What 5 Items Every Woman Should Keep in the Trunk of Her Car

When I was 19, a college student, and pretty much broke. I was travelling about 60 miles a day to and from classes in a car that was not the best.

That year for my birthday, Daddy bought me five items and told me to keep them in my trunk at all times in case of emergencies. He told me, "I may not always be there to help you if you break down, and while there are good people out there that will stop and help you, there are some who will only want to do you harm. You need to be able to take care of yourself in case of any car trouble.

Well, it's been a long time since I was 19, but I still keep my trunk stocked in case of roadside emergencies. To keep things tidy, I bought a plastic book crate just to keep everything in one place.

I want to share with you his father/daughter advice that I have never forgotten so you can be prepared while you're on the road.

This is an absolute must. If you've ever parked at a store, forgot to turn your lights off, and came back and your car was dead, you know what I'm talking about. There are many nice people who will see you in need and try to help, but oftentimes they don't have jumper cables of their own to help you out.

I can't count the number of times my old car refused to start and a stranger stopped to help me. More often or not after they checked my car out they would tell me, "well, if I had jumper cables I could jump start your car." When I tell them I have a pair in my trunk, they were always happy to use them. A lot of times they were even shocked I had a pair.

Even better would be to have a friend to show you a quick "jumper cable how to" so all you would need to do was ask the person in the car next to you if they wouldn't mind jumping you off.

A flashlight is a must in any car survival kit. If you travel a lot at night or early in the mornings you need to have one of these.

I've used this item a lot. I've been stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire at 10:00 at night. Having that flashlight made me able to see what was going on with my tire. No lie, I even hit a pig once coming home from class. I was able to see what damage the oinker did to my headlight.

Without a flashlight, you'd be reduced to using your cell phone to see what was wrong with your tire. Don't laugh, you know you've done it!

This goes hand in hand with Number 2. When it's late at night, it's not really safe for a woman to be on the side of the road. We need to get the car going as quick as we can.

If you've run over a nail or a screw or you have a small hole in your tire, A tire sealant will plug up the hole until you're able to get home, someplace safe, or to a repair shop. Unfortunately, these sealers will not help if your tire is completely blown out.

I know this sounds like a weird item to have, but it's really very useful.

When I was in college, I didn't have the best car and I didn't have AAA. On my way home from class one day, my car just quit and I called a friend for help. Well, my car needed more than
just a quick fix. I didn't have the money to have my car towed, they didn't have a tow strap, but I did!

I've had to use it a few times since. It has saved me several hundred dollars in towing bills.

This item is a must have to wrap your cheating, low down ex-boyfriend in.

Got ya!!

Seriously, if you live in the north, this would be first on your list of car survival items. But I live in Florida, why do I need one?

Well, there are several reasons to keep a blanket in your car.

• Even in southern states, it can actually get cold. If you're not prepared and you don't have a jacket during a breakdown, your blanket will come in handy.
• You might have a sick child, friend, or relative who is cold in the car. They will appreciate having the blanket. (You will too if it's 85 degrees and they're freezing!
• You might have to spend the night in the ER with a sick child, relative,
  or friend, and hospitals are always cold.

These situations have all happened to me and I was very glad I had my blanket!

• First aid kit
• Insurance papers and registration
• Oil
• Funnel
• Tools (if you're handy)
• Extra cell phone battery
• Tire pressue gauge

My father gave me these items and his advice at a time when I wasn't driving a reliable car.

Even now, when I can afford a better car, I still have all of these items in a crate in my trunk. I don't have to use them as often as I did then, but they're still useful when I'm in a pinch.

So even if you think you don't need these items because you'll never use them, think again.

My motto is, "it is better to have something and not need it, than to need it and not have it."