Be Safe And Secure During The Summer Road-trip Season

Here are some essential road trip supplies to get a car outfitted and on the road

Author Photo of Wayne Bean By: Wayne Bean / Twitter @BeanWayne
Contributing Writer
Published: 6/5/11 | Updated: 10/19/17

Laying out the paperwork with a calculator to evaluate some budget possibilities.

Laying out the paperwork with a calculator to evaluate some budget possibilities. |Image provided by Pexels

The open roads that wind across America beckon to the wandering vacationer every summer. With the windows down and the radio blaring, people both young and old want to get out there and see some of this great big country. Besides the long hours staring at the highway and some minor discomfort, making long-distance road trips is an excellent way to spend the summer months. It is also highly cost-effective and allows people to see many famous sights and landmarks without paying a lot of money for plane tickets and hotel rooms. In the spirit of thriftiness, here are some essential road trip supplies to get a car outfitted and on the road while saving a couple of bucks that could be otherwise spent on gas and snacks.

Nothing could be more essential than having a GPS at the ready for exploration on the highway. In fact, it's hard to even to imagine how people went on long road trips before these handy computerized devices existed. Not only do GPSs give detailed instructions for the shortest routes to every spot on an itinerary, but they make it impossible to get lost. Don't even think about taking a trip without one. Find the best deals on your electronic navigators by searching online for AutoDVDGPS.com Promotion Codes.

What could be more disheartening than getting a flat tire in the middle of the highway? Why, getting a flat tire and not having a spare, of course. Keep in mind that with all the highway driving that comes with a long, transcontinental journey, a doughnut just will not do. Make sure to be knowledgeable about tiring-changing techniques before setting out on your adventure. Observe all rules of safety by pulling the car entirely off of the road before trying to change a tire, and buy that real tire cheaply by searching online for a Tire Rack Promotion Code.

There's a great temptation to sleep in one's car while making long trips. This is dangerous and should be avoided, but pulling off of the road when one is tired is safer than getting into an accident. If this happens and devices get left on, or for some other reason the car battery dies, it's a great idea to have a spare. Long trips and lots of time spent in the car mean that electricity can be drained even faster. Look online for an Interstate Battery Promotion Code and save yourself the stress of being stuck without one.

Wayne Bean, Contributing Writer

Wayne is a personal finance expert and former financial planner. He contributes knowledge gleaned from his time at AMB and a lifetime of frugal living. Not much of a Twitter user.