Tips for Finding the Right Car for Your Family

This is a sponsored post. All views and opinions are mine.

Getting married, landing a new job, or expecting another baby? Such life events may prompt you to be in the market for a new car. Car shopping can be a tricky and time-consuming process, especially for first-timers. Here are a few tips to help you get started on the right track:

1. Narrow down your search. With so many makes and models available on the market, it is important to narrow down your search based on your needs and priorities. Things to think about may include the type of car you need (sedan, SUV, minivan, etc.), specific features you would like to have (such as built-in navigation system, automatic doors, remote start, or obstacle detection), and primary use and user of the vehicle. For us, safety features are always of top priority when shopping for a car. More space for passenger and storage is preferred, as our family keeps growing. You may shorten your list even further if you have a clear price range in mind. Fuel efficiency also helps limit your search if you are looking to save money in the long run.

2. Take your time to do research. Once you've narrowed down your shopping list to a few models, it is time to do some in-depth research about the candidates. There are quite a few online resources you can utilize to perform your research and Cars.com is a great one to start with. Their website provides a huge amount of information and several useful tools to help consumers make a better-informed car purchase. Their "Videos & Reviews" feature, for instance, offers extensive and unbiased reviews that cover both pros and cons of a model. They also have a number of great articles offering practical tips and advice for car shoppers.

3. Comparison shop both online and offline. For the average family, a new car is a big ticket purchase. You may want to take the time to compare and shop around to find the car that best fits your family and your lifestyle at the best price possible. Cars.com allows you to compare up to 4 models side by side, including key features, pricing, and fuel economy. You can even customize the comparison with the information that matters most to you. Besides comparison shopping online, you are advised to visit different dealers, test drive the models you consider purchasing, and negotiate for the most competitive price. Make sure you do your research and online comparison before you go talk to a dealer. Showing the person selling the car you are well prepared will help you get as close as possible to a fair price.

Hope you will find these tips and the resources I recommend helpful for your next car purchase. Good luck and drive safely!

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One easy yet important step you can take to improve car safety and fuel efficiency is to check the air pressure in your tires regularly. The Life Tire Gauge not only provides fast, digital reading of your tire pressure, but also comes with a LED flashlight, a seatbelt cutter, a mini glass sledgehammer and other mini tools you could use on the road. Win a Life Tire Gauge to complete your car emergency kit!

One lucky reader will win a Life Tire Gauge (ARV $49.99)!

Ten Tips for Keeping Your Family Safe on the Road

As the weather gets warmer and kids get out of school, Summer is the perfect season for family outings and vacations. A significant amount of our travel time is likely to be spent in a car (even after we fly to a destination). While we enjoy family fun during a road trip, it's important to take preventive measures to increase safety in driving.

I didn't know that windshield is ranked as a vehicle’s third most important safety component behind seatbelts and airbags until I read it from Social Moms, who has teamed up with Safelite AutoGlass on a new blogging program on road trip safety. I learned that a properly installed windshield ensures the passenger-side airbag deploys properly and helps maintain a vehicle’s structural integrity in the event of a rollover, while an improperly installed windshield could pop out during an accident. Without the windshield, a passenger can be thrown from the vehicle or struck by its collapsing roof, greatly increasing the chance of injury or even death.

Safelite AutoGlass has provided some safety tips that I think are helpful for all of us.

1. Do not ignore a chip in your windshield! The windshield provides up to 30% of your vehicles structural integrity, and a chip smaller than 6 inches (or the size of a dollar bill) can easily be repaired by filling it with a special resin.

2. Have a windshield repair to prevent a chip from turning into a crack. Windshield repair is often a safe and economical alternative to a full windshield replacement. Safelite AutoGlass saves approximately 35,000 tons of CO2 during windshield production each year, enough to fill the Empire State Building approximately 19 times. In addition, it saves the number of damaged windshields being sent to the landfill by approximately 12,500 tons annually.

3. Choose professional service over a DIY repair kit. The resin in do-it-yourself repair kits could easily shrink or yellow, lowering the quality of the repair. Safelite AutoGlass uses a patented repair process and its resin is proven to be the strongest and longest lasting on the market. Safelite AutoGlass provides mobile service–-wherever your car is–-often within 24 hours of your initial call.

Here are some more tips for keeping your family safe on the road I've collected over time.

4. Have a mechanic checkup before a long road trip. If you're driving your own car, have your tires, battery, belts, fluids, and air conditioning checked by a qualified mechanic to make sure your car will work properly. If you're driving a rental, check the basic safety features carefully before you drive out.

5. Make sure your child's car seat is correctly installed. A disturbing research finding is that four out of five car seats aren't installed 100% correct, which has put children at serious risk for injury or death. Call 866-SEAT-CHECK to schedule a free safety seat inspection by a professional.

6. Pack a road trip emergency kit. An appropriate emergency kit should include a first-aid kit, jumper cables, a flashlight, tools for a tire change, flares, blankets, and clean drinking water. The kit could help you survive a car accident or breakdown.

7. No texting or chatting over the phone while driving. The person who is driving should be strictly prohibited from performing any activity on her cell phone. Talking over the phone can be very distracting even when a wireless device is deployed. Ask a passenger on the car to make the phone call instead if necessary. Texting is even more dangerous as both your eyes and hands have to participate in the action when they should focus on the road and the wheel.

8. No drowsy or drunk driving. The driver should have plenty of rest and keep a clear head while on the road. It's great to have more than one adult drivers taking turns. But if you're the only one who can drive, take more stops and nap when you feel the need to. No alcohol drinking should be allowed at all. Alcohol could make you drowsy too.

9. Pull over to read a map or program your GPS. The road condition needs your full attention. Any distraction can be extremely dangerous. Don't panic when your get lost. Stop the car in a safe zone if you want to read a map or change things on your GPS. Or ask another adult in the car to help you re-route.

10. Protect your family from sunburn. Make sure all family members have their own sunglasses and hats. Apply sunblock to all exposed body parts periodically. Equip your car with removable sunshades if possible. Remember not to leave your child alone in a parked car, the interior of which could reach 100+ degrees within minutes.

Do you have any unique safety tips to share? The first 100 bloggers who submit a quality post sharing their tips for keeping their family safe on the road will receive a $30 Amazon Gift Card from SocialMoms & Safelite AutoGlass! Don't miss your chance to participate in this meaningful and informative program.

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Safelite blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Join Mom Sends the Msg & Win $2,000 in Prizes

Have you noticed my new badge? I'm proud to say that I'm officially a "Mom on Board" Ambassador for the Mom Sends the Msg campaign that The Motherhood launched earlier this month. As part of a national effort to curb the public safety threat posed by distracted driving, this public service campaign strives to engage moms across the country in spreading the "Keep Your Mind on the Wheel" Message.

I was shocked by the fact that distracted driving can be as dangerous as drunk driving! Texting while driving has been recognized as the #1 risky distracted driving behavior, followed by "dialing a cell phone", "dealing with your kids", "playing with the controls", and "eating". I'm not a SMS person, but I've certainly done #2 and #4 while driving. Time to stop multi-tasking behind the wheel and be an attentive driver!

Are you a mom or parent who'd like to help spread this important message? Here's how you can participate in the Mom Sends the Msg campaign:

• Sign the pledge to "keep your mind on the wheel"
• Put the "Mom Sends the Msg" badge on your site
• Be a "Mom on Board" Ambassador (email contact@themotherhood.com for badge code and your site will be listed on the campaign homepage)
• If you represent an organization or web community, sign on as a "Key" Alliance (email contact@themotherhood.com for details)
• Enter the Mom Sends the Msg PSA Contest by 10/23/09 ($2,000 cash prizes, 4 winners, US only)

Plus, you could win a $50 Amazon gift card by making the pledge and commenting at Live Laugh Love and Bloggings by 11/2.

Look forward to having you as a part of this meaningful project!