Page 22 - October NEWSWATCH Final

Markyourcalendars:SHABoardMeeting|October8th|7:00pm |JonesCreekLibrary
5 Apps That Save Travel Time, Money
from AARP
Having the right apps on your smartphone could mean the difference between a good trip and a great one
• Travelzoo. Before you visit your travel agent, first check out prices on Travelzoo. Type where you’d like to go — a beach getaway, tours in Europe or road-trip destinations across the country — and you’ll receive live push notifications, so you’ll be the first to know of any price drop on flights, hotels and cruises. The app also is ideal when you’re in a new city; your phone’s GPS will identify where you are and reveal local restaurant and entertainment deals.
• Hotels.com. At more than a quarter of a century old, the longest- running hotel-booking service — now a popular app — benefits from a clean interface, maps, Uber integration, a “secret price” feature, and the best loyalty and rewards program around, including its stay-10-nights- and-get-the-next-one-free feature. To reduce the likelihood of fake reviews, all customers who rate or review a hotel must have stayed there.
• GasBuddy. If you’re planning a road trip, GasBuddy helps sniff out deals on gasoline and diesel in the U.S. and Canada. Using your phone’s geolocation, the app shows you which nearby stations have the lowest prices — for regular, midgrade and premium fuel — and provides maps if you don’t know the area. View gas stations by distance, price, company or amenities such as car washes, restaurants and restrooms.
• Waze. Another way to save money on gas is to get to your destination without getting lost. Now owned by Google, Waze is a stellar map app for drivers that crowdsources traffic and road data
from millions of Waze users. That way, you get real-time information on the roads around you, including congestion, accidents, construction zones and even notifications about speed traps — before it’s too late.
• TripIt. Quite simply, this app helps you organize your itinerary and access it all in one place. Forward all your confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com — such as flights, hotels, rental cars, and such — and the service will “automagically” organize everything into a detailed
summary, complete with confirmation codes, maps and other info. [
10% discount through October 31, 2019
Shenandoah Homeowners Association Page 22 www.shawebwatch.com