Importance Of First Aid Supplies In A Car
No matter how safe your vehicle is or how good a driver you are, we all know vehicle accidents can and do happen. Injuries range from minor cuts and bruises to more complex life-threatening situations.
Road conditions are affected by unexpected weather, car breakdown, or rough driving areas so whether you are traveling to work, home, a friend’s place, or a party, you could come across a road incident at any time.
First aid supplies keep you prepared for anything that might come your way while on the road. At Harmless NZ, you can get a range of complete first aid supplies for all your traveling needs.
With the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak, it becomes even more important to treat even minor injuries quickly so they heal in the quickest time. For many of us, our car is like a second home.
Whether you go, park, office, shopping, or movies, your vehicle will remain nearby. This makes your car a readily accessible location to go to for first aid supplies in case of an accident or injury.;
Where Did The Vehicle Come From
The dealership that you go to will have the records on the car you are looking at buying. You can see the plant that the vehicle came from, where it was shipped and how long it may have been sitting. As far as used cars go, getting a CarFax and going over every bit of information on the specific vehicle is imperative.
Find out how many owners this vehicle has had, its mileage, its maintenance records and if there has been any reported damage or incidents involving it. From now on, after all, it’s your responsibility.
Identifying Wants And Needs
You already have some idea of what kind of car you can afford. So that will help limit the field right off the bat. But there are probably still a wide variety of vehicles available that meet your budget.
So now its time to decide what you really need in a vehicle, and then a few things you might want.
Ill use my family as an example. Were actually planning to car shop sometime in the next six to twelve months. Heres what we actually need:
- A car that will last at least five years
- Enough seating for six or more peopleenough for our family plus two or more
Theres really not a lot on our needs list. But there is a lot on our wants list, including:
- Automatic sliding doors
- A good-sized trunk
- And our five-year-old would love to have TV screens in the back
Id also like to have a limo-style roll-up window between the kids and the adults. But, alas, I think the chances of that are slim.
So what does your needs and wants list look like? Chances are itll be balanced a bit like ours. Youll have a few things you truly need;from a car, but many things youd like to have.
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Get Comfortable With The Numbers
The first important step is figuring out what you can afford. This might be concurrent with the next step in our list what you need in your car but ultimately, your finances will determine your limits. Its easy to forget about some of the expenses associated with car ownership if you havent had to pay them before, but its better to think about them up front instead of being caught off-guard later.
So now, before you start daydreaming about specific cars, determine how much youre comfortable spending. A common rule of thumb is that your car shouldnt cost more than 20 percent or so of your annual pre-tax income.
From there, you can think about your down payment and the monthly payments , but dont forget about additional expenses such as gas, insurance, and maintenance. Will you have to pay fees to park where you live, work, or go to school? What does your state charge for license and registration? Will an unexpected repair bill cause you financial hardship?
These are hard questions, but the answers will help you figure out what a car will really cost, and may help shape your expectations and priorities for some of the next tips on this list.
How Should I Pay
First, decide how much car you can afford. Once youve picked a price range, there are two main ways to pay: by financing the car with an auto loan or at the dealership or entirely in cash. To decide which way to go, youll need to evaluate your credit.
Know your score:Checking your credit gives you a sense of what auto loan interest rates you might qualify for, if any, and is especially important for younger adults. With a lot of first-time car buyers, its not that they have bad credit, its just that they dont have a lot of credit, says Scot Hall, executive vice president of Swap-a-Lease.com, which matches car leaseholders with those who want to take over a lease.
Cash or finance?;The better your score, the lower your auto loan interest rate will be. If your score is average or above, borrowing money may be the easier route, since you can pay for the car over time without paying too much extra in interest. Experts recommend making a;20% down payment, if you can.
If your credit score is on the low end and would result in sky-high interest rates, consider buying with cash. The starting price for a safe and functional used car is about $2,500. Every additional $1,000 you spend will buy a newer car with fewer miles.
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Funny First Car Purchase Messages
- Congratulations on purchasing your first car! Its great to be driving a great new car, but dont give up on walking its quite healthy for you.
- Congrats on your first SUV! Youre new truck may be huge, but dont worry, friends like me will always be filling up your backseat asking for rides.
- Youre first car is the only type of vehicle that you will really love while you own it and really miss after its gone. Take care of your new non-human child.
- Your first car will definitely get you a lot of dates. I just hope you dont forget about friends like me in the process. I may need a ride to the store. Congrats buddy.
- Your new truck is known for its power, strength, and durability. Heres hoping that you grow the same qualities one day. Congratulations.
- A journey of a thousand miles always begins with a single step so the journey toward a new Mustang will begin with your new station wagon. Congratulations.
- Okay, so you have proven that you have pockets deep enough to buy your first car. Now you must show that you have a heart big enough to take all of your friends out for a joyride. Congratulations on your first card.
- I just wanted to give you a friendly reminder that I am more than willing to babysit your first car anytime that you are out of town. Just dont forget to double down on your insurance you know, just in case. Congrats on your first car purchase my friend.
Important Tips For Buying Your First Car
Once you pass your test and get a drivers license, youll probably start thinking about buying your first car. Purchasing a car is a big financial stepprobably the largest youve considered taking thus far. Young adults should think carefully about all of the ramifications of car ownership before determining whether owning a car is right for them.
First, consider how much you can afford to spend on a car. For many young adults, a used car is their best option. Keep in mind that the price for the actual vehicle is just part of the overall cost of car ownership youll also have to factor in insurance costs, gasoline, routine maintenance, and any repairs that may eventually be required.
When purchasing a used car, do your research in advance so that you know exactly what you are buying. Purchase a history report using the cars VIN , and ask to have the car inspected by a mechanic. Its always a good idea to buy a used car from a trusted person, so let your friends and family know that you are looking for a car. Even if they arent selling one, they may know of someone reputable who is.
When;choosing the type of car you want to buy, do research so that you buy the right car for you. Read reviews and find out if the car you are interested in has any history of mechanical problems. Keep in mind while stylish cars look nice, your best option may be a car that is more functional.
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Insurance And Taxing Your Car
Remember that a major part of your running costs will be insurance and tax. For a first car itâs always a good idea to get something that isnât massively powerful and in one of;the;lower insurance groups. These will also often have lower road tax costs, with some having none at all.
Hopefully this guide to buying your first car will help you choose the right vehicle.
You Start Understanding Things Like Car Insurance And Maintenance Costs Kind Of
OK, I’ll be honest: I don’t really understand car insurance policies or why certain things are necessary for the maintenance of my car. But I certainly understand more than I did before owning a car, and I’m slowly learning. Knowledge is power, even if it is the most boring kind of knowledge.
Images: Mehak Anwar/Bustle; Giphy
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The Road To Your First Car
Before respondents could enjoy the fruits of a new car, like newfound social freedom, they had to figure out a way to bring it home. Would they be purchasing the car themselves, or receiving a little help? And what about insurance? The next part of our analysis dives into these obstacles, and asks respondents how much they paid, as well as who was ultimately responsible for insurance payments.;
When recalling the glory days of the first-time car buying process, Gen X and Baby Boomers recalled more autonomy than did Millennials. That said, Baby Boomers also received less financial help than their younger counterparts. Whether working odd jobs or setting up a viable payment plan, Baby Boomers were more likely to be financially responsible for their own vehicle.This applied not only for the initial down payment on the car itself, but also the monthly payments and insurance payments thereafter. In fact, 56% of this generation was responsible for the entirety of vehicle insurance payments, compared to just 39% of millennials.
Eleven Things You Learn From Owning Your First Car
1. Owning a car makes you feel like youre finally a real person. You can just go to places whenever you feel like it. You dont need to ask anyone, or wait for a bus, or walk. You can just drive there. In your own car.
2. Owning a car makes you a stud. Your carless friends will be almost embarrassingly grateful when you give them rides places. Theyll buy you drinks. Youll see them being uncertain whether or not to offer you cash. Dates suddenly become much less awkward because hey, its cool, you can pick her up. In your own car.
3. Cars are expensive. The gas, you were ready for. The payments, you budgeted for. But when you own a car, one day it will start doing something funnyand not funny ha-haand youll realize that its your problem, because its your car. When the mechanic calls to tell you whats wrong and what it will cost to fix, youll realize that youve now entered a stage of life where large sums of money will suddenly and without warning be required to simply maintain your current standard of living. You may not have budgeted for that.
5. Youll develop a relationship with your car. Whether or not you make a Facebook profile for your car, like I did, youll find yourself talking to your car. You may thank it for a good ride, but youll probably address itlike Godmost often when things are going wrong. Come on! Please. Please start! Dont do this to me! Ill change your oil tomorrow, I promise.
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A Car Air Freshener That’ll Keep Your Car Smelling Delicious And Most Importantly Ensure That Mr Harry Styles Is Always A Passenger In Your Vehicle
Gifts By Ells is a small business based in Portsmouth, United Kingdom selling a fun variety of pop culture-inspired car air fresheners, mugs, coasters, and more!
Promising review: “Love this! Bought it a few weeks ago and it arrived super quickly, and the scent is still present! Smells amazing and adds a little funk to my car.” Daria
Get it from Gifts By Ells on Etsy for $8.06 .
What Is The Gas Mileage
Depending on the car you’re looking into, the mileage will vary. A smaller, more compact car will have a greater mpg rating than a truck or SUV. This has to do with the size of the engine. A bigger engine will, you guessed it, take more gas. A bigger vehicle used to be the analogy, but as technology has advanced, that isn’t necessarily the case any longer.
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A lot of vehicles will come with several different sized engines, so this should be explained to you, as you may not need or even want a bigger engine. If performance is something you are looking for, then this may be something for you to discuss further and disregard gas mileage altogether.
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Plan To Save More The Next Time
While were talking about buying your first car, lets also consider how to make the experience even better next time. If possible, you should aim to have only one car loan in your life. After this first vehicle, you can use the equity in the car plus any money youve saved to pay cash for your next vehicle.
To do this, try to leave more wiggle room in your budget so you can save more for your next car. For example, say you can comfortably afford a $300/month car payment. Instead of taking up that full amount, try to wind up with a $225/month payment. Then, save the extra $75 per month. Just consider that part of your car payment.
That doesnt seem like a lot. But lets say your car loan is paid off in three years. Youll have some equity in your car, plus $2,700 saved for your next vehicle. After your car is paid off, you can save the whole $300/month youve been allocating for a car. At the end of that period, youll have $6,300 in cash plus your cars equity. So you can likely move into your next car completely debt-free!
Determine How Much You Can Afford
The first thing you should do is determine whether you can comfortably take on a new loan now or need to save more for a down payment. Saving can also reduce the amount you need to borrow for a car.
If you have the financial stability to get a car loan, determine how much you are willing to spend on the car based on how much you can afford to pay each month.
Establish a budget to calculate how much you can afford to borrow:
Keeping your budget top of mind is one of the most important tips for how to buy a car within your means. Don’t get swept away by the excitement of getting your first car. This strategy will help you;avoid overextending yourself financially and getting deep into debt when buying a car.
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Prioritize Your Search Based On Your Budget
When youre researching cars, youll want to consider your budget, what your lifestyle requires and your other transportation options like ridesharing or public transportation. If you decide to buy a car, compare your favorites by their cost, safety ratings and features such as seating capacity, miles per gallon, and value retention.;
I knew that I wanted my monthly payment to be below a certain amount, so that helped me to narrow the price range for my vehicle, Rinschler said. The car I ultimately decided to go with came with everything I was looking for, such as great safety features and good gas mileage.
Corydon recommends spending no more than 15 percent of your monthly income on your car. If you have debts beyond a;mortgage;or rent, keep car expenses closer to 10 percent each month. Remember to budget for gas, insurance, regular maintenance and emergency repairs.;
You can save time and heartache by realistically considering what you can afford and how youll be using your car.
Lesley Corydon, Marketing Director for Chase Auto
College graduates also need to build any student loans they have into their overall budget. ;About 43 million Americans owe approximately $1.5 trillion in federal student loan debt,;and if you’re one of them, you may wonder;how a car fits into your finances and what your monthly payments should be. Corydon recommends getting prequalified for a loan before you go to a dealer so youll know how much car you can afford.;
