Via MyParkingSign.
There are few things as frustrating as not being able to find a parking space. Whether you are late to the restaurant and know everyone is inside ready to order, or you are early and realize you should have taken your friend’s advice to just take the bus, going in circles in your car waiting for something to open up is a pain. It is also a waste of gas. Even though gas prices are low right now, you don’t want to be paying more than you should.
But it doesn’t have to be like that. This is 2015! The digital age! The phrase, “There’s an app for that!” has never been more real or accurate as it is today. So yes, there are apps designed to find you places to park. And what’s even better is that they work. They wouldn’t be so increasingly popular if they didn’t. Not that you should be using your phone while driving, but you don’t have to be driving to use parking apps.
You can book a spot before you get into the car, or pull over for a moment to check it out. Another great thing about apps is they are fast.
If you are unfamiliar with the range of parking apps, here are a few of the best – and just to be clear, these apps will help you find you spaces, you have to do the actual parking:
“Have a parking spot waiting for you!”
SpotHero: This app lets you book and pay for your parking spot all from your phone. This is nice because there is no physical interaction of cash or credit card. You select a spot that fits what you want to pay and select. It’s that easy. But SpotHero doesn’t limit spaces to personal or street parking. The app also allows you to reserve spaces in parking garages for discounted rates, which is why Forbes listed it as one of its favorite parking apps. Also, this app is free.
BestParking: This app began to help drivers find parking spaces near airports. As you can imagine, people loved the idea and it grew into a nationwide operation (app-eration?) that helps drivers find general parking garages around the country. According to lifehacker, one of the functions that makes this app so great, beyond its wide range of spaces, is the fact that you can also set your parking stay. For instance, if you want to reserve a spot for an hour, great, but if you want to reserve your spot for a month you can do that too. The app is free, but does offer a premium version that has advanced search options and filters.
Veer: This app is similar to the others, but BetaBoston technology and innovation news awarded it high marks for its focus, which is on duration of time you need the space. You tell the app how long you need to park and it provides you options based on distance and price, listing closest and least expensive at the top. The app also shows you a photo of the parking garage so you know exactly what to look for.
Make it easy to get in, but also to get out!
In this modern age, people don’t like to waste time. Maybe you are old fashioned and like to drive around at your leisurely pace until a spot jumps out at you. While there is nothing wrong with that, it is important to know that there are more efficient ways of finding a parking space. Additionally, these apps can save you money as well as time. By offering discounted rates and personalized garage spaces, parking apps are worth looking into.
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