With sky-high fuel prices these days, driving a car can take a serious toll on your budget. Yet for many commuters and families, public transportation isn’t always a viable option. Fortunately, auto manufacturers have worked on finding ways to make new vehicles increasingly efficient. Smartphone owners can also benefit from a range of apps designed to help you save money on gas, from comparing prices at nearby stations to comparing the fuel economy of different models. The following are a few of the most helpful apps to choose from.
iGasUp
There are numerous apps which use your current location to find the cheapest petrol stations nearby. One of the easiest to use and most efficient is iGasUp, available at no cost to iPhone users. It automatically updates its pricing data as you drive around, using information gleaned from credit card transactions. With this analysis, it can then give you the ten cheapest fuel prices in your vicinity as you drive, so you don’t have to settle for a high price when a cheaper one is only a few blocks away.
Google Maps Navigation
Idling in stop-start traffic is a great way to burn up all of your fuel (and waste a good deal of your time). Apps like Google Maps Navigation help you keep tabs on any traffic jams in your area, providing alternative routes as needed to save you time and money. This app is free for any Google Android users. There are also other applications like Maptive which elevate Google Maps to the next level.
If you have an iPhone, a similar app is Waze. This is also free of charge, and uses real-time updates to notify you of the most efficient driving routes to take. Waze is partially community sourced, using traffic alerts from other drivers on the road.
Route4Me
Do you have several stops to make on your journey? You might waste fuel driving the long way when there was a shortcut. This can be avoided with the Route4Me app, which optimizes your driving strategy to find the shortest, most efficient route to take. The makers of the app claim that they can make your journey 30% shorter on average, which can save you a bundle on fuel.
FuelFinder
Another station finder, FuelFinder goes a step further from iGasUp to provide more detailed information about stations in the area. It will let you know if diesel or alternative fuels are available, for example. It will also let you know if there is a car wash on site, and connect you to road side assistance in the event of an emergency.
Car Care
One of the best ways to save money on fuel is to choose a more efficient vehicle. There are a number of ways to gather information. For example, if you’re in the market for an SUV, you will want to read reviews of models you’re interested in, such as this Toyota Kluger review at motoring.com.au. Apps like Car Care can also help with a more detailed efficiency comparison, giving you statistics and graphs to track fuel economy for different SUVs or the makes of your choice. It also alerts you when maintenance needs to be taken care of, to keep your car in top running condition.
From reading the latest Holden Captiva review and comparing it with other SUVs to using apps tracking your driving style and traffic build-ups, there are numerous ways to improve efficiency and save at the pump.
