free cancellation on most hotels. Because flexibility matters.
From planning to booking, the Expedia App is designed to enhance your travel and hence acknowledged as Webby for People's Voice: Best Travel App. Save with mobile-exclusive hotel deals and stay one step ahead with flight, hotel and car alerts and view your trip details anytime, anywhere.
Save big when booking bundle deals:
- Select your perfect hotel and ideal flight
- Keep an eye out for Unreal Deals
- View your flight and hotel details together and marvel at all you’ve saved
Save big on hotel rooms:
- Save up to 25% with mobile-exclusive hotel deals for tonight, or any night
- Sort by price, free cancellation, deals or reviews to find a hotel perfect for you
- Read real reviews from verified hotel guests
Find your perfect flight:
- Choose from hundreds of airlines
- Sort by price, no change fees flights, duration or departure and arrival time
- Book all class types, from economy to first class seats
Get going as soon as you land:
- Enjoy round-trip car rentals from any airport – with no cancellation fee
- Reserve a car rental up to 30 minutes in advance
- Choose from our selection of standard car rentals, luxury autos, SUVs and more
Discover and book things to do:
- Browse and book activities for hundreds of destinations worldwide
- Get tickets for tours, shows and theme parks, museums and more
- Reserve airport shuttles and ground transportation
Book in a flash and get rewarded for your travel:
- Already signed in? Complete your booking in less than 30 seconds
- Earn double Expedia Rewards points on all your purchases
Your trip companion, no matter the device:
- View upcoming trip details, hotel address information and get maps for directions
- Receive alerts for flight delays, hotel check-out times and more
- Share itineraries with family and friends via email or text message
- Get inspired with our curated tablet travel collections
Download the Expedia App for hotels, flights, cars rentals, activities and bundle deals today!
*Limited quantity, while supplies last. Terms and conditions apply. Only available for customers residing in the US.
*Savings based on all vacation package bookings with Flight + Hotel on Expedia.com from September 2013 through February 2014, as compared to price of the same components booked separately. Savings will vary based on origin/destination, length of trip, stay dates and selected travel supplier(s). Savings not available on all packages.
The Expedia app uses information for analytics, personalization, and advertising. By using our app, you agree to our privacy and cookies policies.CostFreeFreeIn-App PurchasesNoNo
The 411 from our Appventurer
How we tested?
To start with, I checked out what the most popular car rental apps were. I looked at apps that aggregate cars from across different companies, as well as apps for single companies. I also looked at car-sharing apps since that is an increasingly popular alternative to traditional rental cars.
When I had winnowed the list down to ten choices, I tried them out. I looked for cars for a four-day rental one week from the day I was testing and another four-day trip one month out to see if there was a price difference if you plan farther in advance. For each of those trips, I checked the prices for a small car, suitable for two passengers, and for larger cars, suitable for a family of four. I also browsed around more generally since some apps offered special deals.
For frequent renters, membership programs can be a great way to save money, so I looked at those for the apps that offer them. I also considered overall ease of use and design since a simpler app tends to save users time by providing a more intuitive experience.
When I had winnowed the list down to ten choices, I tried them out. I looked for cars for a four-day rental one week from the day I was testing and another four-day trip one month out to see if there was a price difference if you plan farther in advance. For each of those trips, I checked the prices for a small car, suitable for two passengers, and for larger cars, suitable for a family of four. I also browsed around more generally since some apps offered special deals.
For frequent renters, membership programs can be a great way to save money, so I looked at those for the apps that offer them. I also considered overall ease of use and design since a simpler app tends to save users time by providing a more intuitive experience.
Why get the app?
As with most travel-oriented apps, portability is a major benefit of using an app instead of the associated website. Being able to consult your reservation on the go is convenient, and if you're using an app that has flights and hotels as well as cars, having all of your trip details in one place will make your trip go much more smoothly.
Car rental apps also help you save money. Several of the apps have special deals if you book on the app, and others have membership programs that are easy to access on the app and allow you to save money the more you use them. Even if you use the website to search for rentals as well, having the app still has benefits.
Car rental apps also help you save money. Several of the apps have special deals if you book on the app, and others have membership programs that are easy to access on the app and allow you to save money the more you use them. Even if you use the website to search for rentals as well, having the app still has benefits.
More About Priceline: Our Pick
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Priceline - Travel Deals on Hotels, Flights & Cars
priceline.com
Travel & Local
Save on your next trip with exclusive deals on hotels, flights & rental cars.
5M+ Downloads
It’s not the fanciest app. It doesn’t have sleek, Instagram aesthetics. It’s been around forever. Its original spokesperson was William Shatner, not exactly the most cutting-edge of celebrities. But Priceline quite simply offered the best deals for car rentals of any other app. That may be the key to its longevity, and it’s why the app is our number one.
The app, which aggregates prices from a wide range of rental companies, consistently found the lowest rates across categories. For a rental one week from the date I was looking, cars for a couple and for a family were both around $95 total. For $92, I could select the “supplier's choice” and not know what the car would be until I picked it up.
The prices were a few dollars higher for the farther out trip -- $96 for the supplier’s choice and around $100 for the other options. By paying ahead rather than at the time of rental, you can save up to 33%. This may be a safer choice during the pandemic as well as a cheaper one. The app also offers special mobile deals.
The app is straightforward to use, an impressive feat since it offers hotels and flights in addition to car rentals. You simply select the “cars” section, enter your dates and location, and are presented with a wide array of cars to choose from. They will automatically display from lowest to the highest price, but you can sort or filter by other criteria, such as car type or whether you pay now or later.
When you create an account on the app, you become eligible for extra savings by signing up for push notifications, turning on-location services, and using the app in other ways. This means you get more value the more you use the app.In addition to offering the lowest prices, Priceline also simply has a ton of options. If you want a more upscale option, there is plenty to choose from. The app is a great one-stop-shop to check out all your options — saving you time as well as money while you plan your trip.
Snags but not drags:
While the website allows you to bundle car rentals with flights and/or hotels, you can’t do this within the app. So if you want to bundle, you may want to book on the website, then use the app while you’re traveling to keep track of trip details.
Reviews also suggest that the Priceline customer service is difficult to reach and not helpful, so you might want to take that into account, particularly if you are anticipating a complicated trip where problems might occur. Overall, however, the deals and options made Priceline our number one.
Reviews also suggest that the Priceline customer service is difficult to reach and not helpful, so you might want to take that into account, particularly if you are anticipating a complicated trip where problems might occur. Overall, however, the deals and options made Priceline our number one.
More About Turo: Runner Up
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Turo - Better Than Car Rental
Turo Inc.
Travel & Local
Turo is a car sharing marketplace where travelers book cars from local owners
1M+ Downloads
Turo, an AirBnB-like car-sharing app, lets you literally borrow your neighbor's car. When you enter your zip code and the dates you want to rent into the app, you’ll see the selection of cars available near you. For both of the date ranges I tested, I found many different options. Looking at comparable cars to other companies, for the trip one week out, I found a Honda Accord for $32/day, a Honda Civic for $30/day, and a Toyota Yaris for $29/day — so all hovering around $120 for the 4-day trip. For the dates I looked at, the month out trip prices were generally a little higher — a Chevy Volt for $27/day, an Accord at $44/day, and a Civic for $38/day.
However, I would expect more variety with this site since individual hosts (the company's term for car owners) are setting their own prices. These rates were on the low end of the apps I tested overall. Also, since these cars are generally used as an individual’s primary vehicle, they are likely to be of better quality than some of the cheapest cars at rental companies.
The company is taking extra care during the pandemic, requiring cleaning protocols consisting of thorough disinfecting focused on the most frequently touched parts of the car. They also offer contactless pick-up/drop-off options so you can rent in a socially distanced way. Turo allows you to cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours in advance as well, so if you decide you’re not comfortable traveling after all (or if something comes up), you won’t lose your money. The hosts are rated by previous customers, so you have some assurance that you will have a high-quality experience.
I also noticed that many people have listed super-fancy high-end cars on the app, like Teslas and Porsches. While these are renting for much higher rates ($100-$200 per day), if you or a loved one has always wanted to try driving one of these cars, a day driving around town in one might make a great holiday gift. And if you have a car and are looking to make some extra cash, it’s easy to list your car on the app. So if you do splurge on that Porsche, you can make the money back.
More About Enterprise: Also Groovy
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Enterprise Rent-A-Car - Car Rental
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Travel & Local
Rent a Car at 7800+ Locations Worldwide
1M+ Downloads
While there are advantages to using an aggregator site, there are benefits to sticking with a single company as well. When you rent with a company you like and trust, you know what you’re going to get. Many companies offer loyalty programs, as well, with rewards for continued patronage. Of the single-company apps I tested, Enterprise had the best rates, was easiest to use, and has a great membership program.
Overall, the app had great deals. For the trip one week out, cars for both two people and a family were around $145. And they were especially good for the trip planned farther ahead, with prices around $125 for both car sizes. They also offer a special “You Click; We Pick” rate where you don’t know the car you’re getting until pick-up. The prices on these cars were about the same as the others listed here; however, you might get a higher quality car for the same price with this option. For all listings, prices include taxes and fees.
The app works smoothly and intuitively, asking you to start your reservation as soon as you open the app. The app can seamlessly find the rental location closest to you, or you can enter the address you want if you’re picking up in another location. You enter your pick-up and return dates and then can view all available cars or filter by vehicle class. Prices and cars are displayed in a scroll, and you can click for more details, including add-ons like Sirius XM radio. The format allows for quick browsing, with all the information easy to find if you need it.
The Enterprise Plus membership program lets you save money the more often you rent. It is free to join, and you get a point for every dollar spent. As you earn more points, you move up the reward tiers. After six rentals, you earn Silver tier status, with 10% bonus points and one free upgrade a year. At 24 rentals, you’re a Platinum member and receive 20% bonus points and four free upgrades a year. Since membership is free, there’s no downside, and the program makes Enterprise a great choice for frequent car renters.
More About Expedia: Also Groovy
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Expedia Hotel, Flight & Car Rental Travel Deals
Expedia
Travel & Local
Book car, flight, packages. Get instant access to hotel discounts and 2x rewards
10M+ Downloads
Another tried-and-true aggregator site, Expedia, is a great choice for car rentals, particularly if you’re planning a trip that includes flights and hotels as well. Expedia is a truly comprehensive travel app that offers great deals all in one place. The rates didn’t change much ($1 cheaper) between the one week out and one month out trips, and mid-size and compact cars were the same price: $128 ($127 for the month out trip), while a full-size car was a few dollars more at $131 ($130 for a month out). So it looks like booking last minute on the app won’t mean paying more. The prices shown include taxes and fees, so what you see is what you pay. As travel plans may be uncertain in these pandemic times, Expedia offers free cancellation on all cars.
While the rates are good, they are not the cheapest I found. However, the quality and convenience of the app make it a solid option for an aggregator. The display on the app is clean and informative, with car specs and prices clearly displayed, as well as other useful information like whether you can check-in online or if you pay at pick-up or ahead. They also let you know what percentage of reviewers recommend the company in question, which is a benefit on an aggregator site since you can weigh the quality of the company against the price and have a sense of what to expect.
The app is extremely easy to search. You can filter by car type, capacity, and daily price, as well as mobile deal offers, customer recommendations, and whether or not online check-in is offered. You can also sort by rental car company if there’s a specific brand you prefer. You can limit locations to find the closest and most convenient for you. All these options save time because you don’t have to spend time scrolling through cars that don’t meet your needs.
The app also helps keep you informed and organized as you travel, with opt-in notifications that let you know the status of your reservations. This is particularly useful for flights, but helpful for car rentals as well. You can bundle any combination of elements from your trip (car and flight, flight and hotel, hotel and car, or all three), saving money and streamlining the booking process. As you're planning your trip, you can also check out local attractions right in the app. Expedia is a true one-stop travel planning app, which helps you save time as well as money.
Other Apps Considered
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Hertz Car Rental
The Hertz Corporation
Travel & Local
Rent a car quickly, modify reservations and more with the Hertz® car rental app.
100K+ Downloads
This app has slightly higher rates than Enterprise and is more difficult to search. The app offers discounts if you pay ahead and has a membership program. If you've used Hertz in the past and prefer the company, you may want to check out the app as well.
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Avis Car Rental
Avis Budget Group, Inc.
Travel & Local
The Avis app is the best-in-class car rental experience on your Android phone
1M+ Downloads
The Avis app had good rates, but on the low end of the apps I tested. However, it mainly offered airport-adjacent locations, which may be inconvenient for people renting cars that are not associated with air travel, such as for a road trip.
Zipcar is a great service for short local trips — for instance, renting a car for a few hours to run some errands. It's designed for city dwellers who don't need a car every day but want access to one for short trips or errands. It's very useful when used in this way, but renting for a few days was considerably more expensive than other apps.
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SIXT: Car rental, Carsharing & Taxi
Sixt
Travel & Local
SIXT rent. share. ride. All mobility offers in just one app!
1M+ Downloads
This international rental and carsharing company seems to have fewer locations in the U.S. — I couldn't find any locations near me, including at an international airport. But it might be worth checking out if there are locations near you.
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QEEQ Rent A Car - Compare Car Rental Deals
QEEQ.COM
Travel & Local
Compare Car Rental Price of All Brands, Hire A Car With Car Hire&Travel Deals
500K+ Downloads
The prices are comparable (mostly identical) to Priceline's, and the app is well-designed and easy to use. However, many reviewers have reported bad experiences with this app, so it would be wise to proceed with caution.
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Caroline Rothnie
WriterHard as I try to keep a minimalist phone, I can't stop downloading more apps. In addition to my can't-live-without apps for organization, music and podcasts, fitness, and meditation, I'm constantly trying out new ones. So I love apps, but it's a complicated relationship -- some of my favorites are for keeping me off my phone/internet.
In second grade, I attempted to do a book report on a story I had written myself, so you could say I've always thought of myself as a writer. These days, I write a wide variety of web content with a focus on mental health and productivity. I also write personal essays. I live in Kansas with my husband and two dogs.
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Introduction