SNOWED IN? RUN OUT OF TIME? HERE'S WHERE TO CLICK IN THE CLUTCH ... MINUTES MATTER IF YOU HAVE YOUR EYE ON GETTING SOMETHING UNDER THE TREE IN TIME. LOG ON & YOU MAY BE IN LUCK ... WE'LL TELL YOU WHERE TO LOOK, IF THERE'S A CATCH & FILL YOU IN ON SOME 11th HOUR GIFT IDEAS TO SAVE FACE & FULFILL EXPECTATIONS ... READ ON FOR SEVEN STEALTH MOVES .... DONE CORRECTLY, THEY'LL NEVER KNOW YOU WAITED TILL THE LAST MINUTE! ..

There are thousands of recipes online, including just-in-time turkey dishes and endless suggestions for side dishes. It's also a clutch resource for turkey day rookies earning their wings. Log on HERE for recipe ideas ranging from a traditional roasted turkey, to a hickory smoked bird, to one prepared with cranberry nut stuffing. Hunky celebrity chef Curtis Stone says it's all in the twine ...

Curtis Stone The Whole Bird !

For those entertaining larger parties, you may be wondering how big a turkey to buy in the first place ... we've got help in that department as well. Log on to Butterball.com to use their handy Turkey and Stuffing Calculator. Just punch in the number of adults and children you're hosting and it tells you how many pounds your turkey should be and how many cups of stuffing to prepare ... There's even has an option to allow for leftovers, so you can enjoy a turkey sandwich the next day without totally overbuying & overspending. Turkey & TV's are pretty affordable this time of year. Walmart is slashing prices in 1/3rd -- a 12 pounder for $4.80! Safeway is taking a loss-leader approach, offering a free turkey with a minimum purchase of $200 or more. Here's an interestig SNAPSHOT.

Many are looking to have a slightly greener meal. ShelterPop.com offers up ways we can all give thanks to the planet by making our turkey day celebrations a little more eco-friendly. Shelterpop suggests reducing waste by looking for foods with limited packaging and dining on "Tofurkey" – essentially a tofo-turkey.

And if youve got vegeterian or vegan guests or feel torn by the Turkey tradition, you can ADOPT A TURKEY instead of eating one. Farm Sanctuary has resecued more than 1,000 turkeys. For a one time donation of $25, anyone can sponsor a turkey and get an adoption gift certificate. One radio host today suggesting eating one & adopting one, so you can call it a wash.

As discussing on WSJ Radio & findable on TRUVEO ... This'll really make you re-think your level of focus! Full story here.

We're talking about online resources for buying a car on TV & Radio stations across the country this week. Had privilege of sitting down with the folks on frontlines of the AOL Autos team. They've done some impressive work. The end-result is thoughtfully simplistic (which means the site is loaded with information, but is intuitive to use). A winning equation for successful consumer websites. Here are some background notes based on our conversation with them. Hope helpful. More to come on-air:)

• Should we really log on before we hit the lot and in these tough economic time how do we really make it work to our advantage?

• With automakers filing for bankruptcy and closing local dealers en masse, it is time take advantage of the autos market. AOL Autos, autos.aol.com, is a great place to start for free car information for new and used cars, as well as tips and news.

• People are conducting extensive car research online before they buy. This puts them in the driver seat by giving them the information they need to make smart car buying decisions.

• Those looking at buying a new car can compare the features, prices, incentives and total ownership costs to find the best deals before heading out the door. The site has car buying guides focused on:

• Alternative fuel vehicles

• Crossovers

• Best family cars

• Luxury vehicles

• Sedans

• SUVs

• You can also use their car compare feature http://autos.aol.com/cars-compare
  • Choose between two and five cars to see how they compare on price, features, and performance

  • The differences between the cars you are comparing are highlighted

  • Compare cost to own a selected car with other similar vehicles

• Many consumers are considering used cars due to the current economy, so you can go online and compare cars in your area to make informed choices. AOL Autos Used Cars: Car buying maps and graphs :
  • Search for used cars by zip code: Search results give you location of the car, the cost and it's mileage. See: http://autos.aol.com/used-list/make1-Acura/location-20148/map

  • You can input your address and get driving directions to the car(s) you selected to go see

  • Shows you car prices in your area graphed by price vs. mileage so you can find the best deals. See: http://autos.aol.com/used-list/make1-Acura/location-20148/prices

• Work and even - GRAPH - the used car market - all 3 million of them!

• Don't overlook new - promos highly incentive; very dynamic Run the numbers - look at MSRB vs invoice. Aim to come in on or under.

• E-Haggle - Talk it "type" them down in advance. Win/win - you negotiate anonymously in advance/dealer gets qualified lead.

• Think ahead - use cost of ownership calculator to level-set on "real" 3 year + cost including depreciation (hello! First year will make u cringe), estimated maintenance (not all vehicles historically hold up well).

RELATED POSTS ****** CLICK HERE

With money extra tight these days, instead of hiring a handyman, homeowners are increasingly turning to web sites like DIYlife.com for tips on tackling common household repairs on their own. From minor plumbing and electrical fixes to trouble-shooting doors, windows, appliances and even home computers ... Whatever problem you're having, chances are, someone else has had the same issue. Online searches can also turn up message boards where other online do-it-your-selfers have your back & can save you a buck.

WEB SURFERS SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF SPRING ONLINE:
Spring Break Travel Deals, Bathing Suit Season Shape-up, Tips for "Going Green," Fixing-up the House & Managing March Madness Bracketology.

Regina has pinpointed some of spring's most searched for topics to help consumers shake off the cold of winter and put them in the know for shaping-up, fixing-up, saving money and being ahead of the curve for the season's latest and hottest fads and interests.

SPRING BREAK TRAVEL: How can you really be sure you're getting the best price? What happens if the price drops AFTER you click to buy? Good news ... You could be eligible for the new lower fare. We'll show you how to get the credit you deserve and new cyber-savvy ways to use airline miles. Plus, this year, over 250,000 college students will go on Spring Break, and an unprecedented number of webcams will follow the action (for better or worse!). Expect to see the unexpected. We'll show you why & where your teen might think twice about striking the wrong – or even incriminating - pose in this tell-all, social networking age. www.Gadling.com

DIET DIARY: Start a Diet Diary: The multi-billion dollar diet industry isn't exactly known for FREE resources, but one of the most effective things you can do just launched online at ZERO cost. It's a diet diary to plan and track your food & nutrition in-take, plot and record your exercise regime and track your progress. According to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a recently study indicated people who keep a food diary realize TWICE the weight loss of those who rely solely on dieting and exercise. The newly available tool generates printable graphs & spreadsheets, so you can really see how your diet stacks up against recommended guidelines for the goals you're trying to reach. If you're off-course, it shows up in the reports before it shows up on your waistline! http://www.aolhealth.com/food-diary

MARCH MADNESS: Online bracket challenges are in full force. Regina has tips and sites to help make sure you're Final Four picks are a slam dunk. This year there'll also be hours & hours of basketball coverage online and it may look better than ever with improved video streams comparable to high-def TV. It's one of the first big sports event to take advantage of it & the potentially career-saving "Boss Button" will also be back (not that you need it;). If you're looking to attend the Final Four in person, "sold out" doesn't' meant you can't get tickets online. We'll point you in the right ticket re-sale direction and fill you in on the going rate. www.Fanhouse.com

FREE CLASSIFIEDS: Here's a sign of the times... In response to demand for a way to bring classified listings across the web to one place, a new classifieds service boasts listings from EVERY zip code in and allows you to post your own ad for FREE. At launch, there are more than 40 million listings aggregated from more than 80 million sites, which means less searching and surfing for what you're after and more luck trying. www.classifieds.aol.com

Nearly 2 billion holiday cards are sent every year to friends and loved ones, making this timeframe the largest card-sending occasion in the United States. Facing tighter budget constraints this holiday season, American families aren't forgoing this traditional gesture, but some are being more resourceful.

As seen on The Early Show (CBS), we talked through a range of holiday card options still available in time for delivery over the next 10 days. Below is a some of what we covered, as well as links to websites mentioned on the show.

Digital Photo Sites:
It doesn't get more personal than a do-it-your-self holiday card, but it can be hard to find the time to design, cut, paste and craft a one of a kind masterpiece ... And it's not always the cheapest way to go – the cost of art supplies, as well as printing at home, add up fast.

That's where online photo-finishers bring a lot of upside, in both time and cost savings. And you can't go wrong by making a recent family photo or a shot of the kids the centerpiece of your annual holiday card. Two great go-to sites are: www.Shutterfly.com and www.Tinyprints.com. Each has dozens of designs to choose from and delivery options so you still get your cards printed and ready for delivery in time for Christmas.


Going the Extra Mile:
There's something extra special about a really well put-together holiday card. If you're willing to spend a little more, you can create some real show-stoppers on sites like www.stacyclaireboyd.com and www.finestationery.com.


Giving Back:
It's also the season of giving ... And there are cards you can give & give back at the same time. Check out shop.stjude.org tribute donations and www.unicef.org.


Making Memories:
Creating holiday cards can be expensive undertaking, but I hear it all the time & know personally feel this way ... Love getting cards, especially with family photos. In my mind, it's the last thing we should skimp on. Holiday cards are to-do-for and warm my heart. Consider keeping them in an album, so you can chronicle the years or even use them as cover-art for a YEAR IN REVIEW family coffee table book ... Check-out blurb.com for a great place to design and have a book printed.

greenumbrella.com
Companies sell extended service plans for just about everything these days – from iPods and cell phones to big screen TVs, washing machines and everything in between. When you buy an extended service contract, you're betting your new gadget will break within the next three years & the cost of fixing it will be higher than the price of the warranty. The seller of the warranty is betting it won't. The odds vary. You beat the house if you pay $200 and run up against an $800 repair. They win if nothing goes wrong & they've pocketed $200 of almost pure profit.

One way to potentially pay less and possibly stack the odds a little more in your favor is with "umbrella" coverage. GreenUmbrella.com offers all-in-one extended plans for $9.95 a month that covers all your new gadgets or household appliances for three years. Green Umbrella covers an unlimited number of major brand home appliance products per customer, there are no deductibles and there are no fees for in-home repair or replacement service. Consumers can register multiple products up to 30 days after purchase at no additional cost. More than 50,000 coverage eligible products are listed on the site & right now, they're running some specials allowing you to register anything you've purchased in last calendar year. Arguably, the more items you register, the more valuable the potential service. There are some caveats: they don't cover cell phones and they don't cover accidental damage.

walletpop.com
If there's one money saving/deal-finder site you want to have book marked, especially in this economy and during the height of holiday shopping season – it's walletpop.com. The site offers up daily money saving tips and advice, uncovers information for finding the best online shopping deals and hidden coupon codes and even dishes out helpful financial advice and planning. Walletpop had live-bloggers station at malls during Black Friday and will be staying on top of the best Cyber Monday deals.

servicemagic.com - Find qualified contractors online.

Old way: Crack open the Yellow Pages and look for help.
New way: Log on and have qualified businesses contact you.

I tried it and was AMAZED how quickly I got a call back from a potential handyman. Literally within 60 seconds of submitting my online request. Think of it as eBay for services. ServiceMagic.com has a database of 52,000 prescreened contractors and other types of home service professionals, such as plumbers, electricians, landscapers, maids, on and on. With a few clicks of the mouse you have multiple (qualified/screened) contractors competing for your business. Simply typing in your zip code and the desired service. I couldn't believe how many results instantly got for refinishing kitchen cabinets. The service is FREE. They make their money by generating leads for the service providers.

www.yapta.com - Yapta.com: Short for "your amazing personal travel assistant"
You book your airline ticket, prices drop ... But it's not game over! Plug in your itinerary into Yapta.com (before or after you book) and it will alert you if/when prices drop. All major airlines offer what is called the "guaranteed airfare policy," which means you're eligible for a refund if the fare price decreases. When you get your itinerary, just email it to Yapta at flights@yapta.com. It's literally just a matter of forwarding what the airlines send you. Couldn't be easier. Even after deducting any change fee levied by the airline, if your $400 round trip ticket is suddenly $275, you might have $50+ bucks headed your way. (Yapta only sends an alert if the savings are more than the airline's rebooking fees, and claims 19% of purchased flights qualify.) Travelers can call the airline to claim their travel credit themselves or pay $15 to have Yapta do it.

DMAchoice.org – junk the junk mail.
A new Web site lets you keep unwanted come-ons from piling up. DMAchoice.org, the Direct Marketing Association's site, lets consumers pick and choose what they want and don't want to receive in their mailboxes. By logging on to the site for free, consumers can indicate their preferences by business name or entire categories, such as credit card offers, catalogues or magazines.

www.howstufworks.com

Recently read about how a baby monitor was picking up a feed from the Space Station. What a shock that would be. How Stuff Works explains this kind of thing. An award-winning, unbiased site it does what it says it does and explains how stuff works. The baby monitor mystery is all about TV & Radio satellite frequencies. The code is cracked here: Howstuffworks "Why is a baby monitor picking up video of the space shuttle?"

truveo.com
If you haven't discovered this yet, you're going to thank me. Think of it as Google, but for video. It's the leading video search engine, so you can find whatever video you're looking for -- from all video sources across the web -- news networks, YouTube, MySpace, etc. It's incredibly well organized & suspect will soon be a household name along the lines of Amazon, Google, and iTunes. No more aimless surfing.

Funnyordie.com
The award-winning web site started by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay brings in over 3 million visitors per month and has become one of the top destinations for comedy on the web. FunnyorDie.com put itself on the map a little over 18 months ago when McKay's 3-year-old daughter Pearl became a star in her own. Pearl starred with Will Ferrell in the site's first video: "The Landlord" and it pulled in more than 60 million views. FunnyorDie.com has expanded to become a repository of professional content created by top comedians, including Judd Apatow, Jack McBrayer ("30 Rock") and the comedy troupe Human Giant. Their videos are mixed with (the less popular) viewer-submitted videos, which can remain on the site if they are rated highly enough.

Am a big NPR fan ... Think their content is amazing. This week they did a story on coupons. It included some interesting stats along with a photo of a colleague of mine -- Erin Gifford -- who has gotten quite into the couponing thing. She's actually cut her grocery store bill for six people down to $500 a month. WalletPop.com ran a neat feature this week, challenging people: Could You Eat for $3.50 a Day? My sister and I are thinking of giving it a whirl. Overall, the article includes some interesting couponing stats. Suspect usage will increase dramatically per the subject line of an email my brother sent this week "Frugal is the New Black."

FACTOIDS (source: NPR):

* Coupons became popular during the Depression. Some of the first were from a drug store promoting Coca-Cola and Post promoting Grape Nuts cereal.

* The peak year for coupons was 1992, when there were nearly 8 billion coupons worth an average of 60 cents each yielding $5 Billion in consumer savings.

* Coupon usage has declined, until food prices started going up last year.

RELATED STORIES & SITES: COUPONS, COUPONS, COUPONS

www.shortcuts.com

www.coupons.com

www.mommysavers.com

www.couponcravings.com

A LANDMARK "GLOBAL MOMS" STUDY OF MORE THAN 7,000 MOTHERS AROUND THE WORLD, INDICATES MOM'S ARE PACKING 27 HOURS OF ACTIVITIES INTO A 16 HOUR DAY .... COUPLE THAT WITH THE NEED TO STICK TO A BUDGET & YOU'VE GOT TO WONDER HOW ARE THEY PULLING IT OFF?

Away for the week, but wanted to make sure we keep this post up as the school year gets underway ... Here are some of the background notes re: getting the most bang for your back-to-school buck. We're all over this in our house, starting with a vocabulary lesson on NEED vs WANT! This exercise alone is a windfall. We'll keep this post up & continue to update it with some of the best, most current offers.

LET'S TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE ONLINE OFFERS YOU'RE SEEING FROM SOME SPECIFIC ONLINE STORES ...

Online sales for GAP a full 21% over this time last year. They have a new web strategy where you can shop at all three of their big brands – GAP, Old Navy, & Banana Republic (+ their new shoe store piperlime.com ) on one site – it's four stores and one checkout. You can buy as much as you want and get FLAT RATE SHIPPING of only $7. If on the other hand you were to drive to 3 or 4 different stores looking for something – it's easy to start doing the math on how much gas you might burn through.

$7 FLAT RATE SHIPPING SOUNDS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD DEAL ... WHAT ABOUT FREE SHIPPING OFFERS ... ARE THERE MANY OF THOSE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW?

Absolutely. We usually only see this many offers around the holidays, but e-tailers know their most effective online promotion is FREE SHIPPING. In some cases you have to meet a minimum purchase amount (say $50) for the free shipping to kick in; or free shipping may only apply to certain items/categories.

Some current offers – keep in mind some of these offer change daily, so check back often:

- JCPenney.com – free shipping on all orders $99 and up.
- Target.com – free shipping on kids clothes when you spend $50 or more. Free shipping on select dorm room furniture.
- Zappos.com – huge online shoe store – free shipping & free return shipping 365 days a year.
- Kohls.com – free shipping when you spend $75 or more.
- Walmart.com – free shipping "site to store." Still a good option since it keeps you from running in circles in Walmart and by shopping online you know right away whether they have the sizes, styles, items you're after.

- Website freeshipping.org currently has free shipping promotions listed for over 800 online stores. Some offers require a coupon code, others again may require you to hit a certain purchase amount.

YOU SAY EVEN WITH FREE OR FLATRATE SHIPPING, IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO THE OVERALL MATH ... EXPLAIN THAT?

You have to take the total cost of your online purchase – that's merchandise + any shipping costs and weigh that against what it would cost you to drive to the store – or multiple stores.

You can use sites like MapQuest.com to plot out trips before you hop in the car, so you know exactly how far you're going and if you're taking the fastest route.

If you drive an SUV, live 15 miles from the mall and you're getting 15 miles to the gallon – at $4.00+ a gallon – multiple trips to the mall are not your friend. That's when it may pay off -- and the total cost may be cheaper -- to have items sent to your doorstep.

.

EVEN THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE BUYING ONLINE ... THEY CAN BENEFIT BY USING THE INTERNET TO LAY OUT A GAME PLAN FOR THEIR SHOPPING TRIP?

Sure. For every purchase made online, many more are influenced by researching products first. And, you can take it a step further by knowing instantly if the items you're after are "in stock." That way you don't get in the car only to find out when you get there, they're sold out. CircuitCity.com, for example, has an inventory tracker, that will instantly tell you if an item is available in stores near you BEFORE you get in the car.

ANY TIPS FOR PARENTS WHO ARE GETTING THOSE NO SO SUBTLE NUDGES FROM THEIR KIDS AS TO WHAT THEY WHAT THEY WANT (OR NEED) FOR BACK TO SCHOOL ... YOU KNOW THEY JUST HAVE TO HAVE WHAT THE OTHER COOL KIDS HAVE, RIGHT?

- There's definitely a lot of negotiating going on between pre-teens, teens and parents.

- Have a game plan: Make a list, set a budget, and go online together with your son/daughter to do your shopping. We'll be following this drill in our house this w-end.

- There's going to be some give and take – maybe you agree to get them the one pair of designer jeans or shoes from Nordstrom.com and in return they're willing to spend the rest of the budget on a site offering deeper discounts like Target or Walmart.com.

- By shopping online you can also take away some of the temptation of those impulse buys. By constantly reviewing your shopping cart, you can view the running total you're spending – that alone can help you stay on budget – there are no surprises at the register.

SWITCHING GEARS TO COLLEGE-AGE KIDS ... ONE OF THE BIGGEST BACK-TO-SCHOOL EXPENSES FOR THEM ARE OFTEN TEXTBOOKS ... BUT YOU SAY THERE'S LOTS OF MONEY TO BE SAVED BY BYPASSING THE COLLEGE BOOKSTORE?

The average college student spends $900 annually on textbooks. The price at the campus bookstore used to be the price you paid and that was that, but that's not the case these days – there's competition. And with a single hardcover book sometimes costing in excess of $100.00 new, if you can save 30, 40, 50%, why wouldn't you?

For those who plan to go this route, BestBookBuys.com is a good starting point. It's a textbook comparison shopping site that searches the Internet for your textbooks across dozens of textbook sites and thousands of independent sellers on eBay, Amazon.com's Marketplace and other sources.

Most textbook resellers also offer to buy back your used books. So you save on the front end and cash in a little bit on the back-end.

Back in the day, you'd meet & review a portfolio. Now, their work is displayed online. Talk about selection. You can search by specialty or location. From portraits to fashion and animals to nudes, this site lists established and up & coming photographers and agencies from around the world with thumbnails of their work & corresponding links. I tend to think anyone in creative field should have a good looking website. If you look around, you'll see a real disparity. Here's an example of one that works well:

Photo credit: Keith Skelton

This site has a directory of wedding photographers by state: www.weddingphotousa.com, keeping in mind professional wedding photographers are almost always willing to branch out & cover other events.

I'm a fan of black & white journalistic style photography. For that, look no further than your local newspaper or university. You may be able to get a staffer or student looking to make little extra money or work for free to build their portfolio.

These sites -- www.flickr.com, tabblo.com, & pictures.aol.com have amateur & professional work. Post comments to track the photographer down. I once posted pictures of floral arrangements made for an event at my son's school & ended up getting unsolicited requests from people who actually thought I was a florist (career Plan B:).

You can also put out a call for bids from potential candidates. Here's an example from a guy searching for a photographer on the cheap for 4-5 hrs work: Craigslist.

Professional photography is a business & marketing online is an art, hence the new site Trash the Dress . For better or worse, it shocks you into being showcased dresses in unexpected places.

- R

Doing radio interviews today, which is code for am having a bad hair day. But, since we continue to get email re: where I get my hair done ... In fact, it's probably the #1 incoming question. Go figure. Here is part two in a series of sources, should you be so inclined to visit my dear friends as the following salons.

DC FAVORITE HAIR SALON:

George Salon located at the The Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown is very user-friendly. For starters, they open at 7 am to accommodate local business & television people from CNN, MSNBC, the local network affiliates, etc., etc. For about $16 (depending on how long your appoitment is) you can valet park with the hotel, which can save a ton of time circling for parking. The front desk is brisk, but incredibly efficient with scheduling once you get the drill down. Rick has been there for years. For the most part, everyone else is Turkish. The ever-charming Ricky Martin look-alike -- MURAT -- is a good choice. He was actually the first person to notice I was pregnant with my third child. He's pretty straightforward. Will never forget him saying, "Ah, you are having another baby. How wonderful!" to which I replied "I am?" He said, "Of course!" Went across the street to CVS to get test. He was right;) Anyone else they recommend will also be terrific. Turkish men grow up doing hair. It, they tell me, is a macho profession sometimes with a nightclub atmosphere (right up Murat's alley). This particular salon is more coffee shop-ish (have seen some people order lunch from hotel). They'll also do your hair WHILE they're doing your nails. My kind of multi-tasking. Here's info:

George Salon Direct Telephone #: 202-342-1942

2800 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20007 U.S.A.

VA FAVORITE SALON:

This one is close to AOL Headquarters & the most affordable. Located in the Dulles Town Center, it's affiliated with Aveda and they've got their own foreign contingency, including -- MESUT. He doesn't say a whole lot, but is extra fast. If you need to be in & out quickly or have your kids with you (standard on my end), he uses his size & strength (he's a big guy) + a REALLY hot blowdryer to bang it out in about 15 mins. The salon is open late as their hours coincide with the mall schedule (see below). Ray works at the front desk. Tell him I told you to call:)

Dulles Town Center Mall

Dulles Town Center 21100 Dulles Town Circle Dulles, Virginia 20166-2400

Oasis Tel #703-406-8442

Hours Mon. - Sat.: 10am - 9:30pm Sunday: 11am - 7pm

NY HAIR SALON INFO SEE: where-do-you-get-your-hair-done

Sat in traffic all morning. All could think about was home much time & gas was being wasted. Ironically, every story on the radio was about gas prices and area road planning. Turns out, there are some new online applications might prove useful on this front. You can even find out where construction is underway, as lots of orange hardhats & one lane, can be a huge factor with summer road trips. Plus, in my world, if you're due at a TV Bureau at a certain time, being punctual is make or break ... Here's hoping we all find these 3 SITES TO AVOID TRAFFIC useful.

Then, again, as discussed on WSJ RADIO, you could have THIS commute in you live in Japan. UNBELIEVABLE!

3 Best Ways to Avoid Traffic

Nobody likes to sit in traffic. Searches for the word "traffic" are up 44% on AOL Search so drivers are clearly looking for help.

TrafficLand: You really can do just about everything from your Facebook page these days, and getting live video feeds of the roads on your daily commute is no longer an exception. Just go to Facebook and search for "TrafficLand" to add the application to your profile.

MapQuest Traffic: MapQuest just announced a new feature called Current Traffic that lets users overlay traffic conditions, including crashes, construction and slow speeds, on top of their route map with one click. Perfect for travel on new routes when you want to be sure to arrive on time.

TrafficGauge: If you're traveling to a new city and not sure of the traffic patterns check out TrafficGuage. This one's not free – it's as low as about $1.99 a month – but this one uses real-time data to guide you around traffic in 20 major cities right on your phone.