Traveling does not have to be expensive. Wondering how you can save money on travel to enjoy the trips you dream of taking? Think you can never afford to take a great trip like you see on social media? Think again. There is a way for you to do it, too.
Travel apps can help you save money and get you on the adventure you seek away from home. If you spend time planning, you can get great deals to save money while going on the vacations of your dreams.
Check out the following 8 travel apps that are sure to help you get on your way to a new destination.
GasBuddy
The first thing you need for a road trip is gas. GasBuddy is as good as it comes to finding the best gas prices. Check out their free “Plan Your Trip” feature to find the best cities and gas stations to stop at along your route.
This tool uses the information on your car to calculate how far you can travel before refilling your tank and where you should stop for the best gas price possible.
Locals enter prices on GasBuddy. If it hasn’t been updated by a local lately, the prices may be off. Also, look at the last time someone entered the price at that gas station to know if it’s reliable; if it has not been updated in the previous 24 hours, it may not be reliable.
Many do not recommend using the “Pay with GasBuddy” feature. This feature, along with their membership, has been the subject of many complaints on Sitejabber. However, you don’t need to waste money on features you don’t need. Instead, use the “plan your route” feature to hit the best towns to stop for gas.
It is not fun to run out of gas in the desert and realize the last gas station you passed 20 miles away is another 50 miles away. So, if for nothing else, GasBuddy will keep you from doing this.
It’s also handy to know that you need to get that expensive $4 a gallon of gas in Yucca, AZ, on your way to the Mojave Desert to avoid the $6 a gallon of gas across the border in California. Knowing is half the battle and saves you money!
Read more here to learn about more essential traveling app.
Google Maps
The next thing you need on your road trip is a map. The Google Maps app will save you time and money and even help you find a place to crash, eat, or find local fun while helping you get to your destination.
Google Maps saves you money by telling you where the speed traps, delays, and detours are located. In addition, Google Maps has suggested restaurants, gas stations, entertainment, and other places of interest for your area. They also have a feature that lets you add stops to your route to your destination
Google Maps features customer reviews and photos of places. It’s a great way to figure out what you’re looking for and whether you should even bother going there. Reviews are so helpful that way, aren’t they? The best part of Google Maps is that it’s free.
Follow Adventure in You for the best travel advice.
Expedia
Expedia is a great app that helps you save time and money on travel, hotels, and entertainment. Of course, it helps that they own an empire. Expedia owns Travelocity, Orbitz, Hotwire, Hotels.com, VRBO, and HomeAway. They also feature Rome2Rio on their site. Why waste time on the other apps when Expedia will have the information right there for you?
Kayak
Kayak should be at the top of your travel app list if you want the best deals on international flights. A quick search of plane tickets from Oklahoma City, OK, to Dublin, Ireland, results in roundtrip tickets ranging from $706 to $811. Not bad!
Kayak also features a tool to help you find buses and trains to take when traveling. For example, a quick search reveals you can take a bus from Florence, Italy, to Rome, Italy, for just $13, and it will take 3 hours and 50 minutes to travel that far. Isn’t it nice to plan trips using less expensive transit like buses and trains rather than just car rental companies? And what is better than saving money?
Airbnb
Suppose you and your traveling buddies prefer more space to sprawl while on vacation; the Airbnb app should be on your device! Staying in someone else’s house may seem strange until you realize their house is a great place to rest, relax, and play and is not occupied by the owner.
You must be careful to adhere to each home’s rules and requirements. Also, pay attention to if the house is just for you or will be shared with others. Cheaper places usually require that you share the space with others, while more expensive properties let you have it exclusively.
If you have a large family, Airbnb is a must! It isn’t easy to afford large family suites in hotels, and there aren’t many that can even accommodate a family of 5, much less 6, 7, or 8+ people. Airbnb properties can! Be sure to install their travel app to save money on accommodations. No need to book several hotel rooms, now you can have the whole house.
TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor is also great for helping you plan your next trip. Their site and app feature booking features for hotels, flights, car rentals, cruises, excursions, restaurants, and vacation packages, and thousands of reviews by those who have already experienced it.
Never book a trip somewhere without first checking the place on TripAdvisor. Read those reviews! Those reviews make TripAdvisor an essential travel app. Why suffer through a nasty meal that someone already did and reviewed it? You don’t have to because they left a review on TripAdvisor. Save yourself from stress by reading reviews and heeding their advice from their experience.
Thrifty with a Compass mentions more great apps on their blog.
Recreation.gov
If you are a national park enthusiast or enjoy hiking, camping, and the outdoors, then Recreation.gov is the travel app for you. This app lets you see which campgrounds and national parks are nearby your current location.
In addition, it allows you to book accommodations at great rates—far cheaper than any hotel you will find in the surrounding national parks.
If you are dying to get into Yosemite or other notoriously booked places, this app can help you get on the lottery list. The highly sought-after locations have been placed on lottery lists to help reduce the traffic affecting Mother Nature in those areas.
TravelSpend
Last but not least, TravelSpend helps you keep track of your expenses along the way. You will not be a happy traveler if you spend all of your money at the beginning of your trip at the souvenir shops and run out of money halfway through your journey. Those hunger pains kick in sooner than you think.
The data provided is also insightful. For example, you can see where most of your money is going and try to plan better going forward if money gets tight. The app even converts local currency expenses to your home currency to ensure you understand how much you have left in your home country’s currency.
Final Thoughts
If you want to save time and money while traveling, use these 8 travel apps. They will help you maximize your fun and limit your expenses.
Click here for more travel hacks that will save you money.
Image by [Firmbee]
