Let the Web Search for Cheapest Gasoline
With fuel taking a bigger bite out of family budgets, drivers are turning to technology to find the best possible gasoline price before filling up.
Free Web sites that compare gas prices at different stations have been around for years, but the offerings are becoming more sophisticated.
There are now ways to get gas prices delivered without the need for an online search. There are also new tools that use local gas prices to help you make decisions such as whether to drive a few extra miles to get cheaper gas.
Mr. Dwyer, Senior Vice President of MapQuest Gas Prices used a calculator to compare the cost to either fly or drive from the website. Mr. Dwyer is thinking of adding a tool that will help travelers build a gas-station itinerary for road trips.
Meanwhile, to check for gasoline prices while you’re on the road, you can download software from Mobio networks to your cell phone. Users punch in a postal code and get nearby prices. The program even provides a map to make finding the station easier.
Those who want to monitor prices constantly from their computers can use a widget a continually updated tool that displays prices on your desktop without requiring a visit to a separate Web page.
For Apple computers, a widget at interdimensionmedia.com compares the pride at a particular gas station with the average in the area, to help drivers decide whether it’s worth driving a few extra miles for the savings.
By Ana Campoy