What makes RVing easier - apps, websites, services

We were talking today with our neighbors at the campground about apps and websites and services that make RVing easier, and thought we should share with you:

• AllStays Camp & RV App on the smartphone - this app is great for finding WalMarts that allow parking, rest areas, campgrounds, RV services, Truck stop fueling stations, dump stations, propane sellers, warnings about low bridges and steep grades.
• Patti recently signed up for AllStays Pro on the computer. So far, she is not finding it to be quite as nice to use as the app. Patti has communicated with the developer, and some of the features that she really likes on the app (following a route across the screen and seeing WalMarts or campgrounds all along the route) don't work as well on the PC web tool due to the different mapping software. She hasn't used it enough yet to definitively say whether it is an tool that she will continue to use or not.
• GasBuddy - really handy to find out prices of fuel; with our fuel tank being nearly 300 gallons, even at 6.5 mpg average, we have a long range to our fuel tank. This allows us to bypass purchasing fuel in states with high prices. The only caveat: it seems that in Arizona there is a surcharge for commercial trucks that RVs don't have to pay - GasBuddy gave the trucker's price for diesel at truckstops, and the car price for diesel at other fueling stations (it is crowd-sourced, so it is based on what the users report). When we went to the truck stop, they had separate islands for RVs to use that did not include the surcharge.
• GoogleMaps - it is great to have the ability to consider multiple routes between two locations, looking at different options of towns to go through, getting an estimate of the amount of miles and time to travel.
• Smartphones in general - how wonderful to have all this technology at our fingertips - the ability to text each other or call to find out where to meet, getting emails without having to have the computer running, accessing the Bible at any time, anywhere. Hey guys - this is relatively new technology! Can't imagine being fulltime without cellphones, and the smartphone technology just adds additional help.
• Bible app - we really like using the Bible on our smartphone. We had both always used a hardcopy Bible, and, in the past, would not have considered using an online Bible at church, but the Bible app is pretty much all we use!
• The services that we get from the various clubs that we belong to: FMCA with FMCAssist (http://trekincartwrights.blogspot.com/2016/04/fmcassist.html) and rallies at which we have learned so much (http://trekincartwrights.blogspot.com/2014/10/six-state-rally.html, http://trekincartwrights.blogspot.com/2014/10/fire-and-life-safety-in-your-rv.html), Escapees with the Bootcamp (http://trekincartwrights.blogspot.com/2014/11/escapees-bootcamp.html) and Mail Service (http://trekincartwrights.blogspot.com/2014/12/escapees-mail-service.html), both of them with fora with people to help us out, or just to research what others have done. Also CoachNet for roadside assistance.
• Amazon Prime - it is so nice to be able to get shipments within just a couple of days. And added bonus to be able to see a large number of videos for no charge.
• YouTube - it is amazing how many how-to videos are out on YouTube, on every imaginable subject. And... Patti thinks that Dwayne has watched about 70% of them (just kidding!).
• Online banking, notifications, ability to deal with most things online (with the exception of Medicare and the Medicare drug plan that Dwayne has - they communicate via hardcopy mail only - who would expect that?).
• Unlimited data plan - enables us to use all these other tools!