If you're like me, you have your smartphone on hand all the time and you're constantly checking it. So, when you start thinking about travel plans – maybe it's a weekend on an island to escape the cold or a trip to hit the slopes – why would you pull out your laptop, when apps for all your travel needs are available for your phone? Many apps are free, though there are some that go up in price from a few cents to a yearly fee. The savings, however, far outweigh the convenience offered when with the touch of a screen you can book your flight, choose your seat, make a hotel reservation or even send a video postcard once you've reached your destination.

This name-your-own price allows you to negotiate the best deals, all on your phone. This free app even comes with William Shatner's voice barking out the deals as they are bandied about.

Kyack

Get ready, get set, touch your screen and book your getaway. Kyack offers a free app that allows you to  up to the minute information on airfares, hotels, car rentals and accommodations. This allows you to search out and secure the best and lowest cost deals. The free Kayack app also includes maps, so if you are out and about and can't find your way back to your hotel you can pull up a map.

Skype

Want to get some work done or connect with some friends from home while you are traveling? Skype offers an app that allows those with a smartphone to dial in and conference from any location on the globe. You can chat till you lose your voice with this free app. Or, for those who want to surf the web or talk on their phone, regardless of where they are and what their traditional plan would offer, for 19 cents a minute Skype Access allows you to do just that from any location that offers a Wi-Fi hotspot.

WorldMate

Would you like to have a travel agent do nearly all the work of booking a trip for you – from creating an itinerary, comparing flight prices and finding the most convenient hotel for your travel plans? WorldMate is the travel app for you. Depending on what services you want to include, prices for this app range all the way from free up to $99 a year. With this yearly fee comes up to the minute flight times, and a system that tracks and organizes all your travel information for you with the stroke of the smartphone's screen along with a bunch of other user and traveler friendly options.

Whatever application you are looking for to aid you in your travels, there seems to be one that will reduce the cost and the hassle of planning a trip. From Zagat ratings for the town you're visiting to currency exchanges, the information you need is just a download away, and often for only a small fee.