How Your Smartphone Saves On Gas

Gas prices can be pretty volatile. As a car owner, you may find it hard to budget for gas if the gas prices keep changing. Thankfully, your smartphone can help you. Here are some effective ways your smartphone can help you save some gas money:

Problem #1: Difficulty Finding The Cheapest Gas In Town

Cheap gas

Have you ever filled up your tank at a gas station, only to leave and stumble upon another gas station down the road that offers lower prices? This is a common, and quite frustrating, scenario. If price is your main criteria for buying gas, you may want to know which gas stations around you offer the lowest prices. You could drive all over town and take notes, but it'd be counterproductive. You'd waste so much gas.

Let your smartphone come to the rescue! The GasBuddy app helps you find the cheapest gas on the go for free. You can locate the nearest gas stations and see their current gas prices. This app is available on the iPhone and Android phones.

Problem #2: Wasting Gas By Getting Lost

Lost

Did you know that you can waste up to $3,000 in gas over the course of your life simply by getting lost? When you’re driving somewhere and take a wrong turn, you waste time and gas driving around aimlessly. An easy way to avoid this problem is to have a reliable set of directions.

Gone are the days of hauling around road atlases. You can get a set of reliable directions right on your smartphone! Download a GPS app like Google Maps. This iPhone and Android app gives you turn-by-turn directions and more. If you get lost, the app will automatically use your location to direct you back to your destination. You’ll never have to ask for directions again!

Problem #3: Not Changing Your Oil Every 3,000 Miles

Oil change

Image Credit: PaulsTravelPictures

If you don’t regularly change your oil, you’re hurting your vehicle’s fuel economy. For some vehicles that means changing the oil every 3,000 miles, and some vehicles have longer oil change intervals. It's easy to forget to change your oil in regular intervals, though. Let your smartphone remind you! All you need to do is download a car maintenance app that lets you set service reminders for your next oil change. Some apps even help you find the cheapest oil change in town. We have a few great recommendations:

Problem #4: Traffic Jams

Traffic

Anyone would agree that traffic jams are a pain in the neck. Here’s another reason to hate traffic jams: they waste up to 1.9 million gallons of gas per year! When you’re sitting in traffic, your car burns up gas. Talk about throwing your money out of the window.

The solution? The INRIX Traffic app. This free traffic app for iPhone and Android phones allows you to view real-time traffic maps, so you can find the best route. You’ll spend less time in traffic and save more on gas!