Cool Apps to Help Save on Gas
Yipes! I spent $53 to fill up my Kia Optima this morning. Last fall a fill-up cost the reverse of those figures ($35) -- and New Jersey offers one of the best deals at the pump because of lower gas taxes. Back in January, I wrote a post on how to save on gasoline. This one focuses on eight cool Iphone Apps to help keep gas costs down, suggested by TrueCar.com.
1) GasBuddy: This app from Gasbuddy.com maps or lists gas stations in the area, which can be sorted by price or distance to you. Listings are updated by users, who earn points toward prizes with each update. It's free and compatible with iPhone iOS 3.0 or later, Android 1.5 and up.
2) Carticipate: This app facilitates ride sharing within your network of family, friends and co-workers. Post your ride and the app will match you to local participants who are going your way. It's free, and compatible with iPhone iOS 3.1.2 or later and available on Facebook.
3) Route4me: This app is ideal if you're constantly running around (work appointments, school pickups, soccer drop offs, playdate deliveries, community meetings, grocery shopping...you know the drill). The app optimizes your route when traveling to multiple destinations, allowing you to enter up to 200 addresses per route. Route4me claims that routes are usually 25 to 35 percent shorter after being optimized.
4) Gas Hog: You may think your sporty little economy car gets 35 miles to the gallon -- but how is it really performing? This app allows you to track fuel economy with each fill up, shows historical fuel economy statistics and gives you tips for getting more miles to the gallon. The app costs $.99, and is compatible with iPhone iOS 3.0 or later.
5) iGasUp: This app offers pricing data on 110,000 gas stations, derived from credit card transactions that are updated in real time. When you launch the app, the ten cheapest gas stations closest to your location show up in order of lowest to highest price. It's $.99, and compatible with iPhone iOS 2.2.1 or later.
6) TripTik: I wish I'd had this app when the fanbelt flew off my minivan at 5am on a Jersey-to-Chicago road trip with the kids. TripTik helps you locate gas stations and seeing pricing information, but also shows AAA members like me where to find repair stations. It also offers route maps, AAA office locations, restaurants and AAA approved hotels (so you can grab any available discount). It's free, and compatible with iPhone 3.0 or later.
7) Waze: Imagine how much fuel is gobbled up in traffic jams. Waze helps you avoid them using real-time traffic updates from other users, who report accidents, traffic jams, police traps and road hazards. Similar to check-in sites and apps, Waze offers badges and discounts for reporting. It's free, and compatible with iPhone iOS 3.0 or later.
8) Google Maps Navigation (beta): Google maps has updated its Android app to offer alternate routes to avoid traffic pileups. (The old app could tell you where the pileups were, but couldn't guide you out of the mess.) No download necessary, Android will push the update to your phone automatically.
I'll be honest -- I have a Blackberry, not an Iphone. So instead of using these apps, I'm saving on gas by riding my bike more. How are you dealing with rising gas prices?
