12 Ride-Share Hacks to Save You Time + Money

What started as a crazy, "could this really work?" idea, has now created a slew of companies in the ride-share industry, from big-dogs Uber and Lyft to Limos.com and HopSkipDrive. In our busy, on-the-go world, it's important to make the most out of your rideshare. The next time you request a car, make sure you know these key app features from Lyft and/or Uber that could save you both time and money on your journey.

Schedule Your Ride Ahead of Time

Whether you're headed out of town, want to be on time for a dinner reservation or early for a business meeting, you can have extra assurance knowing your ride will be available when you need it.

UBER: Uber's "Scheduled Rides" featured is available 30 days to 30 minutes before you need it.

LYFT: Schedule your Lyft up to 7 days in advance, then update or cancel your scheduled ride up to 30 minutes before your requested time.

Create Your Own Custom Codes for Events

Lyft codes allow you to conveniently and safely get your guests to and from the main event. With Lyft's "Self-Service Portal," seamlessly create custom Lyft codes, parameters for pickup/drop-off around the event and set price limits on rides for guests.

Request a Ride For a Loved One

When you set the pickup spot away from your current location, Uber will automatically ask whether the ride is for a family member or friend. You can then select the rider from your address book, set their destination and request the ride on their behalf. Once the driver is on the way, the rider will receive a text with the driver's details and a link to track the driver's route.

Add a Stop — Seamlessly

You've got places to go and people to see, and sometimes one stop just isn't enough. To make these moments easier, Lyft includes the ability to add an extra stop to your ride.

Connect Your Calendar

For travelers with packed itineraries, every minute counts. With "Calendar Shortcuts," Uber can assist with your planning. Once you connect your phone's native calendar to the Uber app, your upcoming flight, hotel stay or dinner reservations will appear as a "shortcut" on the bottom of the screen when you open the app. All you have to do is tap and go.

Stand Up by Sitting Down

"Round Up & Donate" provides passengers with the option to stand for something during their short journey. Lyft will round up your fares to the nearest dollar, then donate the difference to a charitable cause of your choice. Charity partners so far include the USO, ACLU and Human Rights Campaign.

Share Your Trip

This feature is especially handy for solo travelers. While en route, you can not only monitor your own trip in the Uber app but also share your trip details with friends and family. Simply tap the "Send Status" button to immediately send your driver's name, photo, vehicle and where you are on the map to a friend or family member so they know when you've safely arrived. They don't even need to download the app to track your trip.

Switch Between Cards

Lyft has introduced business profiles which integrate expense reports, corporate credit cards and more. Switch from "Personal" to "Business" mode with a single tap.

Airport Availability

Whether you're staying domestic or flying abroad, you can take Uber to and from nearly all of the top 50 airports in the U.S. and at most airports around the world. The Uber app will provide instructions for your pickup, and for larger airports, the app enables riders to provide specific pickup instructions, like terminal and door number, to their driver.

Earn Points While Riding

You can now link your Delta account to your Lyft account to earn miles for every dollar you spend on Lyft rides. You can also earn three-times the points when you use a Lyft to go to and from any airport. Connect through your Delta app and see the points rack up.

Car Seats On the Go

There's now a car seat option if you're taking Lyft in New York City. If you're visiting the Big Apple or live there full time, you can now avoid the heat and hassle by just requesting a ride in "Car Seat Mode."

Go Past Point B

In certain regions, you can take advantage of special local offerings from Uber like UberWINE, UberBOAT and UberTRIP.