DIY Car Maintenance

I took my car in for an oil change. I called a friend to come scoop me up and I said a prayer on the way out the door, "Lord, please let my car need nothing more than an oil change. Amen!". Three hours later I got the dreaded phone call. NOOOOOOO. You need this done and you need that done. If you don't get this done by this date, your CAR WILL DIE. How much do I have to give you today to save Sylvia's (my car) life? WHAT?! Can you repeat that number? Let me find the bus schedule!!

I ended up giving up quite a bit of my monthly party money on Sylvia and vowed to get the rest done when the next check comes along. Quick pout here: This month is my birthday... not hers!!! Okay, pouting over.

So I'm thinking here. Why don't I put on a garage suit, get under the hood and save some money? We are way past the days of "only-a-man-can-handle-what's-under-the-hood". More and more women are putting their regular car maintenance on their to-do lists.

I gotta say the whole idea intrigues me a bit. I'm a crafty person by nature. I have a whole list of little "put-together" projects. Granted this is probably one of the biggest projects I will ever take on, I'm ready. I've changed my lights and refilled my windshield wiper fluid. From what I've read I think I can add changing the cabin air filter and changing my oil to the list of things I can do. I don't plan on messing with the engine or anything like that. I don't want to blow up my baby. I can however, learn to change my fluids... that would save me loads. Vision... I could get an extra pair of shoes a month and still have some money to put in the savings account. (SMILING HARD!!!)

While I've done lots of reading on the subject online, I've decided to stop into my local B&N and grab a book on the subject matter. Next month... I'm on it. I've gotta put my girlie up a little though; at least when I'm under the hood. During a normal day I wash my hands like every hour because they just "feel dirty". I'm going to have to get dirty here. There is going to be a lot of grease involved but if it saves me some money here and there... let's do it. Vrooom vrooom!