Shopping for GPS devices can be fun: it often makes you wish you had more money to spend so that you could buy the most expensively-priced GPS device you can find. And when you read through the different features each GPS device or GPS bundle offers, you'll find yourself hoping you have the cash to buy the best one.
But how many of these features do you really need? It might be great to have traffic updates via your GPS device, but is it really necessary for you? How many of the features you see on the GPS devices at places like TomTom will you actually use? To answer these questions, let's take a look at your specific situation and see which GPS features you might actually use on a regular basis - and would be worth buying.
Your Commute to Work
If you have a brutal commute to work every day, buying a GPS with live traffic updates - such as this device - can be not only beneficial, it can actually be a worthy investment. If you find yourself heading into the city where the morning traffic means you'll be burning more gas, it may help to have a GPS device that feeds you live traffic information so that you can find the best, fastest routes to work. If you can save not only time and money, but also that early morning frustration, what kind of impact would that have on your life? You might also get a chance to explore a few streets you never considered before, and in time, you may intuitively understand the best routes to take during certain times of day.
If you have this kind of commute to work, you'll definitely want to consider the live traffic updates. If you're a frequent business traveler and head to new cities on a regular basis, it also makes sense to purchase a GPS that has live traffic updates so that you'll never show up late to a meeting on account of traffic. Traffic is the oldest excuse in the book, but it would feel better to simply leave that excuse at the door.
Your Plans
If you frequently have outdoor plans and you find yourself on the road a lot, having a feature like weather integrated into your GPS device can be a real lifesaver. For many people, this may not be an absolute necessity, but if you need to be places frequently and have to move from one weatherman's jurisdiction to another, you may find that having the weather predictions and reports on your GPS saves you time from watching the television and listening to the radio. You can listen to your favorite music instead of waiting for the weather report.
Your Financial Situation
If you don't have a particularly brutal commute to work and weather isn't a major factor for you, buying a more "minimal" style GPS device might be more prudent. This is especially true if your financial situation is not as good as you'd like it to be. In some cases, having a GPS might save you time and even money, so you may want to consider the possibility that a GPS would be a good investment for helping you to get around. The more you drive, the more this is true. If, however, you only have an easy commute and not a particularly demanding traveling schedule, you may be perfectly content with a simpler GPS model.
Which features are right for you? You're the one to answer that, but be sure to read reviews at places like Consumer Reports to better understand what the GPS features can do for you and how well they work in particular models. There are a lot of options out there, so be willing to be patient with your search.