Do you often find yourself searching through your new or used New Jersey car for your child’s sippy cup, or for your favorite pen, or for your lipstick that rolled away while you were driving? As you search, do you find items that you were not looking for and did not even know were missing — like your son’s action figure, or a miniature hair bow for your daughter’s doll, or a crumpled homework assignment that your teenager was supposed to turn in days ago? What about old receipts, crayons, or wilted lettuce from your child’s turkey sandwich yesterday?
Messy cars only add stress to our already busy lives as New Jersey women. A tidy car helps creates a calm, pleasant atmosphere while driving. Thankfully, a tidy car is not impossible to achieve. There are simple ways to manage all the “stuff” brought into your car every day.
photo courtesy of kidstravel2.com
Organizers
If you have young children, here is a good example of a neat, inexpensive organizer that can attach to the back of any seat with a headrest in your New Jersey car. It includes pockets for sippy cups, bottles, crayons, small coloring books, toys, hair brushes, snacks, etc. This is just one example; there are all kinds of car organizers out there. Some are cute and decorative, while others are more basic. My advice would be to choose whichever organizer seems the most practical for your needs, and if you can find one that is both practical and cute, go for it!
Tidy Snacks
photo courtesy of www.realsimple.com
Do you and your children often snack in the car? Food can make the biggest messes sometimes. However, certain snacks can work well in your car. Finger foods and snacks that do not crumble very much are always a good way to go. You can also bring along sandwiches, if you are careful to make them simple. Other car-friendly snacks include:
Apples
Grapes
String cheese
Granola bars/cereal bars
Pretzels
Water bottles
CapriSun juice
One of the best ways to manage these snacks is to pack them into a cooler. A cooler will not only provide an orderly place to store your snacks, but it will also keep your fruits and beverages chilly (www.mommysavers.com).
Trash Receptacles
Organizers are good for items you need to use in your car, but what should you do about trash? Trash can pile up fast, especially on longer drives. Some ideas for easy trash receptacles are as follows:
- If you order fast food to eat in the car, pass out all the food to your family first. Then use the empty fast-food bag for wrappers, used napkins, empty cups, etc.
- Keep a few unused brown paper bags in a compartment in your car at all times for extra trash. Once you have filled a bag with trash, dispose of the bag in a garbage can.
- Another idea is to use a large, empty tin can for trash. Cans are reusable, unlike paper bags. Use whatever works best for you.
- Teach your children either to put all their trash into whatever kind of receptacle you have chosen or to take their trash with them when they leave the car. Make a rule that no trash may remain loose in the car.
Whether your car is used or new, keeping it tidy will give you confidence and peace as you drive.
Brrr! It’s cold outside! I don’t know about you, but when I go outside to my New Jersey car in the winter, I don’t wear thin clothing. No, I wear layers and a warm jacket. On cold winter nights, I enjoy nice warm meals in my home with my family, after which I snuggle up in my cozy bed with several blankets to cover me. What a gift it is to stay warm in the winter! Yet it can be easy to take our comfort for granted. We don’t like to think about what life would be like without our basic needs met.
Last year, in 2011, New Jersey recorded a homeless population of 12,825 (New Jersey Real-Time News). At the end of the 2008-2009 school year, 956,914 public school students in New Jersey were recorded as homeless, with a 39% increase the following year (Monarch Housing Associates, Inc.). Think of it! Little children, out on the streets of our state, just trying to survive, with no place to go for warmth in the winter. What New Jersey mom among us would allow even one of our children to go outside in the cold without a coat on? None of us would. What if there were a simple, easy way for us to help needy children and their families stay warm this winter?
photo courtesy of www.ehow.com
At Sansone Jr.’s 66 Automall, we’ve made a way to help. Our KEEP-A-FAMILY-WARM COAT DRIVEis an easy way for you to get involved in your community and help keep needy families and children warm this winter. Just take a minute to look through the closets in your house and find any coats and sweaters that you don’t need anymore or never wear. Then bring them to Sansone Jr.’s 66 Automall before the 1st of March. All donations will be given to the Mercy Center in Asbury, New Jersey, where they will be put to good use.
If you print off the Keep-a-Family-Warm Coat Drive coupon from womensellingcarstowomen.com and bring it with you when you drop off your coats and sweaters, you will receive $10.00 off any service — including oil change — performed at Sansone Jr.’s 66 Nissan, Kia, and Suzuki. The coupon is good through February 29th; so stop by and see us soon! Come help us help others this winter!
How many busy women can claim to have never lost their New Jersey car keys? Not many can. Even the most organized woman can lose her keys in a moment of multitasking-overload. While balancing family life, activities, and physical health, we busy women cannot afford time for a tedious search for missing keys.
Here are some helpful ideas to prevent losing your keys:
Preventative Habits and Rules
Keep a special pocket in your purse just for your keys. Don’t throw your keys in with everything else in your purse, or you will regularly lose precious time digging through your purse every day looking for them. If your purse is stuffed full, throwing your keys in with the other things can actually be an easy way to “lose” your keys for a day or two, since you could spend a good amount of time searching through your purse without success, until you come to believe the keys are not in there, even if they are. This is a common mistake we New Jersey women can make in a hurry. So choose a certain pocket where just your keys will always belong.
After driving your used or new vehicle, make it a rule to never lock your car or walk away from it until you have checked your purse to make sure you put your keys in it. This key-check rule will not only prevent you from accidentally dropping your keys or holding onto them until you set them down somewhere without thinking, but it will also prevent you from locking your keys in your car! What a hassle it is to have to break into your own car or call someone for assistance! Right after you park and open your car door, don’t forget: key-check!
Preventative Item Ideas
Hooking something big to your keys will make them a bigger object, harder to lose and easier to find. If your wallet has a key ring, you could hook your keys to your wallet and never take them off. Some ladies find a cute keychain or two of notable size and hook them onto their keys. Do whatever suits your style best, as long as what you add to your keys adds plenty of size.
photo courtesy of www.keyringer.com
If you’re willing to spend a little extra money to ensure that you can always find your keys, a key-finder could be the best way to go. One type of key-finder, called the “Key Ringer,” is a simple tool that comes in two pieces. Attach one piece to your keys and the other part to something else you often lose, like your remote control, for example. If you lose your keys, you can press the find button on the Key Ringer on your remote, and the other Key Ringer will beep and light up on your keys. If you lose your remote but have your keys, it works the other way around, too.
photo courtesy of www.findonefindall.com
Another type of key-finder is called “Find One, Fine All” (FOFA). It works about the same as the Key Ringer, but it comes in six parts and can attach to six different items, such as your cell phone, wallet, etc. If you find one item, you can find any of the others, including your keys!
Nowadays many car manufacturers produce hybrid vehicles, but you may not be ready to enter the hybrid world. However, you’d still like to improve your gas mileage, particularly since gas in New Jersey never seems to ever go below $3.00 per gallon any more. And we’re one of the cheapest states for gas! What can you do to improve your vehicle’s gas mileage?
Take a look at this Good Housekeeping video to learn how:
As you know by now, I’m not a car expert, but every time I do research for Chris’ Car Closet I’m always amazed at the things I learn. It’s amazing to me how a simple thing like maintaining your vehicle will help improve your gas mileage. As a New Jersey mom, how have you helped to improve your gas mileage?
I’ve been traveling a lot with my husband for our New Jersey car dealership and I always seem to over pack. When I’m done packing, I have to weigh my baggage to make sure I don’t go over the airline’s limits. Then, after being away for a few days, I try to re-pack and wonder how the heck I had fit all those clothes in my suitcase to begin with. There’s got to be a better way!
I researched some packing tips and wanted to share with you, because I can’t be the only one, right?
1) Bring one pair or two pairs of shoes: Shoes take up a lot of space so only pack one or two pairs of shoes, and wear the other. Make sure they’re versatile enough for a variety of situations.
2) Wear and pack layers: This will allow you to change your outfits from daytime to nighttime without much fuss.
3) It’s okay to wear something more than once: Try to pack neutral-colored pants that you can wear a couple of times with different tops.
4) Pack Travel Size Toiletries: Unless you’re going away for a month, you can get away with packing travel size toiletries. Insert these into the various pockets of your suitcase to maximize the room. But do yourself a favor and put your toiletries into a sealed plastic bag. You don’t want your perfume to pop open and spill over everything, causing you to smell like you bathed in it.
So now you’ve selected everything you’re going to bring with you, but what’s the best way to actually pack without wrinkling everything? Watch this Good Housekeeping video to learn how:
The next time I have to pack for a trip, I’m going to TRY not to over pack. I always have the best intentions, but some how it never works out the way I think. Do you have any other packing tips to share with other New Jersey women? Please share!
You might be a New Jersey mom trying to get healthy this year, but are struggling because your New Jersey friends, family and coworkers might be sabotaging your efforts. For example, you may be surrounded by a lot of people who make comments like “but you’re so skinny, why are you not eating?” or “Here, just try a little!” Here are a few tricks to stay on track regardless of what’s going on or what food pushers you’re near:
Eat Slowly:
By eating slowly, you’ll give your stomach a chance to communicate to your brain that you’re satisfied and no longer hungry. If you can’t eat slowly, and still think you’re hungry, put the fork down for 15 minutes and engage your friends and family in conversation. Then if you’re still truly hungry you can eat a little more. And, everyone will thank you for not eating with your mouth full.
Plan Ahead by Bringing Your Own Snacks*
Bring Your Own Food & Snacks to the Office:
Rather than snacking on your coworker’s food, pack your lunch and a snack in the morning. This is particularly helpful if you always feel your stomach grumble around 3 or 4 o’clock in the afternoon and your only choices are those cookies your coworker brought it or the vending machine. Instead you can go back to your office and grab that snack you packed this morning. Planning ahead will help you stay on track.
Pre-Portioned Snack
Still Eat What You Like:
Getting healthy doesn’t mean you have to give up the foods you love. So if your family member is trying to get you to eat your favorite cheesecake, go ahead and have some. But this time, consider splitting it with someone or simply eat a smaller portion. It’s okay to leave some on your plate, I promise! Plus, eating a smaller portion will satisfy that craving you have. Sometimes if you try substituting other foods for your real craving, you end up eating too much and still aren’t satisfied.
Headed to a Party:
If you’re headed to a party where you know there will be a lot of high calorie foods, offer to bring a dish of your own. Not only will the host appreciate it, you’ll also know exactly how many calories are in the food you brought. Many of the other guests will appreciate having at least one healthy item from which to choose.
Keep a Log of Your Food:
Keeping a written log of your food helps you learn what keeps you satisfied the longest, where your weak points are, and let’s face it, keeps you honest. Even if you had a bad day, still write it down. You don’t have to publish for all to see, but you really should do it for yourself.
These are just a few tips for New Jersey women to stay on track with getting healthy. Do you have any other tips to add or funny stories of what people say to you when you’re trying to be healthy? Please share!
Recently I had my first public speaking engagement and I was very nervous. The Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce invited me to speak with other women about their unique career choices and what led each of us there. I was asked to speak about my experience with my women’s auto buying program, Women Selling Cars to Women. Did I mention that I was nervous?
I live with a man who has always spoken in front of groups, and as much as he tried to be helpful, he just didn’t understand my initial anxiousness. Afterward, I realized that I didn’t need to be worried. My co-panelists were extremely welcoming and taught me to be myself. Since I have the feeling I might be required to speak in a large group setting again, I did some research on public speaking tips that I want to share with you:
Know Your Material: Be prepared by doing your research. Speak about topics you know. Write down what you’re going to say. And although technology is great, you may want to print out your notes so that you don’t freeze when your tablet doesn’t work.
Practice: The more you practice, the more confident you’ll be.
Know Your Audience: Depending on whom you’re speaking to, it will affect your tone. If you’re speaking to the Mothers Against Distracted Driving group about an increase in accidents, then you should be serious. If you’re speaking to your friends about organizing a comedy night to raise money for beautifying your town, then a joke or two would probably be welcomed, and perhaps, encouraged.
Make Eye Contact: Don’t read directly from your notes and never look up. Learn your speech well enough that you can make eye contact with the audience.
One of the panelists at the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce luncheon said she used to hate public speaking and now she loves it. I don’t know if I’ll ever love it, but I was proud of myself for volunteering to answer a question. That’s a step in the right direction. What public speaking tips do you have to share with other New Jersey women?
Sources: publicspeakingtips.net and howstuffworks.com
When it comes to test driving a used car in New Jersey during the winter months with it’s cold, damp weather, be prepared for some unique challenges. I decided to share these tips on how to test drive a used car in winter for a better shopping experience.
In spite of the obstacles, winter can be a good time to buy a used or new car because you’re not competing against the casual buyers who might generally give an owner an inflated sense of price by declaring false interest. It’s a good thing not to have so much competition when out shopping.
Expect To Get Dirty
Unless there is a garage involved, which isn’t the case for most car dealerships, you’re likely going to get a little dirty. Winter is a messy season by nature. Be considerate and try your best not to get the interior of the car dirty. Perhaps you can bring a towel to sit on and/or wipe your hands if your clothes get dirty while poking underneath the hood.
Also, the car or truck you are looking at is likely going to be dirty. You’re going to see stains and spots in the winter that might not be permanent, if you have concerns don’t be afraid to ask the salesperson. When in doubt, give it a rub with your finger just to see if it’s wet snow or ice that can be cleaned easily.
Bring a Change of Shoes
If you’re sporting your winter boots, you may not be able to attain a proper judgment on how a car feels. Bring a pair of sneakers or shoes so you get a true feel for how the vehicle will drive for the rest of the year. Clunky boots just won’t do you justice; you don’t want to risk turning down something you otherwise would have really liked.
Get Off the Road
Be careful and follow every precaution when driving on ice or snow. Ask your sales person to suggest a large empty parking lot like you might find at a high school instead of harsh roads. There’s no need to take any unnecessary chances on a cold day when black ice can catch you off guard.
Keep Your Coat On
Keeping your coat on can help you test the air condition, which is something you want to do even when it’s cold outside. A bulky coat is going to replicate how you might feel on a summer day. Does the air conditioning cool you sufficiently? If so, it’s probably going to do the trick during the summer months.
Take Your Coat Off
Of course, go ahead and test the heat. Test how quickly it can warm you up on a cold day. It’s an important consideration. Certainly, don’t settle for how it warms you while already wearing a warm winter coat.
Take Your Gloves Off
Your fingers are extremely tactile. Your sense of touch will help you find flaws with the car that you won’t find with your fuzzy gloves on. However, you should make sure part of the test drive does have some glove time – doing both will give you confidence in your handling of the vehicle.
When you’re shopping for a new-to-you but used car or truck in New Jersey, you’ll want to review the vehicle’s history report before purchasing to make sure that what you’ve chosen is truly the car of your dreams and not a future nightmare. Sansone Jr’s 66 Automall’s customers will tell you that we treat them fairly and give them as much information as possible to help them make the best decision for their situation. Buyer’s remorse is not fun for any New Jersey car dealership nor for the consumer who purchases cars from them. When reviewing a history report for a vehicle, here is a short list of some items to pay close attention to.
Number of Owners: A great rule of thumb is that if it’s a one-owner vehicle, it’s likely to have had more care than a vehicle owned by many people. Don’t be weary if the car of your dreams is not one owner though, as you may come across the perfect multiple owner car that has no problems at all.
Prior Rental: Check to see if they vehicle you have your eye on was a rental car or served as some form of taxi in its prior life. Because of wear and tear, sometimes prior rentals will have a lower price – so this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. A great vehicle that fits your needs and your budget may come in the form of a car or truck that was prior rental if it was well taken care of.
Stolen Vehicle: Make sure the make, model and description of the vehicle matches the one that you are looking at. You might want to match the VIN on the vehicle history report to the vehicle just as a precaution. Follow your gut if something is telling you to double check.
Accidents: Many of us get in minor fender benders ever so often. Look closely to see if there was major body work done. This can indicate a serious accident and possible body damage, and therefore, larger problems down the road.
If you’re buying a used car or truck in New Jersey directly from the owner, consider getting it checked out by your local mechanic first. What other things do you look for when buying a pre-owned vehicle in New Jersey?
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could de-stress by following some of the great advice you’ve no doubt already heard. You know, take a long bath, have an afternoon off, enjoy a long weekend’s vacation, go for an hour-long jog, etc. Unfortunately, for many of us New Jersey women on the go, we can only afford five minutes. Is it possible to de-stress in five minutes? We think so. We compiled a list from some pointers we found that we think will do the trick.
Go For A Quick Walk
Go for a brisk walk, even if it’s only to the water cooler and back. The aim here is to get yourself away from the immediate source of stress and to relax your mind. A few minutes to gather your thoughts may be all you need to get some perspective.
Read Some Fiction
If I’m seriously worked up, upset or stressed, one of the best things one can do is to grab a book. Fiction is ideal (especially anything funny or inspiring). Reading fiction can get you away from what’s happening right now and take you to another world so to speak. You can forget everything that’s troubling you, if only for a few minutes, as you concentrate on the story.
Meditate or Pray
Often, the best thing we can do to instantly de-stress is to simply pause. Many life coaches and stress advisors recommend meditation: there’s no mystery to it, just sit and try to clear your mind of thoughts. Perhaps concentrating on a calming image or a word or phrase can help. I also like to pray – if this suits your religious/spiritual persuasions, it can be a very powerful way to get outside of your own head and call on a higher power for some much-needed assistance.
Watch A Funny Video
I don’t know about you, but a belly busting laugh can turn a frown upside very swiftly. If you have a favorite YouTube clip, or some site with funny pictures that generally brings about a giggle, then give yourself five minutes to indulge. You’ll find that you return to your work – or whatever the source of the stress is – will be lighter and easier to handle.
Make Herbal Tea If you’re feeling extremely stressed, caffeine isn’t going to help. A warm, soothing mug of herbal tea can help. The act of making yourself a drink can be calming: it gets you away from your desk, and it gives you a chance to concentrate on something other than what may be causing your anxiety. You’ll probably also feel a psychological boost from doing something positive and nurturing for yourself.
Punch A Pillow
Depending on where you are when you’re feeling stressed, and on your personality type, throwing a few punches at a pillow may help get out some frustration. Think of the stress leaving you through your fist with every punch. Word of advice, if you’re in the office, please don’t be tempted to use a co-worker as a substitute pillow, this will only do more harm rather than good.
My name is Chris Sansone and I’m a wife and mother of three children. My husband owns a Nissan, Kia, Suzuki and pre-owned car dealership in Neptune, NJ. Here you’ll find a woman’s perspective on all things related to car buying and ownership, as well as articles about family and fitness.
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My name is Chris Sansone and I’m a wife and mother of three children. My husband owns a Nissan, Kia, Suzuki and pre-owned car dealership in Neptune, NJ. Here you’ll find a woman’s perspective on all things related to car buying and ownership, as well as articles about family and fitness.
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