When on the road it is important that you are always prepared.  We cannot predict the future so you never know what might happen.  There are several items that are always a good idea to have.  Below is a list of items that may help you when in a disastrous situation:

• A blanket.  I have always kept a blanket in the trunk of my car.  There have been countless times  I’ve used it like to lay at the beach, to lay and watch fireworks, to warm up with when my car was having trouble in the winter, and just to use on a car trip as a pillow and blanket.  Blankets take up very little space and will always come in use!
• Outdoor items.  When on the road with your friends or family you might find that the weather is perfect to play volleyball, tennis, or even go roller blading.  Keep your favorite sports items in your trunk.  This will save you your time and gas money from having to go all the way home.
• Jumper cables.  These are always good to have.  It always seems when you aren’t prepared that car mishaps happen.  With jumper cables you are able to not only help you but others also.
• Flashlight.  This is always good to have when you need that extra bit of light.  One night you may have car trouble or maybe you need more light to find something, anything.  A flashlight is something that’s always good to have.
• Ice scraper and brush.  This is a must, when living in a cold area.  Without an ice scraper there could be a horrible accident.  The scraper allows you to remove all the ice and snow off your car, making it much easier to see!
• First aid kit.  Whether you or some else else got hurt playing outside, you got into a car accident, anything.  A first aid kit is always good to have.  You should supply yourself with gloves, bandages, gauze, alcohol swabs, and a mouth piece for CPR.  You never know when these events could happen so make sure you’re prepared for when they do.
• A funnel.  This is good to have when adding fluids to your car.  This comes in very handy especially if your car runs out of gas and you need to fill it back up.
• An extra set of clothes.  One day you might get caught in the rain, spill something on yourself, or get your clothes dirty without a warning.  It is always good to have a back up pair that you can slip into.

By keeping these items in your car you may be avoiding a disastrous situation.  These few things don’t take up much room and are a must to have.  We never know what is going to happen in the future so prepare yourself ahead of time.  Take just a few minutes and get these things together.  You’ll be happy you did later when you need them!

When planning a vacation you may often spend so much time packing and getting your stuff together to worry about your car.  When going on a driven vacation it is always important to give your car a quick check up before leaving, especially when going long distances.  You want your vacation to be a relaxing and good time.  Avoid having a disastrous vacation by avoiding these simple quick check ups before leaving.  Below is a list of things you should check for when leaving for a vacation:

• Check tire pressure.  It is very important to check your tire pressure on a weekly basis anyways.  It only takes a few minutes and may save you from damaging your tires.  Give a couple minutes to your tires and feel better about leaving.
• Oil change.  Make sure before leaving that your oil is full and clean.  When putting all those miles on your car, the oil often thickens and gets dirty.  Make sure your oil is nice and clean leaving your car healthy.
• Check all your fluids.  You will want to check for your oil, brake fluid, coolant level, wiper fluid, and transmission fluid.  These are all very important when it comes to car maintenance especially when leaving for a trip. 
• Make sure all your lights are working.  Be sure to check for your high beams, low beams, headlights, turn signals, brake lights, tail lights, and hazard lights. 

Checking for all of these things may turn a disastrous vacation into a fun filled, relaxing one.  There is nothing worse than having car trouble in an area that you’re not familiar with.  Check all of these things and have a safe trip!  Also another tip is to make sure you have jumper cables with you at all times.  You never know what to expect when on the road.  We all make mistakes, follow these tips and you’ll be on your way!

When on the road, there are a few things you should always consider having in your car.  The items can help during the time of an emergency or just help on a daily basis.  Below is a checklist you should go through to find out what you might be missing!

• Flashlight.  It always seems like the things that you don’t expect to happen always happen at night.  Whether you have a flat tire, need to find something in your car or just need that extra bit of light, a flash light will always come in handy.
• Cell phone and charger.  In case of an emergency make sure you have a cell phone.  You should have one on you at all times.  We can never predict the future so make sure you are always able to get a hold of somebody just to be safe.
• Extra stash of money.  It’s happened to people before, when we’re low on gas is when we seem to forget our wallets or purse.  Avoid these types of situations by just having a few extra bucks in your car.
• Jumper cables.  Whether you’ve left your lights on too long, or your car just needs a boost, always have jumper cables.  You can find inexpensive ones at your basic store.  There always comes a time when you need them. 
• Car safety kit.  Keep a safety kit of your basic supplies.  Have towels, band aids, gauze, and alcohol swabs just in case of an accident.  It never hurts to keep a couple safety items in your vehicle.
• Umbrella. We can never predict what the weather is going to be like so make sure you keep an umbrella in your car. 
• Pepper spray bottle.  Pepper spray is always good to have.  You can keep it in the inside of your door.  You will feel much better knowing that if something happens you have self defense!
• Napkins.  There is always that spill that gets all over everything, especially us!  It’s always our luck that when going to work or some place important we spill things.  Keep a few extra napkins and avoid even more of a mess.
• Paper and pencil.  It’s always a good idea to keep these on you.  It’s good to have when you’re at the bank in the drive-thru or you need to jot down an address or a phone number.
• Hand Sanitizer.  Just get down pumping gas and now you’re about to get something to eat?  Keep you hands clean with hand sanitizer.
• Kleenex.  Always good to have especially when your allergies are kicking in!
• Tire gauge.  Keep yourself safe and use a tire gauge to make sure you don’t have low tires.  When your tires are low it can be very dangerous to drive.  Play it safe and check your tires every so often.

These items can come in very handy.  Now, take a few minutes get these things together and feel better when you’re driving, knowing that you have everything you need!

Every now and then it’s nice to save on money and since most people don’t want to spend $100+ to have their car detailed, there are easier ways to get your car cleaned at no price at all.  All it involves is a hour of your time and a few tools that you probably already have laying around the house. 

Before we even get started, there are a few tools you’re going to need in order to have the cleanest car on the block –

• Vaccuum
• Carpet / Leather Shampoo
• Glass Cleaner
• Paper Towel
• A Rag
• Bucket of hot water with a bit of soap mixed in

Once you get the tools mentioned above, you’re going to want to start with the following steps.  If you follow these steps, it will make detailing your car a lot easier.

STEP 1:  Remove all of your floor mats and grab anything that’s going to go straight to the garbage such as old fast food wrappers, pieces of paper, etc.  The less you have in your car, the easier it will be to vaccuum.

STEP 2:  Grab your vaccuum and attach the hose to it so that you can reach in between the cracks of your car seat.  You’re going to want to vaccuum all of your floors and seats until they look good to you.

STEP 3:  Grab your floor mats and if you really want to, you can power wash them while they are outside of the car.  Car mats tend to get dirty, so a power washer will blast away all the marks.  Let the mats sit in the sun for a while or if it’s not sunny, just simply set them back in when you’re done and they will slowly dry.  If you don’t want to wash them, simply vaccuum them and that will be good enough for now.

STEP 4:  After you have vaccummed the whole car, the next thing you’ll want to do is apply carpet shampoo.  If you have leather seats, make sure you don’t use the carpet shampoo.  Instead, use shampoo that will fit to leather needs.  Glance around your car and spot ever stain.  Simply rub out the stain with your carpet shampoo.

STEP 5:  Clean all of your windows with any glass cleaner.  Make sure you wipe off all the remains with the paper towel.

STEP 6:  Grab your hot water with a little bit of soap and apply it to the rag.  Rub down all of your dashboards and anything else that can be wiped down.  After this is done, simply let it dry out or dry it yourself with a towel.

Once you finish the above steps, simply let your car air dry.  You can do this by letting it sit in the driveway with the windows cracked.  Once the car is done drying, you can simply park it back in your spot and you’ll have the cleanest car on the block!

Have you always had a passion for driving a Truck but are debating on keeping or getting another one due to high gas prices?  Everyone knows trucks don’t get the best gas mileage but there are a number of trucks you’d be suprised with.  Find out the most fuel efficient truck from your favorite maker and check out the gas mileage.  Find a gas mileage you’re happy with and keep driving your favorite trucks.  Below is a list of the top ten fuel efficient truck for 2008:

#1 Ford Ranger averages 21 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. 

Mazda B-Series averages 21 mpg city and 26 mpg highway.

#2 Toyota Tacoma averages 20 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

#3 Nissan Frontier averages 19 mpg city and 23 mpg highway.

#4 Chevrolet Colorado averages 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.

GMC Canyon averages 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.

Isuzu i-Series averages 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.

#5 Mitsubishi Raider averages 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway.

#6 Dodge Dakota averages 16 mpg city and 20 mpg highway.

#7 Dodge Ram 1500 averages 16 mpg city and 19 mpg highway.

With these top ten fuel efficient trucks you won’t have to feel so guilty about your everyday driving distances. When driving a fuel efficient truck you are saving a great amount of your money. It’s easy, drive a fuel efficient vehicle and save your self from spending so much money at the pump.

To add to the saving of driving a fuel efficient truck there is another way to help you save your pennies at the pump, by signing up for a gas credit card. Gas credit cards can save you anywhere from 5% on each gallon. Sign up for a gas credit card today at www.findgascards.com and be amazed with the money you’ve saved!