FrugalMonkey Discount Travel News

Tag: apps

  • Top 10 Free Road Trip Apps – Best Smart Phone Travel Programs

    In this modern world it seems there’s an app for just about everything. In the past we’ve looked at 10 great apps for general travel, but there are so many nifty programs that we had to revisit the topic. This time around we’re turning our focus to the best free apps for road trips.

    Despite rising fuel costs, the road trip remains the friend of most frugal travellers. The journey typically costs less than air travel, and it’s easy to get around once you reach your destination. While you’ll want to take your partner and perhaps the kids along, a Smart Phone armed with these apps is another essential traveling companion.

    GoogleMaps
    This app is such a travel essential that I’m surprised it didn’t make our first top 10 list. However perhaps it was better saved, as it’s perfect for road trips. It’ll pinpoint your location, even if you don’t know quite where you are, and then tell you how to reach your destination. You’ll probably make most use of the driving directions, but don’t overlook the public transport and walking instructions. These functions are perfect for sightseeing once you reach your destination.

    BestParking
    BestParking is a must for frugal travelers who enjoy urban vacations, as it displays the most affordable and most convenient parking lots and garages. Anyone who’s been slugged for inner-city parking will be thankful for this handy guide. It’s just a shame that its database is so small. With only 40 American cities and three Canadian ones represented, it becomes useless if you want to travel off the beaten track.

    GasBuddy
    GasBuddy’s another nifty app to help you save. As its name suggests, the program displays the gas prices in the area you’re visiting, so you can decide where to fill up or whether it’s worth waiting for the next town. If you report the prices in your area you can also earn points towards GasBuddy’s regular prize giveaways.

    Pandora Radio
    It’s not a road trip without a killer playlist, and there’s an app to take care of that too. Many desktop users have enjoyed Pandora Radio’s service for years, and now with the advent of its mobile app you can take the site on the road. Amongst its features are the ability to create a QuickMix of your top tunes and stream the sounds of your favorite artists.

    Scout
    Scout takes care of your entertainment needs with a list of free activities and events in your chosen destination. By entering in your personal interests you can make sure Scout finds entertainment that meets your needs. However unfortunately Scout only offers information in American destinations, which is disappointing for anyone traveling abroad.

    Jiwire Wi-Fi Finder
    Hotels and hostels can charge a pretty penny for internet access, but you don’t need to swallow these fees with Jiwire Wi-Fi Finder. This clever app seeks out public Wi-Fi hotspots, including many free internet hubs. If you don’t mind loitering in cafes or libraries to check your e-mail, this is the app for you!

    Instagram
    Instagram is becoming one of the hottest apps online, and it’s perfect for travelers. Leave your bulky camera behind and use this app to capture your vacation memories. Snap away, choose a fun filter to transform the look of your images, then post them to the Instagram website to create a vacation photo diary. You can also share your pictures with friends on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr to update them on your adventures.

    Where Do Kids Eat Free Today?
    As its name suggests, this clever app helps families cut the cost of vacation meals. Its convenient search engine shows restaurants and eateries in your location serving cheap or even free meals to minors. Again you’re limited to American destinations, but as most families holiday close to home it should meet the needs of most frugal clans.

    The Weather Channel
    This premiere weather app lets you know whether to pack umbrellas or heavy coats for your road trips, and what to wear each day. It pinpoints your location and provides long-term forecasts so you always know what’s ahead.

    Road TripAAA Mobile Apps
    These apps aren’t technically free, as you’ll need AAA membership to download them. However the roadside assistance provided, plus the apps’ features, are enough to encourage most road trip regulars to pay the annual $52 fee. Once you do you can enjoy a range of apps including AAA Insurance, AAA Roadside, AAA Triptik Mobile, and our favorite, AAA Discounts. This money-saving program offers discounts at more than 110, 000 restaurants, tourist attractions, and hotels across North America. Making this range of apps one entry was also a sneaky way to get all of AAA’s clever services in our top 10!

    There really is a glut of useful travel apps so there are likely to be many we couldn’t squeeze into our top 10. What’s your favorite app when you’re on the road?

  • Traveling with a Smartphone – Why New Cell Phones Make Great Vacation Companions

    We’ve waxed lyrical about the fabulous Smartphone apps that make traveling much simpler, but don’t forget about your high tech cell phone’s other features. Your brand new iPhone or Android phone has many other practical perks that make it the perfect traveling companion.

    When you travel with a Smartphone you’ve always got a digital camera in your pocket. That’s a real blessing for anyone who’s ever missed capturing a chance animal encounter or unexpected meeting with a celebrity. But the appeal of a Smartphone camera goes beyond that convenience. These inbuilt shooters are much better than the grainy cameras in old fashioned cell phones. Most of the new models have a resolution of eight megapixels, which is comparable to many of the standalone digital cameras you’ll buy. They also make it easy to share your vacation snaps with friends on Facebook and Twitter in an instant. Bye bye messy computer cables!

    When those still snaps just won’t cut it you can probably use your SmartPhone as a video camera. Most new models have a built in 1080p HDMI camcorder so you can shoot footage of a fun night out or a quiet sunset. It’s also pretty easy to edit your recording from your phone and then send it to Facebook or YouTube. Your online friends will be so jealous of your adventures! The resolution of these phone camcorders is so good that you can happily watch your vacation videos on your television at home without any loss of quality.

    Why wrestle with oversized tourist maps when you’ve got a GPS in your phone? Even if you’re lost, most Smartphones will know exactly where you are thanks to apps like Navigator and Google Maps. And even better, they can help you get to where you want to be. Just type in your destination, be it your hotel or that hot new restaurant, and your phone will plot the quickest route.

    How many times have you wanted a pen and paper to jot down phone numbers, reminders, or vacation memories? There’s no need to scrounge around in your knapsack anymore because you can take notes on your Smartphone. Use the keyboard or voice recorder to make notes and then e-mail them to yourself to deal with later.

    Every road trip needs a soundtrack, and your Smartphone has that covered too. Forget your MP3 player or Discman if you’re really stuck in the past. These days tech savvy travelers have their entire music collections on their Smartphones. And if your own collection isn’t exhaustive enough you can even stream more tunes from the internet. Just remember to beware of those global roaming fees! Listen to your music via personal headphones or plug your system into a hire car stereo and let everyone else enjoy your playlist.

    And let’s not forget those apps that make navigating any unfamiliar city so much simpler. They’ll tell you where to eat and stay, clue you in on all the hottest nightspots, and even help you find the nearest restrooms. These handy applications are the next best things to having local friends!

    Application_SmartphoneDid you realize that your Smartphone could do all those nifty things? Most of us spend so much time on our apps that we forget about all the other benefits of these gadgets. While they cost more than the old fashioned cell phones, buying all of the individual devices that do the same jobs would quickly clean out your bank account. Then there’s the added advantage of traveling much lighter. With airlines forever upping their excess baggage fees, that’s something all frugal tourists can get behind!

  • Top 10 Travel Apps – Smart Phone Programs for Your Vacation

    As more people around the world embrace smart phones and their technology, we’re learning that apps offer more than time-wasting games and novelty programs. These handy cell phone applications can help you get the most from your vacation without connecting to the internet. And best of all, many of them are free to download! Following on from last year’s travel app roundup, we take a look at ten more essential vacation apps that won’t cost you a cent.

    TripIt

    TripIt is your key to staying organized on vacation. Simply forward your flight and hotel confirmations to the TripIt e-mail before you go, and the app will create a clever itinerary. It features more than flight details and confirmation numbers; you’ll also find maps, driving directions, and heaps more. A more advanced Pro version is available for $49 a year, but most travelers should be happy with the basic app’s free features.

    Kayak

    Gone are the days where everyone books their travel well in advance, from the comfort of their own home. These days many travelers live by the seat of their pants, moving to their next destination whenever the whim takes them. It’s these travelers that Kayak is made for. The app lets you search for flights, hotels, and car rentals from your phone. So who needs to plan ahead?

    OpenTable

    Taking its cues from the website of the same name, OpenTable allows hungry holiday makers to book a table at more than 20, 000 restaurants in North America, Asia, and Europe. The app allows you to browse menus and read the opinions of other diners before you make your reservation. It’s a great tool for the United States and Canada, but the options do get a bit limited when you step outside the continent.

    Urbanspoon

    Urbanspoon can help you find your ideal restaurant with just a shake of your phone. Simply choose your city, the type of cuisine you’re after, and the amount you want to spend, and with a shake Urbanspoon will tell you where you want to go. Restaurants in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia are rated by other Urbanspoon users. And many even have tempting foodie photos!

    MetrO

    Every traveler needs a public transport app, and few have the coverage of MetrO. Individual city guides might be more comprehensive, but MetrO details the transport systems in more than 400 cities around the world. Just download the cities you’re visiting before you go and you can plan your route once you arrive without ever getting online. The app updates weekly to account for system changes.

    Yelp

    If the opinions of others matter, you’ll love Yelp. There are millions sounding off on everything from eateries to attractions and essential facilities. The app makes use of your smart phone’s GPS to help you find the sites near you. This program is great for travelers who want to experience their holiday destination as the locals do.

    WeatherBug

    Avoid leaving your hostel room without a necessary coat or umbrella with WeatherBug. The free app accesses weather stations across the United States and thousands of international locations to bring you the latest daily and weekly forecasts. The program also offers fast access to up to 10 saved locations do you can keep an eye on the conditions in your next holiday spot.

    GateGuru

    Nobody likes an extended layover, but sadly they’re one of the inevitable downsides of flying. Whether your flight was delayed, you took an inconvenient route to save cash, or you’re a victim of another airline-grounding volcano ash cloud, you’ll find the time passes more quickly with GateGuru. The program has maps marking the essential facilities of 86 American airports, 12 Canadian ones, and Heathrow in London. It also has reviews, so you know which restaurants are passable and which ones are best avoided. Unfortunately though, at this stage it’s only available for iPhone, so Android and Blackberry users are left out in the cold.

    SitOrSquat

    Another unfortunate downside to travel is that a bathroom isn’t always where you want it to be. We’ve all experienced that desperate search for amenities, and that goes double for parents traveling with children! This bathroom locator works really well in the United States, but isn’t so reliable in other international locations. Perhaps that’s where the “squat” part of the title comes in!

    Cell PhonePlayground Finder

    And finally, here’s another lifesaver for parents. Just as moms and dads often need to find a bathroom at a moment’s notice, the need to find a place to play can often be just as urgent. Reviews and photos help parents find the most exciting places for their youngsters to blow off steam.

    It’s worth noting that while all the apps above are free to download, there may be some roaming charges associated with accessing all the app features in international locations. Use your commonsense when accessing the internet around the globe to avoid cell phone bill shock later.

  • Best iPhone/iPad Apps for Budget Travel

    If you already own an iPhone or iPad, you probably know that you have one of the best budget travel tools on the market.


    Haven’t taken the plunge and purchased your iToy yet? Not to worry. Many international tourist agencies (mostly in Europe) are renting out iPhones or iPads to help you make the most of your visit (if you're heading to Paris in the near future you can rent an iPad near the Eiffel Tower). Here is a list of “must have” iPhone/iPad apps for frugal travelers. What’s even better is that most of them are free! Best Free Apps TripAdvisor (Free) If you rely on the TripAdvisor website for booking hotels, choosing a restaurant, etc. then you will get a lot of use out of the TripAdvisor app (which is quite a bit simpler to navigate than the site). Listings are filtered by price or neighborhood. Priceline Hotel Negotiator (Free) Priceline’s Hotel Negotiator app will help you find travel deals galore. Simply enter a preferred star rating and your ideal rate and watch the search engine lock in a room that meets your criteria. The app uses GPS, which is great for finding last minute accommodations when you miss your train out of Bruges. Mint (Free) [caption id="attachment_4440" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Photo credit: Glenn Fleishman"][/caption] Mint is the perfect way to track your finances while you’re on the way to the airport or sipping a cappuccino at an Italian café. With a mint.com account, you are able to track multiple bank accounts (even from different banks) all on the same page. There’s also a budgeting feature that allows you to set a budget for your trip and see bar graphs that track your spending as you globetrot. Skype (Free) As I addressed in a prior post about how to travel inexpensively, cell phone use abroad can get pretty spendy due to roaming charges and international call upcharges. With a Skype account, you can call for free to another Skype account, anywhere in the world. All you need is a wireless Internet connection. You can also call for extremely reduced rates from your Skype account to a land line. Now you can tell the long version of your travel tales to anyone who will listen without draining your travel budget. Free Wifi (Free) Need to find free Wifi so you can Skype to your heart’s content? The Free Wifi app will help you locate the closest free hotspot, even if you’re not online (thanks to their offline database option). Sudoku (Free) I know, the connection between Sudoku and budget travel may not seem obvious at first blush. Think of it this way: when you’re waiting for your flight, the free Sudoko app allows you to exercise your brain instead of giving your wallet a workout in the duty free store. Currency Pad (Free) Trying to figure out the UDS equivalent of 12,000 Japanese Yen has never been easier than with the Currency Pad. The user-friendly interface and direct links to Wikipedia articles on each currency (for background info) makes this app a must have for budget travelers. AroundMe (Free) A great app for at home or abroad, AroundMe assists you in locating things to do, movie theaters, stores, restaurants, etc. close to your current location.
    GateGuru (Free) The GateGuru app is comprised of searchable directories for 92 U.S. airports and international hubs. Scroll down to find an ATM, a cup of coffee, or a decent meal that won’t break the bank. HazelMail (Free) If you’re like me and normally wind up mailing your postcards after you get home from a trip, then HazelMail is your new best friend. This nifty app transforms your own photo into an actual paper card, adds your custom message and sends it off within two business days. At $1 per card, it’s cheaper than mailing it yourself. Best Inexpensive Apps FlightTrack ($4.99) Whether you’re trying to catch a plane or waiting for your friend to arrive at the airport, FlightTrack’s simple interface will help you arrive on time. Lonely Planet’s1000 Ultimate Experiences ($4.00) I’ll admit it, this app is far from a budget travel necessity, but it is pretty wonderful for the price. It gives you images and brief information about 1000 of the world’s most intriguing places. Like the Soduko app, it will keep you busy in the airport or on the plane so that you don’t end up frittering away your cash on cheesy souvenirs or duty-free merchandise.