After moving to the United States, I started travelling a lot, but I soon realized that travelling can be an expensive hobby at times. So I started researching ways to chop off as many expenses as I could from my trips. Thanks to the ever growing community of smartphone users, today there are billions of free apps for android and iOS fans of all tastes and needs. So if you happen to be a traveler who likes to take on the world without spending a ton of fortune, you are lucky to be alive today. There are millions of apps that can help you save and plan smartly for your upcoming trips. However, after months of research and experience with different platforms, I finally declare following apps as my ultimate travelling buddies:
1. TripCase
"TripCase gives travelers a single place to manage and organize their trips. Connected to powerful technology and travel companies, TripCase is an itinerary management app that delivers the right information at the right time."
I started using the app when I was travelling to the United States for the first time. It has reminders for the trip and also has airport maps to help you find the right gate. The app also features real-time monitoring system so if a flight is delayed or a gate is changed it will inform you about everything. I use it for all my air travels. Other features include weather updates and ability to add contacts that are automatically informed whenever you board or land, which my parents find really useful. The app also allows you to look for hotels and commuting services.
2. Hopper
"Hopper is a mobile application
that uses big data to predict and analyze airfare. Hopper provides travelers
with the information they need to get the best deals on flights, and notifies
them when prices for their flights are at their predicted lowest points."
As mentioned in the official description of the app, Hopper uses data sets comprising of billions of flight prices in order to create algorithms that predict the drop and rise in prices. It is very useful for users who are planning to travel ahead of time and are on a somewhat flexible schedule, like for vacation. People can plan accordingly and get really good deals on air fares. I have been using it for almost a year now and it has never disappointed me. I have bought domestic and international air tickets with the help of this app and I am proud to say that I got the best deals. I saved a whopping $500 on my most recent trip to Pakistan. I have also been able to save $75 on round trip to Chicago and over $100 on my trip to Boston during last thanksgiving break.
3. Airbnb
“Whether an apartment for a night, a castle for a week, or a villa for a month, Airbnb connects people to unique travel experiences, at any price point, in more than 34,000 cities and 190 countries. And with world-class customer service and a growing community of users, Airbnb is the easiest way for people to monetize their extra space and showcase it to an audience of millions.”
Airbnb is a trust based community to help users find very good deals on places to stay. The range of places to stay is from a shared room to a full villa and even islands in some cases. It covers over 190 countries across the world. It proved to be the most useful app I had during this past winter break when I decided to visit NYC during New Year's Eve. A normal hotel in Manhattan was charging over $500 per night but I was able to stay in a cozy and peaceful place for two nights and three days for $150. It is also very easy to make money as a hopper host by following a really simple procedure.
4. Turo
If I had to explain Turo simply, it is the Airbnb for cars. Just like Airbnb, you have the options either to rent a car for trip or to lend your car for a weekend to make some money. You can either request the owner to deliver the car to you, or request them to drop it off at an airport or you can just go to owner listed location to pick it up. A small amount is charged by Turo to cover insurance costs so you can drive or rent it out with relief.
I have personally never used this app because I usually drive my own car if I am planning to hit the road during my trip, but I can see myself using it in Europe. The prices are way cheaper than rental services. Plus, the company provided insurance covers up to $1 million during each trip. The company also has a system in place to make sure things are going alright during the trip.
5. Uber and Lyft
These are fairly popular services available for smartphone users. Uber and Lyft are basically the same appby different companies with competing offers. These innovative taxi services can provide you transportation services for really cheap prices. Both companies also offer carpool service now. You can also send rides to your friends and family in need of help by paying for their ride.
I have not been able to decide which one is better. I personally use both because there have been times when I was not able to get a ride from one so I had to seek service from the other.
The other awesome thing about both services is that pretty much anyone with a car, good driving skills and a smartphone can work for them. The process is fairly simple and I know many people who use it to make some extra money.
6. Citymapper
If you are an avid traveler and love to explore big cities, citymapper is a great app to have. It integrates data from Google, Apple, OpenStreetMaps, Yelp, Uber, Hailo, Car2Go and Autolib among many other.
The app provides real-time information on local transport services and shortest ways used by locals to reach their destinations. It was really helpful when I was roaming around in NYC and Chicago and will definitely recommend it. Unfortunately, its only available in selective cities around the world for now.
7. Waze
"Imagine millions of drivers out on the roads, working together towards a common goal: to outsmart traffic and get everyone the best route to work and back, every day. Waze is the world's largest community-based traffic and navigation app. Join other drivers in your area who share real-time traffic and road info, saving everyone time and gas money on their daily commute."
It is a great app that I use on long drives and road trips because of its real-time updates including speed traps which are very reliable most of the time. I will highly recommend it for frequent drivers and road trip maniacs. You can also share your trip details with your friends and family on Waze so that they see you on their Waze app, if needed, and know your ETA.
8. Yelp
Ever had to think where to eat or get a haircut in a new city? Ever wanted to look up local events that you might be able to go to? Yelp is the ultimate app for getting around places like a local.
"Yelp was founded in 2004 to help people find great local businesses. It uses automated software to recommend the most helpful and reliable reviews for the Yelp community among the millions we get. The software looks at dozens of different signals, including various measures of quality, reliability, and activity on Yelp. The process has nothing to do with whether a business advertises on Yelp or not."
I have personally found the app very useful when in search of good food. The reviews on app by millions of its users are really helpful. Any local business can easily set up an account on yelp to help its customers. I would definitely recommend having the app just in case you need to take your date to a great local place or want to connect with people in a nearby event.
