If you drive you probably have car insurance. Or at least you’re probably supposed to have it. Lots of factors have an impact on the price of your insurance besides if you’ve ever had an accident and the type of vehicle it is. Some of the other things considered are your driving record, if you drive to work and how far, as well as where you live and where you keep your car. It didn’t dawn on me at first why the price is effected by where you keep the car but it nmakes sense. Areas with higher rates of crime will have higher insurance rates. the geographical location also tells them if there are lots of children and animals (think deer). Every year or so I call around to see if anyone will give me a cheap car insurance quote. so far the company I’m with is still the cheapest.

I was reading a magazine and learned of a tip that would be really helpful if it works. The tip was to be used in the winter if your car lock froze. Supposedly if you put hand sanitizer on the lock and on the key and then out the key in, the alcohol in the hand sanitizer will break up the ice in the lock and your key will work again. Have you ever heard of this or tried it? If it works like it says then they should sell hand sanitizer in the store with car accessories.

Hubby has had a gps for a year or two now, it was a gift from my parents. I used it a couple of times and once he complained, telling me that I hadn’t cleared it. I wouldn’t use it again after that, even though I wanted to. Several months ago I got a GPS of my own. It doesn’t have all of the features that his does but it will get me where I need to go if I need it. I love the convenience of having it in the car all of the time. I’ve used it on a couple of trips and it’s plotted me the way I would have chosen to go myself. Right before I got it three of us were going to a concert and weren’t sure where to go. We asked and the directions we were given were to “get to the other side”. Unfortunately we couldn’t find out the other side of what. I’m so glad I don’t have to worry about that happening again. Now I can get to the other side on my own. I recommend having a GPS highly.

If you’re getting ready to buy a used (or as some people say, pre-owned) car, here are a couple of money and time saving tips. Once you decide what model you want I recommend that you obtain and compare multiple auto insurance quotes, so you know how your insurance payments will be effected. Then start shopping. When you find cars you’re interested in, always have someone who knows a bit about cars go with you to take a look at it. I’ve brought my Dad with me whenever I’ve looked at a car. I also recommend that while you’re shopping you sign up for Carfax, a website that offers history of a vehicle’s accidents, title history and recall information. Hopefully it won’t take you long to find the ideal car for you. By following these tips you can make an informed purchase.

I’ve driven through South Carolina several times, on my way to Florida. Once when we stopped I got attached by fire ants. I’ll probably never get out of my car in South Carolina again. Despite the fact that I know they’re there, I never think of South Carolina as home to beautiful island scenery. If you take a look at the Kiawah Island Cam, you’ll get a nice clear view of the beach and ocean from the Kiawah Island, which is part of South Carolina. According to the site this is a 10,000 acre  island that is home to many species of animals, reptiles and amphibians, as well as a spot known for sighting American Bald Eagles.

I found this terrific offer on Dealseeking Mom‘s site. The offer is for one free car rental weekend day when you rent a car from Hertz before 0/31/09. Just use code PC#127595 when reserving any Economy through Full-size class car. You’re allowed to use it once per month. The offer is not valid in the NY Metro area, Florida or Hawaii.

My Mom or I have almost always been the ones to take my youngest son to any doctor’s appointments he had until earlier this year when hubby lost his job. After the first appointment with a doctor I don’t usually need directions because I remember where I’m going. I do still print them out anyway, just in case I lose my bearings. I don’t have  GPS but my hubby does, he got it as a Christmas gift last year. The reason I think removable GPS units are better than the ones built into a car is because a couple can share the unit and move it from car to car. Now no matter which one of us takes our son to the first doctor’s appointment, whoever goes in the future can just take the GPS and stick it to the windshield and have no worries of not knowing where to go. Do you have a GPS? Is it built in to your car or is it the removable kind?

If you’re planning to drive through New Jersey you should bring more money with you. As of December 1, 2008 the tolls on the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike have been increased again. On the Turnpike, the toll for the average 22-mile trip will rise from $1.25 to $1.70. On the Parkway, tolls on the parkway will increase by 15 cents and tolls for on and off ramps will increase by 10 cents. Many people like myself already avoid toll roads when possible, using roads and highways like 18, 9, 35, 1 and 295. This will only increase the likelihood that we continue to do so.

I was browsing through Buy.com books today (they’re promising to beat pricing on many Amazon books by 10%) and I noticed they were selling a number of atlases. I’ve had one in my car for a long time, and it reminded me of a list of a dozen things that are good to always to keep in your car.

Ten things to always keep in your car are

• an atlas
• a blanket
• a set of jumper cables
• a first aid kit
• a flashlight
• emergency road flares
• a towel
• a change of clothes
• a can of fix a flat
• a set of gloves, hat and scarf

Two things to always keep in your car that need to be replaced/replenished occasionally are

• a couple of bottles of water
• a couple of snacks

With these things in your car you’ll be prepared for some of the most common situations and emergencies.

If you know my Mom then you don’t have to be involved in futures trading to know that she sometimes has problems getting where she’s going. Today I came up with an idea that I’m going to tell her when she returns from her trip. It’s an idea you might want to consider using if you’re going to take a trip and rent a car. When you book your car rental ask if it has a gps in it or if one is available. If one is not, consider bringing your gps with you from home. Had my mother done this, she would not have called me from Waikiki today in a panic because she got lost on the way to the airport.