Quintessential Apps for Every Type of Car Enthusiast

Whether you enjoy watching auto races, fantasize about modifying your daily driver or simply want to get the latest from the auto world, we have you covered. Check out these apps, recommended by CNET and Automobile Magazine, to satisfy your inner gearhead.

For the Motorsports Fan

Driving Sports TV (iPhone, Android, free)

Have automotive entertainment at your fingertips with the Driving Sports TV app. Watch this web channel’s original videos optimized for your device and live-streaming programs. The app features a broadcast calendar and even lets users submit personal videos right to Driving Sports TV. Never be bored while you’re away from your computer again.

For the Auto News Junkie

Automobile Magazine News (iPhone, Android, free)

Stay tuned to the auto world with Automobile Magazine’s app. Get an inside look at race tracks and auto shows, explore car reviews and get the news. More than just a mobile version of the print mag, the app offers interactive content, including exclusive videos and beautiful photos.

For the Gamer

Top Gear: Race The Stig (iPhone, Android, free)

You may not be able to beat The Stig’s infamous odd facts, but you may have a chance to out-race the mystery driver from the BBC TV series Top Gear. Top Gear’s newest mobile game, “Race The Stig,” provides the option of in-app purchases for engine boosts, cars and helmets.

For the Collector

Edmunds Mobile Car App (iPhone, Android, free)

Have the previews got you excited about the 2016 models? Whether you’re lured by a new car smell or in the market for a used vehicle, the Edmunds Mobile Car App may be your expert best friend. Access consumer reviews, find local auto dealers for specific vehicles, and get true market value pricing info.

Learn How You Can Dine Out For Less

Who doesn’t like dining out? It’s social, you can try new things and, best of all, you don’t have to cook. The downside? The bill. In 2013, the average American household spent $2,625 eating at restaurants. While dining out can quickly become expensive, there are ways to save. Here are 8 of them:

1. Add coupon websites to your menu

If you’re a savvy diner, you’re likely acquainted with sites like Restaurant.com. If you’re not, introduce yourself to the site that sells discounted gift certificates to various restaurants. Groupon and Living Social offer similar discounts. Simply sign up for the sites’ emails, as well as specific restaurant sites, to learn about their promotions.

2. Scout out specials catered to kids

If eating out is a family affair, look for restaurants that have kids specials. Some offer free kids meals with the purchase of an adult menu item; others have kids-eat-free nights with no purchase necessary. Check out KidsMealDeals.com.

3. Foursquare before picking up your fork

Check in and save on your check – simple enough, right? Foursquare can help you find special offers at a wide range of restaurants. Sometimes all you have to do is check in at the location to receive a discount. You can also search nearby restaurant specials and redeem them when you visit. Some restaurants offer exclusive discounts to visitors that check in frequently.

4. Hunt for happy hour deals

Many restaurants offer reduced drink AND food prices during happy hour. If dining before the traditional – and busiest – restaurant dinner time isn’t your taste, try ordering your meal right before the end of happy hour.

5. Download apps before ordering apps

Free dining apps to help you save are plentiful. Savored, for instance, can save you up to 40% when you book on its site. Find deals at restaurants, bars and cafes with Scoutmob, which features an extensive database of restaurants in some of the country’s most popular cities.

6. Pick up points with restaurant rewards programs

Dine out often? Consider signing up for restaurant rewards programs, such as iDine or OpenTable. iDine members can earn up to 15% in cash back benefits. OpenTable members can also earn points when they make a reservation through the site. Once you accumulate a certain number of points, you may redeem them for future meals.

Have a favorite dining spot? Many restaurants offer their own loyalty rewards programs. Just ask.

7. Share meals, get deals

Many restaurants serve very generous portions. If you’re dining with a group, consider ordering a few different meals to share, rather than one per person. This way, everyone can sample from several plates. Plus, splitting meals may leave more room for dessert, which makes the savings even sweeter.

8. Save by being a social butterfly

From big-name chains to mom-and-pops, restaurants of all sizes are becoming more social media active. Becoming a friend or fan on their Facebook and Twitter sites can often lead you to deals.

Do you have a favorite savings strategy to add to our list?

How to Prevent Car Sickness in Toddlers

Getting car sick is no fun at any age, but it’s especially troubling to watch a young child not feel well. Children 2-12 years old are particularly susceptible.

What causes car sickness?

Car sickness is essentially motion sickness that occurs when the brain receives conflicting signals from the motion-sensing parts of the body: the inner ears, eyes and nerves in the extremities.

 

For example, if your child is in the back seat and can’t see out the window, their inner ear will sense motion, but their eyes and joints may not.

 

If your child is prone to getting car sick, consider these steps from Nationwide Children’s Hospital to prevent and relieve discomfort:

Before you leave

• Give your child a plain snack to eat, such as crackers
• Avoid a large meal before travel, especially spicy, greasy or caffeinated foods and drinks
• If possible, travel when your child is tired, so he or she can sleep during the ride

During the ride

• If your child is in a safety or booster seat, make sure they are elevated so they can see through the windshield (read the safety rules provided by the car seat manufacturer)
• If children are old enough, sitting in the front seat can help prevent sickness
• Provide plenty of ventilation
• Avoid smoking and keep strong-smelling food out of the car
• Encourage your child to look out the window
• Discourage them from focusing on books, games, movies or anything that involves looking down
• Encourage activities that don’t require much visual focus, like listening to music, singing or playing verbal games
• Have a pillow or headrest handy to avoid unnecessary head movements
• Keep flavored lozenges on hand. The gingered-flavored variety, in particular, can help settle an upset stomach
• Have water available to keep them hydrated

If your child gets car sick

Pull over for a short break and have your child lie on their back with their eyes closed. A cool cloth on the forehead also helps.

If symptoms persist, contact your child’s doctor about over-the-counter preventative medication.

Kick Your Holiday Season Stress with These Savvy Apps

Who couldn’t use a little help chipping away at the holiday to-do list? Look no further than these seasonal apps to get the jobs done.

Greeting Cards: Sincerely Ink

You want to send holiday cards to family and friends, but you just haven’t had the time to run to the store or even sit down at your computer to create something. The Sincerely Ink app can design, customize, print and ship your holiday greeting cards directly from your smart phone. Simply import addresses from your contact book and recipients will receive your personalized greeting within a week.

Gift Giving: Checked Twice

Still getting Mom perfume every year? And does finding something new for Dad seem impossible? Checked Twice is a family gift registry that lets you create gift lists with items found online. That way, you can claim items so that nobody ends up purchasing a duplicate present and keep returns to a minimum.

Holiday Party: Pro Holiday Planner

The gifts are wrapped and it’s time to get ready for a house full of guests. Forget the pen and paper. Pro Holiday Planner helps you create a table map to manage seating arrangements, keep track of invitations, RSVPs and thank you notes. You can even decorate your house virtually to see how the decorations will look.

Lingering Leftovers: 4 Day Throw Away

Everyone is stuffed from your feast, but look at all those leftovers. Before you pack your fridge, download the 4 Day Throw Away app. The app will help you determine refrigerator and freezer storage times, so you know when to get rid of all those leftovers.

Want to reduce your stress even more? Create a customized holiday budget with these helpful tips.

8 Tips for Winterizing Your Home

Last year’s winter season will be remembered for bringing record-breaking snowfall to much of the country, with cities including Detroit and Chicago having some of their snowiest months on record. Parts of America were unprepared for the heavy storms, such as Georgia, where winter storms caused an estimated $25 million in damages.

Homes not prepared for such heavy snow can see damage ranging from burst pipes to a collapsed roof. Fixing these damages could be expensive, so prepping your house for the colder months in autumn is a smart approach. By following these tips on winterizing your home, you can help avoid costly repairs this winter season.

1. Fortify your roof to prevent ice dams

Ice dams, which occur when water builds up behind an ice blockage, can cause damage to ceilings and roofs by allowing melting snow to leak into a home. To prevent ice dams from forming, you need to keep the entire roof the same temperature as the eaves. Take this time to increase ventilation, add insulation, and seal off possible air leaks to be ice dam free.

2. Insulate pipes

When water pipes freeze and burst, they can cause water damage. Avoid flooding and a messy cleanup by insulating your water pipes with materials such as heating tape and fiberglass.

3. Seal air leaks

By preventing cold air from leaking into your home, you can save money on your energy bills and also make your home warmer. To reduce air leakage, place a sweep at the base of your door and apply caulk or weather-stripping around drafty windows.

4. Seal the attic

Sealing the attic is a great way to avoid heat loss through your roof in future winters. Make sure your attic insulation is 12 inches deep. If you’re going to install a new layer of insulation over an existing one, avoid using kraft-faced insulation, which can lead to moisture problems.

5. Weather-strip the doors and windows

Melting snow can lead to mold and mildew problems around your windows and doors. Seal up any gaps with weather-stripping seals or caulking to prevent moisture from getting in.

6. Inspect the furnace and chimney

Make sure your furnace and chimney are in working order before the cold weather hits. Both should be cleaned and inspected by a qualified professional each year to ensure safe and efficient use.

7. Prune your trees

Snow and ice buildup on trees can cause branches to break and land on your house. If a tree is close to your home, prune its branches and cut down any low-hanging limbs before the start of the winter.

8. Install wind-proofing materials

Strong winds can cause substantial damage to your property. To help avoid wind damage this winter, install wind-proofing features such as permanent window shutters and impact-resistant shingles

Thanksgiving by the Numbers

Curious how your fellow Americans spend their Thanksgiving? We compiled facts and figures from TripAdvisor, Orbitz and the U.S. Department of Transportation to give this Turkey Day snapshot:

Who travels?

43,400,000 Americans travel for Thanksgiving

Why do they travel?

40% travel to have dinner with family 4% travel to have dinner with friends

How far do they go?

50 miles or more on average

Where do they go?

The 5 most popular cities to travel to for the holiday are:

• New York City
• Orlando
• Chicago
• Los Angeles
• San Francisco

How do they get there?

38,900,000 travel by car 3,140,000 travel by plane

1,400,000 travel by bus, train or ship

When do they leave?

27% of drivers leave on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving – the busiest travel day

64% plan to travel during off-peak hours to avoid heavy traffic

Where do they stay?

44% of travelers stay at the home of family or friends

42% stay at a hotel or vacation rental

How do they book their tickets and accommodations?

57% of travelers use a mobile device in the booking process

How much do they spend on traveling?

$384 is the average domestic airfare

$162 is the average hotel rate

What about the food?

235,000,000 turkeys are raised in the U.S. each year

46,000,000 turkeys served for Thanksgiving dinner

736,000,000 pounds of turkey served for Thanksgiving dinner

16% of people eat at a restaurant on Thanksgiving

How much is spent on the feast?

$49.04 is the average cost of Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people

$21.76 is the average cost of a 16 lb. turkey

$75 or more is the average for a ready-to-eat meal from a grocery store

#SelfiesWhileDriving: A Dangerous Phenomenon

Everywhere you look, people are taking “selfies” – from sporting events to graduation ceremonies. But the reckless act of taking a self-portrait while driving can endanger you, your passengers and others on the road.

 

The selfie fad is so new that statistics linking it to traffic accidents don’t yet exist. However, the U.S. Department of Transportation cites more than 3,300 deaths every year caused by distracted driving. Taking a selfie is a distraction from driving – reaching for your phone, opening the camera app and taking a photo. Distracted drivers are three times more likely to get into a crash, yet 80% of drivers admit to using their phone while driving.

The rise in driving hashtags

Hashtags that refer to driving tell part of the story. The following driving-related hashtags are among the most common on Twitter and Instagram – accounting for thousands of posts this year alone:

 

#Driving: 40 million+ posts

#Drivinghome: 80 thousand+ posts

#Drivingtowork: 16 thousand+ posts

#Drivingselfie: 21 thousand+ posts

#Drivingselfies: 5 thousand+ posts

Selfies while stopped are still unsafe

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Russ Rader noted that taking a selfie even while stopped at a traffic light is dangerous. “It is still distracting,” he said, “and driving requires your full attention.”

 

A common accident involving vehicles stopped at a red light or traffic sign is a rear-end collision. While you can’t control the actions of the driver behind you, taking a selfie can distract you from moving quickly enough to avoid being hit. It also can delay your response once the traffic light turns green – causing you to hit the vehicle in front of you.

 

Plus, in states that have deemed it illegal to use a cell phone while operating a vehicle, you could be ticketed.

Ad focuses on the potential selfie aftermath

Toyota’s “Don’t Shoot and Drive” campaign uses Instagram to call out the dangers of taking selfies while driving. For impact, it uses images of a totaled car edited in various Instagram filters.

 

When you’re behind the wheel and you’re holding a phone, you’re a distracted driver. And no conversation, text or selfie is worth the risk.