PLANNING FOR THE UNEXPECTED
Why You Need a Monthly Vehicle Maintenance Budget
3 Safe April Fools’ Pranks Your Kids Will Love Every year, a prankster makes headlines on April Fools’ Day for taking their joke too far. In 2001, a DJ in England famously broadcast that he’d spotted a replica of the Titanic floating off the coast. Hundreds of people scrambled to the spot, and their combined weight actually caused a cliff to collapse into the ocean! Luckily no one was hurt, but a Montana man who played a different joke years later wasn’t so lucky. He donned a Sasquatch outfit and leapt from the forest to scare travelers. Unfortunately, he traumatized two teens so much that they lost control of their car and ran him over. If you're a prankster, you can probably understand what drove the radio DJ and Sasquatch to their doom. It’s easy to go down the April Fools’ rabbit hole and plan a prank that's too elaborate for adults, let alone your kids. But don't worry — the internet is full of funny ways to introduce your little ones to the holiday safely. Instead of concocting a potentially harmful prank, try one of these harmless jokes instead, courtesy of Parenting magazine. 1. The Undrinkable Juice You know what looks a lot like grape juice? Grape jello! To baffle your toddler (or even your 10-year- old), make a batch of jello and let it set in a juice glass. When they try to drink it later, enjoy the hilarity that ensues. 2. Rocks — It’s What’s for Dinner! If you want to confuse and horrify your kids, scatter chocolate rock candy (treats that look like real rocks) in the backyard before dinner. Then, when it’s time to eat, head outside and chow down on a handful of “rocks.” Your kids’ faces will be priceless! (Visit Nuts.com to score this candy for $8.99 per pound.) 3. Stinky Caramel ‘Apples’ Everyone loves caramel apples, but caramel-covered onions … not so much. This April Fools’ Day, swap the tasty fruit for its smelly vegetable counterpart and watch as everyone in the house falls for your trick! These are just a few pranks you can have up your sleeve for April Fools’ — or any day of the week. For even more hilarious ideas, check out the book “Pranklopedia: The Funniest, Grossest, Craziest, Not-Mean Pranks on the Planet!” from your local library. Ditch the Danger and Plan Family-Friendly Fun
If you own a car, truck, SUV, or any other vehicle with a motor and moving parts, then maintenance and repairs are your future. Whether it’s a routine oil change, new tires, a new battery, new belts, or even repair after an accident, you can expect to find your car in the shop at some point. But are you ready for the costs of routine maintenance or an unexpected repair? According to AAA, most drivers are not. While you may budget for recurring monthly costs like gas and insurance, you should also budget for routine maintenance and unforeseen repairs. AAA recommends setting aside about $50 for repairs and another $50 for maintenance every month; if your car is older, try to save a little bit more than that. How much in total should you have set aside for maintenance and repair? AAA says the average auto repair bill is $500–$600, so that's a great starting budget goal. Every make and model is different, and though some vehicles are known for their reliability, don’t take that reliability for granted. The most reliable cars on the road are cars that are well taken care of. Speaking of taking care of your car, spending a little money now to perform routine maintenance can help you avoid major repair expenses down the line. Putting off your vehicle’s maintenance can lead to costly problems. For example, foregoing a regular oil change or driving a vehicle with low or no oil can cause major damage to the engine. If the damage persists, you may need to get a new engine, which is far more expensive than a few oil changes a year! Consult your vehicle’s handbook or ask a trusted mechanic about how frequently you should change your car's oil given manufacturer's guidelines and your personal driving habits. When you start budgeting for these types of car expenses, you’ll be ready to pay the bill when the time arrives, and you'll be able to keep your vehicle on the road for many years to come.
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