5 smart tech tips for the best road trip this holiday season
Planning a road trip? You’ll want to make sure your car is safe for travel. Tap or click here for five maintenance checks to do every month.
AAA predicted 54.6 million people would travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving. That’s a 1.5% increase over 2021 and 98% of pre-pandemic volumes. 49 million said they would travel by car.
This year was projected to be the third busiest for Thanksgiving travel since AAA started tracking in 2000. Here are a few pro tips to save you time and money on your next road trip.
Find cheaper fuel
It can be worth driving a few extra miles for cheaper fuel — but it’s best to know where you’re going, or you’ll waste more gas. Search for the cheapest gas stations nearby using the Waze app. NOTE: Gas prices are crowdsourced, so they might not always be up to date.
Here’s how it works:
- Open the Waze app.
- Tap the Where to? search bar and then tap the Gas stations icon.
- Your device will start looking for the closest stations, with prices for each one.
Want to see gas stations listed in order of price? Here’s how:
- Open the Waze app.
- Tap My Waze, then tap the settings icon at the top-left corner.
- Tap Gas stations.
- Select Price in the Sort stations by section.
With Google Maps, you can search for gas stations in your area and along your route after putting directions into the app. The prices for each station will automatically pop up. Tap or click here for instructions to save on gas with your map app.
You can also use the GasBuddy app. The app also has a savings program that allows you to save as much as 25 cents a gallon. You can save by submitting your receipt to GasBuddy or signing up for its rewards program.
Send an alert if you’re running late
Best hidden map feature that will save you money on gas
With gas prices soaring, you’ll want to find any savings at the pump. Even a few cents make a difference when you can easily spend nearly $100 to fill up your tank.
Big-box stores such as Sam’s Club and Costco offer fuel services to members. It typically costs less to fill up your car at one of these locations than at a regular gas station. But remember that membership isn’t free. Tap or click here to learn if a big-box membership is worth the reduced gas price.