Keep Your Gas Tank Full

Gas prices are rising again. 

I remember when I first started driving gas prices were under a dollar. When they got up to a dollar fifty everyone flipped out and acted like it was the end of the world. If we only knew what the future would hold.

Some people are worrying about emergencies and gas shortages because they saw what happened in the 70's with the gas lines. I am more optimistic than that, but I thought I would make this suggestion just so people wouldn't worry as much. 

Consider yourself empty when you still have a half a tank of gas in your tank. 

This way you can have the freedom to choose where you get your gas and when. I hate finding myself in the situation where I barely make it to the nearest gas station and then, much to my dismay, it is the most expensive gas station in town.  

If you want to find the Cheapest Gas Prices in your town, click on this link and it will find the best prices nearest to you.

Good luck in your search and remember, it could always be worse.

Ugly Car Blues

Is your car a pile?

I have one of those. It's embarrassing to drive because it is so ugly. Let me assuage your troubled heart.

Think of your car as a lonely neighbor.

This neighbor tries her hardest to help you out. Sometimes she is more trouble than she's worth, but at the end of the day isn't she sweet! She may take too much time talking to you and she may have her skirt tucked into her pantyhose on occasion, but when it comes down to it, she would give you the shirt off her back.

Your car is that neighbor.

She's so tired and old, but even though she's breaking down, she's going to get you from point A to point B on a day when it is too cold to walk or you don't have enough time to take the bus.

Take care of your car friends, and she will take care of you!

My stupid car is a pigstye!

When I was single, I gave a cute boy a ride in my messy car. He said, "Jeez, you aren't even going to try to impress me by cleaning your car?" My car stayed clean for years after that. 

Fast forward ten years, one husband and two boys later and the mess was getting out of control again. I live in an upstairs apartment and every time we got out of the car I dreaded lugging the boys and all my crap upstairs. My solution? A laundry basket, a schedule and Xanax. Just kidding, no need for the Xanax. Just make time on your calendar once a week or so to fill a laundry basket with the junk form your car. Cleaning up the junk in your car occasionally will motivate you to keep it cleaner.  

Picture this fictional scenario.

It is Saturday night and you just got the call you've been waiting for all week. Your (insert gender here) friends are going out for a night on the town and you are the lucky one who gets to taxi them around in your super cool car from the 90's. Your elation turns to panic when your key fails to turn over the engine. (In other words "start it" for those of you who are really behind.)

In the morning, you find the mechanic with the groovyest webpage in your area and make an appointment as soon as possible. Joe Shmo, whom you don't know from Adam, informs you that your car is a death trap and you need $5000 worth of work done on everything from the wiper blades to the muffler. You call in favors from relatives all over the country to get it paid for because after all, your car would have started if there weren't so many things wrong with it, right?

Not necessarily. The first mistake anyone can make is to either tow their car into the nearest shop or use the shop with the prettiest ad. Ask around, preferably before your car breaks down. You wouldn't just go to a random gynecologist or take pills recomended by a washed up child star would you? (Just say, "Of course not") Go to a mechanic that someone else trusts. There is the possibility that you won't be a good fit, but it is safer to ask someone than to play eenie meenie miney moe on the internet.

If you have no choice and you are already in this situation, a good sign that you can't trust him is if he says, you HAVE to get everything done. A good mechanic will prioretize the work that needs to be done. He will tell you what you need to do to get the car running, what to do to get it running smoothly and what to do to get it in ideal condition. A really good mechanic will tell you when it isn't worth it to get the work done. If you need $5000 worth of work done on a 2008 BMW, it would be reasonable to assume he isn't taking you for a ride. If you drive a 1995 Corolla, there is the very real possibility that the car isn't worth the money you put into it, so it would be better to just get a newer car. My husband has done that before and even though they loose the sale, the customer knows he is trustworthy.