Using Technology to Help Your Wallet
In case you haven’t noticed or read the headlines recently, gas prices are on the rise. You may have your favorite local gas station to get your gas, but are you getting ripped off? We’ve all heard stories about gas stations gouging their customers when the wind blows in the wrong direction. So how do we consumers make better choices and save our hard earned money? Yes, there is an app for that!
While there are many gas apps out there I personally use the free Gas Buddy (www.gasbuddy.com) app. With this app you can either type in the zip code of where you want to search, or allow your phone’s GPS to automatically search for gas stations closest to your location. The results display the price of Regular, Midgrade, Premium and Diesel fuel at each station, their addresses, and the distance of each station from your location. With the click of a button you can get directions to the station using your phone’s navigation application.
The Gas Buddy app allows users to correct pricing if you arrive at the station and the pricing isn’t correct. They state on the Gas Buddy website that they automatically purge the last reported pricing after 72 hours to try to keep pricing as accurate as possible. So while these types of apps aren’t always absolutely perfect, they can be used as a great guide to help you save some cash when you need to fill your hungry gas tank.
So give it a try and put the power of consumerism back in your hands!