When it comes to protecting the planet for future generations, we all have an important role to play – both at home and when vacationing.

We’ve reached a particularly fragile moment in the history of the Earth. The climate is rapidly changing and so too are critical ecosystems worldwide. By acting collectively, we can make a difference.

Need help getting started? Here are 24 sustainable travel tips to help you be more eco-friendly as you explore the world.

Become a slow traveler.

Slow travel has become a hot topic of conversation. For those not familiar with the concept, it’s the opposite of transportation-intensive itineraries that jam 10 countries into 12 days. Slow travel involves picking one or two destinations and staying put for longer, thus cutting down on carbon emissions. In other words, exploring one destination in more depth, truly getting to know its people, customs, traditions and landmarks, versus traveling to as many places as possible on a single vacation.

Similarly, aim to take fewer international or far-flung trips each year and when you engage in long-haul, carbon emissions-intensive journeys, plan to stay longer in your intended destination to make the trip worthwhile.

Choose climate-conscious travel companies, hotels and tour operators.

Do your homework when booking travel and research tour operators, travel companies and hotels carefully with an eye toward their sustainable business practices – or lack thereof.

Try to use your vacation dollars supporting travel businesses that are actively working to address the planet’s climate and environmental challenges. Often companies engaged in such important efforts are proud of what they’re doing and will make it clear on their websites and in their marketing materials.

Book flights responsibly.

The aviation industry is one of the most significant contributors to climate change. But you can help reduce the impact of flying by booking with airlines that have publicly committed to using sustainable aviation fuel, which is designed to reduce emissions. Some of the airlines taking this important step include United, Alaska, JetBlue, Southwest and Delta.

Purchase carbon offsets.

When you fly, take a cruise or drive, it results in carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. Cancel out some of those emissions by purchasing what’s known as offsets. This process involves providing financial support for projects around the world that are designed to reduce or store carbon emissions. Tree planting projects, for example, provide carbon offsetting.

One of the best-known and most reputable carbon offset companies is Tomorrow’s Air. It’s the first and only traveler collective that also provides climate education and helps fund carbon removal innovators.

Select non-stop flights.

It may seem like a small detail, but choosing nonstop flights, instead of connecting flights, is far better for the planet. “Nonstop flights produce remarkably fewer greenhouse gases,” says Nelly Gedeon, founder of Wayaj, a company that’s working to promote sustainable travel. “You not only reduce the impact by flying fewer total miles, but you eliminate additional takeoffs and landings that can account for nearly half of all carbon burned as a result of a flight.”

Minimize luggage weight on planes.

This might come as a surprise, but that suitcase you’re lugging around when traveling also plays a small role in contributing to emissions on planes. The heavier your suitcase, the greater the carbon emissions from the plane. That’s because an aircraft’s fuel consumption increases based on the weight of the plane. Packing light not only means your suitcase will be easier to carry during your vacation, but it will also be easier on the planet.

Get more tips for packing sustainably.

Travel shorter distances.

Longer flights, car rides and cruises result in a higher level of carbon emissions and have a greater impact on the planet. Consider local adventures, exploring your own city, state or region. Driving just a few hours generates far less emission than jetting around the world for all your vacations.

We love a good day trip!

Trains not planes.

When possible, travel by train, which is a cleaner form of transportation than flying. Trains have the lowest emissions per passenger mile.

“Train travel is an excellent alternative to flying,” says Gedeon. “Train operators are reinstating sleeper trains as travelers look to avoid air travel. And when on vacation, trains become part of the experience and it encourages us all to enjoy slow travel. When was the last time you gazed out the window watching the countryside go by?”

Contact a AAA travel advisor to learn about train travel options.

Walk and take public transportation.

Once you arrive at your destination, skip using a private car and instead try getting around by walking, cycling or using public transport, such as buses. Not only will this give you a chance to experience local life in your destination more authentically and potentially create even more memorable experiences from your journey, but it will also cut down on carbon emissions.

Use an electric or hybrid vehicle.

Planning a road trip? Use an electric or hybrid vehicle to reduce the emissions associated with your trip. Even if you don’t own an electric vehicle, you can still rent one for your trip. The infrastructure needed to make EV road trips easier has been increasing from coast to coast. Plan your next road trip with AAA’s EV website.

Rent an EV for your next trip with AAA.

Localize your experience.

Opting to support local communities through your choice of accommodations is another approach to sustainable travel – one that provides benefits for the planet and its people.

“As best as possible, choose locally owned accommodations, eat at restaurants that source ingredients from the local supply chain, use local tour guides and operators, and purchase handicrafts and goods from local artists and businesses,” says Alix Collins, director of marketing and communications for the global non-profit organization Center for Responsible Travel.

When you invest directly in rural, poor and economically marginalized communities, the hosts typically earn a fair income and you’re supporting the preservation of their cultural and environmental assets.

Support hotel sustainability initiatives.  

Often when checking into a hotel or resort, you’ll notice signs and information around your guest room and the property itself outlining ways to reduce the impact of your stay.

“Most properties offer guests the opportunity to participate in their sustainability initiatives by placing in-room notices about water and electricity conservation, change of linens and towels, recycling trash, as well as replenishing drinking water,” says Gedeon. Do your part and engage in these efforts whether it’s taking shorter showers, reusing towels or participating in recycling programs.

Visit destinations that emphasize sustainability.

Many destinations are taking bold steps to rethink business as usual and integrate comprehensive sustainability initiatives. Yet another way to reduce your individual impact on the planet is by consciously choosing to visit destinations that put such approaches at the forefront of their operations.

“Research your destination and choose those that prioritize sustainable tourism and the natural balance of nature and humanity,” says Yank Moore, director of conservation for the Jekyll Island Authority.

Avoid Peak Travel Times.

Most people want to travel in the summer, leading to overcrowding and more garbage at popular destinations. The number of visitors to U.S. national parks, for example, has exploded over the past several years, straining the environment. Try to take vacations off-season to avoid crowds and lower the impact on the local environment.

Don’t support wildlife exploitation.

Activities like swimming with dolphins, riding elephants, taking selfies with tigers, and animal entertainment of any type, subject wild animals to a lifetime of captivity and cruelty.

A growing number of tour operators and travel providers are rejecting these unethical activities altogether, but not all have taken this important step. Do your part as a traveler and avoid these activities altogether, to help protect wildlife, especially endangered animals. Instead, consider visiting and supporting sanctuaries that do not involve riding, or engaging with the animals in a hands-on way.

Volunteer when visiting a destination.

Lounging at the beach is certainly relaxing, but you can also take an active part in helping to protect and regenerate the environment in places you’re visiting. Many destinations offer volunteer activities, even for tourists. This can include planting a tree, spending a few hours working at a sanctuary or taking part in a local beach cleanup. 

Explore off-the-beaten paths.

Overtourism of popular destinations is a burden that degrades local environments, causes increased amounts of waste and depletes local resources. Opting to explore lesser-known destinations helps to reduce the impact on heavily trafficked places, while also supporting often overlooked communities that need your tourism dollars.

Don’t buy souvenirs made from illegal products.

Do not buy products made from animal parts. This includes tortoise shells or ivory, which involve the slaughter of wild – and often endangered – animals. At least 20,000 elephants are killed annually for their ivory. Items made with tortoise shell often involve killing endangered hawksbill sea turtles.

While you’re at it, avoid buying products made from coral, sea stars or shells. Coral is critical for the healthy survival of coral reefs and takes years to regenerate when harvested for souvenirs.

Bring reusables.

Single-use plastics, whether it’s a water bottle, plastic bag or plastic utensils, take as long as 1,000 years to break down. Plastics are causing damage to the environment worldwide.

Aim to replace your plastic items with more sustainable and eco-friendly products. This effort should expand beyond basic stainless steel water bottles to also address many of the other plastic items that are often part of one’s daily routine. Bring reusable cutlery to a destination, for instance, to avoid using plastic utensils while traveling. Travel with eco-friendly toothpaste tablets rather than traditional toothpaste tubes that are not compostable and do not break down easily in waste streams. Similarly, avoid bringing toiletries packaged in plastic on your journeys.

The marketplace for eco-friendly alternatives for personal use items is proliferating at the moment and finding better options just takes a few minutes of online research.

Use eco-friendly sunscreens.

A handful of destinations globally have begun banning sunscreens that contain chemicals harmful to coral reefs and marine life. When traveling to a beach destination, avoid using sunscreens with the ingredients oxybenzone and octinoxate, which contribute to the bleaching of coral reefs and are toxic for young coral. Instead, look for non-nano mineral options. Typically, eco-friendly sunscreens proclaim as much on packaging and will instead contain ingredients such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which do not harm marine environments.

Eat a plant-based diet.

Plant-based foods generally have a much lower carbon footprint than animal-based foods and offer a major opportunity for mitigating climate change. Many tour operators are now featuring plant-based meals as are more than a few hotels and resorts around the world. Show these travel companies you support their efforts by not only traveling and staying with them but also by ordering the plant-based items on the menu.

Clean up trash as you explore.

As you go for hikes, bike rides or beach walks in a destination, be an active steward of the environment. Collect trash that you come across and bring it somewhere that it can be disposed of properly.

Support local artisans.

Avoid buying mass-produced souvenirs that are often made from plastic, produced in a factory and flown across the globe to be sold. Instead, buy from artists and producers in the destinations you’re visiting and locally run shops. “You will not only help the local community, but your friends and family may better appreciate the locally made souvenir,” says Gedeon.

Be a sustainable travel evangelist.

Tell your friends, coworkers and family members how easy it is to be a sustainable traveler. Be an evangelist for protecting the planet whenever you have the chance. Share tips about the ways you’ve chosen to mindfully explore the world, support locals, protect wildlife and reduce your impact on the climate.

AAA’s sustainable travel series is written in partnership with Kind Traveler, a women-and-veteran-owned sustainable travel platform empowering travelers to make a positive impact in local communities, and contributing writer, Mia Taylor.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated by AAA editors with additional material.

Most car purchases today are paid with auto loans. But securing a loan as a sole applicant is not always a sure thing, especially for young borrowers who may be buying a car for the first time. If you find yourself struggling to get approved for an auto loan, adding a cosigner to your application could solve your problem. 

Let’s look at what exactly a cosigner is and when you may need one for your car loan. 

Apply for an auto loan today with AAA.

What Is a Cosigner? 

A cosigner is a third-party, often a family member or close friend, who agrees to take joint responsibility for paying back a loan. The cosigner is obligated to step in and repay the outstanding loan balance if the primary borrower falls behind or cannot continue to make the loan payments. 

Adding a cosigner to your car loan application can greatly improve the chances of securing a loan, especially if you have a limited or poor credit history. A cosigner provides the lender with additional assurance that the loan will be repaid but does not have a share of the asset.  

“Co-borrowers are generally people who share expenses and, most times, the asset,” says Ted Lyons, vice president of Financial Services at AAA Northeast. “Cosigners are usually added to loan applications to help with limited credit applicants or borrowers who have limited income. They are there more to step in should the borrower not pay.” 

When Do You Need a Cosigner for an Auto Loan? 

When You Have a Poor or Limited Credit History 

Generally, there are two situations when you will need a cosigner. The first is if you have a limited credit history. In this case, since you have yet to prove your creditworthiness, a lender will want a cosigner who has a track record of repaying their debts. The other circumstance is if you have a less-than-ideal financial situation. This can include a poor credit score, limited income, a high debt-to-income ratio and unstable employment. 

Some banks may decline your loan application outright based on your credit and financial profile. If this happens, you will have no choice but to find a cosigner (or see if another lender is willing to work with you). 

When You Want to Get a Better Rate 

If you qualify for a car loan on your own, a lender cannot require you to have a cosigner, but it may still be beneficial to have one. A cosigner can help you secure the best loan terms, including the lowest interest rate. The average loan rate on a new vehicle for those with excellent credit scores (between 661 and 780) was 6.70% in late 2024, according to the credit bureau Experian. The rate for subprime borrowers (501-600 credit scores) was nearly twice as high at 13%. Based on this data, submitting a car loan application with a credit score just 60 points higher could cut your loan interest nearly in half. 

It’s important to know, however, that lenders apply loan rates differently, Lyons says. “Some lenders will assign the rate depending on the highest credit score, some the average, some the lowest and others, based on the credit score of the individual the vehicle is registered to.” 

What to Look for in a Cosigner 

“Choose a co-applicant wisely, they can hurt as much as they help,” Lyons warns. “You will want to consider one who has a good, established credit history.” 

While there is no singular profile of a desirable cosigner, there are a few things to look for. On the financial front, they should have at least a “good” credit score of 670 or higher. The cosigner will also have to prove they have enough money to repay the loan in the event you cannot. Lenders will decide this based on a cosigner’s income and any outstanding debts they currently have on the books. 

Finances aside, you also want to trust the person cosigning an auto loan. The last thing you need is someone leaving you high and dry should you fall on tough times and become unable to meet your monthly loan payments. Asking a reliable friend or family member to be your auto loan cosigner always is the best bet.  

Ready to apply for your auto loan? AAA’s low-rate financing makes getting behind the wheel of your dream car easy and affordable. 

 

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your puzzle playing experience. Good luck!

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your puzzle playing experience. Good luck!

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your puzzle playing experience. Good luck!

Some studies suggest that using cruise control to maintain a steady rate of speed can save more gas than adjusting the speed manually, though the amount varies based on the source.

According to a Natural Resources Canada study, setting the cruise control at 49.7 mph versus wavering between 46.6 to 52.8 mph every 18 seconds uses 20% less fuel. An Edmunds’ study showed that cruise control can yield as much as a 14% savings on gas, with an average of 7%.

When it comes to hilly terrain, however, drivers often outperform cruise control.

Does Cruise Control Really Save Gas?

Based on his experience, senior manager of public affairs for AAA Northeast, Robert Sinclair Jr. said he doesn’t view cruise control as an effective way to improve fuel economy.

“From the outset, cruise control was touted as a gas saver by maintaining a constant speed and avoiding the gas guzzling on-the-gas, off-the-gas driving style of those in a hurry,” Sinclair said. “Skeptics said ‘not true’ if a lot of hills were involved since maintaining a given speed on a steep incline would use more fuel.”

Sinclair said his first experience with the feature was in 1985 while driving a 1982 Mazda 626 with a manual transmission. He too wondered if cruise control saved gas but found it difficult to get an accurate analysis.

“Calculating mileage was hit or miss, relying on the fuel gauge to calculate gallons burned between full and half-full,” Sinclair said. “My mileage always seemed much lower than what the car was supposed to achieve. I noticed that in certain situations, the engine screamed to high [revolutions per minute] to get back to the selected speed. How can that save gas? Also, since cruise control is almost always used on the highway, would it make a difference if used with closed windows and air conditioning or with open windows and the A/C off? It was difficult to tell.”

Planning a road trip? Want to compare the costs to fly or drive? Visit AAA Gas Prices for a road trip planner gas cost calculator that you can use to find out how much you will spend on gas during your next driving trip or vacation.

Consumers long have complained about vehicles falling short of the amount of money they anticipated saving on gas while using cruise control, according to Sinclair.

On a recent drive from Detroit to New York, Sinclair once again pondered the gas-saving effectiveness of his cruise control. “The query came to mind as the vehicle I had did all sorts of crazy things while the cruise control was activated as another new system, collision braking, intervened to supposedly prevent crashes,” he said. “The cruise control tracked vehicles in front to slow down if we got too close. It seemed to track cars in an adjacent lane, so when I changed lanes to one with no cars in front for miles, the vehicle inexplicably started breaking hard. It got so bad that I worried I was going to get hit in the back when the wayward system started applying the brakes for no apparent reason. And this saves gas? I switched the system off and drove the way my grandfather learned.

“Having little opportunity to use it and modern systems complicating it to the point of frustration, my answer would be a resounding ‘no,’” he said.

How Cruise Control Works

Like a human driver, the cruise control manipulates the speed of the car by adjusting the throttle position, but instead of pushing a pedal, a mechanism called an actuator controls the throttle when cruise control is engaged. Both the cruise control and the accelerator are attached to the throttle with a cable. Both cables move when cruise control is on, which is why you might see your gas pedal move when cruise control is engaged.

The throttle controls the speed by regulating how much air is taken in by the engine. A small computer behind the dashboard or under the hood controls the cruise control. The computer is connected to the throttle controls and other sensors. Cruise control will automatically disengage when the driver hits the brakes.

Most controls have on and off buttons, as well as accelerate and decelerate buttons, which let you increase or decrease your speed by 1 mph. Some cars also have a coast button, which lets you decelerate while you hold the button down and resume your cruise speed when you release it.

The Next Generation of Cruise Control

Recently, automakers introduced autonomous cruise control or adaptive cruise control. Not only do these systems maintain a speed set by a driver, they also automatically maintain a safe distance from any vehicles ahead, braking when they get too close and resuming the cruising speed when it is safe to do so. Does it save gas? Well, some of these features can certainly help.

Cruise control systems can vary in design quality. The true test is when the car ascends a hill. A good system will not deviate the speed of the car too much during an uphill climb and it won’t overshoot the power it needs to maintain the necessary speed, either.

The fuel economy benefits of cruise control come from the system minimizing throttle openings, like when a driver lifts his or her foot off the accelerator a dozen times during a 10-minute drive. Therefore, a cruise control system that struggles on hills is not maximizing its ability to conserve fuel. However, with different systems in different vehicles, you are likely to see different results with almost every car model you drive.

What do you think? Does cruise control save gas in your vehicle when you’re driving? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

This article has been updated and republished from a previous version.

From historic towns and gilded mansions to charming seaside neighborhoods and awe-inspiring scenic landscapes, the Northeast has more than its fair share of storybook settings. Movie studios have taken notice and are using the region as the backdrop for more films.

Whether you’re a film buff yearning to trace the same steps as your favorite actors and actresses or looking to experience firsthand the sights that brought Hollywood to this corner of the country, a road trip to any of the locations will be well worth the journey.

For another “scenic” vacation, visit some of the destinations made famous in movies and on popular television shows.

Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

“Jaws”

Although the novel took place in another Northeast location (the east end of Long Island), the movie was filmed on picturesque Martha’s Vineyard (pictured above). While every inch of the island is worth exploring, there are several notable locations that you’ll recognize from the film, including the American Legion Memorial Bridge between Edgartown and Oak Bluffs, the port town of Menemsha Harbor and Joseph Sylvia State Beach in Oak Bluffs.

There are no bridges connecting Martha’s Vineyard to the mainland, but drivers can reach the island by utilizing one of the many ferry services available.

Mystic, Conn.

“Mystic Pizza”

In the 1980s, screenwriter Amy Jones was spending a summer vacation in the town of Mystic, Conn., when an unsuspecting pizza shop caught her attention. Fast-forward to 1988 and “Mystic Pizza” became a box-office smash, putting the charming coastal town on the map.

Although the restaurant scenes were not filmed in the real-life pizza parlor, several Mystic locations were used in the movie, including the Mystic Seaport. Other scenes were filmed in neighboring towns.

Visitors can still get a hot slice at Mystic Pizza but the food isn’t the only reason to visit this Connecticut town. Other must-see destinations include the Mystic Aquarium and Mystic Seaport Museum, one of the country’s preeminent maritime museums.

Did you know? At least 22 Christmas movies that appeared on Hallmark, Netflix and Lifetime were filmed in quaint Connecticut towns. You can explore the downtowns of Essex, Mystic and Meriden, to name a few, along the Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail.

Salem, Mass.

“Hocus Pocus”

There’s no better setting for a witch tale than Salem, Mass. While the famous town has made appearances in a number of films, it plays a prominent role in the 1993 cult classic “Hocus Pocus.” The cast, which includes Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker, filmed at various locations throughout the historic town, such as Ropes Mansion, Salem Common, Pioneer Village, the oldest living history museum in the country, and Old Town Hall, the longest standing municipal structure in Salem.

Holderness, N.H.

“On Golden Pond”

Nestled in the heart of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, Squam Lake served as the location for the fictional Golden Pond in the Academy Award winning film. The lake is the second largest in the state and well regarded as one of the area’s most peaceful and pristine locations. Visitors can explore via canoes, kayaks, sailboats and boats, or take a guided boat tour to learn about Squam Lake natural history and look for bald eagles flying above.

Port Clyde, Maine

“Forrest Gump”

While a road trip retracing Forrest Gump’s crisscrossing run across the country sounds like the adventure of a lifetime, it’s likely you don’t have the requisite time to complete the journey. You can, however, drive to see one of the locations the iconic character visited.

After reaching the Santa Monica Pier and Pacific Ocean, Gump turns around and runs clear across the country to The Marshall Point Lighthouse in Port Clyde, Maine. Tom Hanks and the film’s crew traveled to Port Clyde, located on the southernmost end of the St. George peninsula, to film that brief scene in 1993.

The lighthouse has been standing in its current location since 1858. In 1990, a museum was opened and a few years later the Town of St. George successfully applied to receive ownership of the property. The grounds are still open to visitors daily from sunrise to sunset.

Huntington, N.Y.

“Citizen Kane”

Arguably the greatest film ever made, “Citizen Kane” was filmed mostly in California, but if you look closely you’ll see a few aerial glimpses of a location right in our own backyard. Long Island’s Oheka Castle was used for exterior shots of Xanadu, the fictional estate of Charles Kane.

Although it has a fairly meager role in the film, in reality, the property is anything but. The estate was the second-largest private residence ever built in America at the time of its construction roughly a century ago. Nowadays, the castle features a bar, restaurant and hotel.

In one of its more recent cameos, Oheka Castle can also be spotted in Taylor Swift’s music video for “Blank Space.”

Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

“Seabiscuit,” “Saratoga”

Saratoga Springs, in upstate New York is home to Saratoga Race Course, one of the most famous horse racing tracks in the country. So it would come as no surprise to learn that 2003’s “Seabiscuit,” about the famed racing horse, was filmed there. The race course was also featured in 1937’s aptly named “Saratoga” starring Clark Gable and Jean Harlow.

Races are held at the track throughout the summer and guests can also receive walking or tram tours of the historic property.

Newport, R.I.

“Great Gatsby,” “True Lies,” “Amistad,” “Heaven’s Gate”

For a small coastal town in the country’s geographically smallest state, Newport has seen more than its fair share of film crews pass through town. It helps to be home to some of the most historic and exquisite mansions in the entire country. The Newport Mansions, notably Rosecliff and Marble House, have provided the backdrop for a host of films, including “True Lies,” “Amistad,” “The Great Gatsby” and “Heaven’s Gate.”

Need a ride as you tour the historic sites in the Northeast? AAA members can save up to 20% on Hertz rentals.  

This article has been updated and republished from a previous version.

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IN THIS EPISODE

Wondering how to pass your road test? We’ve got you covered. While fewer people are rushing to get their license right away, it’s still a major rite of passage.

This episode provides crucial driving test tips so you know what to expect. Listen as Linda Ricci, Assistant Manager at AAA Driving School in Rhode Island walks us through the basics of getting comfortable behind the wheel. We’re also joined by friend of the show Galen Olinski, who shares his embarrassing — but successful — story of becoming a new driver as an adult.

It’s time to get in the driver’s seat and get ready to ace those three-point turns!  

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

[6:17] – What are the benefits of learning from a licensed driving instructor?
[8:59] – How do you prepare for a driving test? We share what to practice before your road test.
[10:45] – How can I be confident for my driving test? Learn tips for getting over driving test anxiety.
[14:54] – Driving test do’s and don’ts and what to expect on your driving test.

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TRANSCRIPT

[00:00:03]
Amanda Greene: Hey, Jenny.

[00:00:03]
Jenny: Hey, Amanda. How’s it going?

[00:00:05]
Amanda Greene: Pretty good, I guess. I mean, I just got back from the DMV. I almost let my driver’s license expire.

[00:00:12]
Jenny: Oh, no. Imagine if you had to take that test again.

[00:00:15]
Amanda Greene: No, that would be the worst. Bye, bestie. Welcome to Merging Into Life, where we navigate life’s milestones, one episode at a time. Brought to you by AAA Northeast. I’m your host, Amanda Greene.

Now that we’re well into season one, we would love to hear what you think. If you have feedback, ideas for an episode, or you just want to say hi, please leave a review wherever you listen, or email us at podcast@aaanortheast.com.

Today we’re going to talk about getting your driver’s license a little later in life. There are few things that signal adulthood like getting your license. I remember for me, I started the process the second I could. The moment I turned 15, I started taking these driver’s ed classes at school. I could not wait to get behind the wheel. It’s freedom, but times are changing.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, between 1995 and 2021, the share of teenagers with driver’s licenses declined by 24%. Fewer of us are rushing out to drive in the first few years we’re eligible, and there are good reasons for that. Getting a license can be pricey. Not everyone has access to a car to practice on, and teens in most cities can get around on their own just fine without a car. But just because you don’t start driving as a teen doesn’t mean you never will. Circumstances can, and often do, change over time. Take my friend Galen, for example.

READ MORE

[00:01:42]
Galen Olinski: For years and years and years I didn’t drive. I got around by taking buses. I got around by taking the subway. I would walk a lot. I would bike a lot. In some ways, it was kind of nice to not drive, to have to find other ways around.

[00:01:54]
Amanda Greene: But eventually, the time came.

[00:01:56]
Galen Olinski: After living in the city for about a decade, I found myself living in a very small rural town, which necessitated learning how to drive and getting a car. I began the process, had to take some more driving classes, and then took my driving test, which I failed the first time, embarrassingly. But I got it the second crack at it, started driving, and was still pretty freaked out as an adult driver, as I suspected I would be.

[00:02:23]
Amanda Greene: Why was that?

[00:02:24]
Galen Olinski: I think some of the differences between getting your license when you’re 17 versus getting it when you’re 30, first of all, you’re probably more intimidated by the risk of driving. You feel like you have maybe a bit more to lose when you’re a bit older, or you just are a bit more aware of the kind of calamities of life.

[00:02:41]
Amanda Greene: Learning new things can be challenging and at times, a little uncomfortable.

[00:02:46]
Galen Olinski: I had moved to the small town. I was a new teacher. I was on my way to work, and the thing that you’re afraid is going to happen happened. I turned a corner at an intersection onto oncoming traffic. I freaked out, and I pulled back into the intersection, and I realized I had pulled back into more oncoming traffic. I freaked out some more. I was probably screaming a lot. Then I drove to a parking lot of a gas station that was nearby, and I took a few deep breaths and composed myself, and then I drove to the school I was teaching at. When I arrived there that morning, there was a bunch of teachers sitting around having coffee before classes started. I sat down with them, and they were talking about bad drivers. One of the teachers said, ‘Yeah, and just this morning, I saw this idiot pulled into oncoming traffic, and then pulled back into the intersection.’ They were talking about me. I just made myself invisible and kind of chuckled with the rest of them and drank my coffee and ran away as fast as I could.

[00:03:48]
Amanda Greene: The teacher didn’t recognize you,

[00:03:50]
Galen Olinski: I just kind of giggled and disappeared. It was pretty rough.

[00:03:53]
Amanda Greene: That was a few years ago. What about now?

[00:03:55]
Galen Olinski: Now it’s great, drive all the time. Still not a great parallel parker.

[00:03:58]
Amanda Greene: Galen, thank you so much for sharing. I’m not surprised that learning to drive a little later in life isn’t easy, but despite a few bumps along the way, it’s doable. Let’s shake off those nerves and get behind the wheel, and there’s no better person to sit confidently in the passenger seat than Linda Ritchie. She’s an assistant manager at AAA Driving School in Rhode Island. She’s been in the industry a long time.

[00:04:24]
Linda Ricci: I actually got into driving because my dad was in driver’s ed and motorcycle ed, so I used to go with him and actually sit with him in his classes. It piqued my interest a lot.

[00:04:37]
Amanda Greene: You grew up surrounded by safe driving instruction. That’s perfect. Let’s start here, Linda, who is coming to your school to learn to drive?

[00:04:46]
Linda Ricci: We actually see anywhere between 16, and I think the oldest we’ve seen is 96, so we have seen the whole gamut. It really depends on what their needs are. Sometimes, the people who are older are coming to us for the first time, sometimes they need a refresher.

[00:05:05]
Amanda Greene: You really must come across so many different kinds of people who have different fears going into learning how to drive, and there are so many rules to learn and so many things to be aware of.

[00:05:18]
Linda Ricci: I look at every student as someone who’s going to learn and make it from that student who’s just stepping into your car, not having any idea of what they’re doing, to someone who’s going to be driving with you out on that roadway. You want to make them the best they can be while they’re with you.

[00:05:34]
Amanda Greene: What are the big differences between drivers who start the day they’re legally old enough to drive, and then people who decide to wait?

[00:05:42]
Linda Ricci: Basically, if you think about it this way, all the rules of the road apply to everyone. Learning is learning, and most people of any age are capable of driving. The difference is older drivers, they’re filled with more emotions, and when I say that, they get nervous. They’ve been out on the roadway with other people, and they’re more aware that there’s danger out there, where a 16 to eighteen-year-old, they know that there’s dangers, but they haven’t seen as much. Sometimes when you’re a little older, you don’t have anyone to practice with outside of the driving lessons, and the practice is what’s really key.

[00:06:17]
Amanda Greene: From all of your experience, do you recommend driver training? It seems like a rite of passage for teenagers, but how about as an adult?

[00:06:26]
Linda Ricci: I would say yes. I think driver training for any age is great even as a refresher because basically, you have a licensed instructor, and the licensed instructor can give you the rules of the road, the laws. They also give the encouragement and confidence, where if it’s a parent or guardian sitting next to you, there is more, unfortunately, the debate of who said it correctly, and they’re not going to listen as much. A licensed instructor, you’re going to listen to because they’re just the quote-unquote, stranger in the vehicle. They’re trained on all the rules of the road, but they also can train on the maneuverswith the maneuvers being parallel park, three-point turn, backing up straight, which are also part of what ends up being on the road test when you’re going to go from your permit to your license.

[00:07:14]
Amanda Greene: Linda, I only got docked one thing on my road test, and it was from my three-point turn. I didn’t use my blinker the whole time. I only turned my blinker on once. Every time you move the wheel, you’re supposed to turn your blinker on.

[00:07:28]
Linda Ricci: I kind of laugh at that because I’m thinking to myself, Amanda, what did you learn from that experience? I bet you never forgot your blinker again.

[00:07:35]
Amanda Greene: Never, never. It just wasn’t something that dawned on me. That was the only thing I got points off for.

[00:07:41]
Linda Ricci: That’s a great story to tell, and those are your bragging rights. That really means something to a student is, what did I do incorrectly? My hope is that they always learn something from it. I do want to add something about driver training, as well, because I also think that coming in from a licensed instructor perspective, they can give defensive driving tips which will stay with you. The licensed instructor also has a passenger brake, and we are able to give the student more confidence because we can slow the car down. Even if the instructor never touches that brake, it basically is there for safety of both people, and I think that students feel safer with the passenger brake.

[00:08:26]
Amanda Greene: Question about the passenger brake because I’ve always been curious. If the driver is accelerating, does your brake override theirs, or is it like a push-pull?

[00:08:36]
Linda Ricci: It is exactly like a brake. When I’m stepping on the passenger brake, it’s also pushing the driver’s brake down. If they accelerate, sometimes you do have to make an emergency procedure and throw the car into neutral. When I say throw the car into neutral, I’m just shifting from drive to neutral, and it’s neutralizing the gears in the car.

[00:09:00]
Amanda Greene: Okay. So how do you prepare for a driving test?

[00:09:03]
Linda Ricci: I think right before the test, the student should definitely, even the night before, run through any maneuvers that they know that are going to be on the test. That way, in your head, they have that pretty much down systematically; left directional, right directional, that type of thing. Also, know the car that you’re taking to the road test because let’s say I’m practicing in one car, and then I have to take a different car to the road test. At that point, now you need to make sure that you know where all the controls are. They usually are going to check the car for brake lights and headlights, all your directionals, your emergency flashers, where are they, make sure they work. Things like that going into the test. Once you’re on the test, one of the biggest things I want to say, and it sounds funny, but make sure you breathe because when you’re breathing, you’re actually thinking through everything.

[00:09:56]
Amanda Greene: Okay, what else?

[00:09:58]
Linda Ricci: Just little natural things that a normal driver would do, they’re going to be looking for on the test. Also, checking your mirrors, checking your blind spots, and checking what’s behind you. The examiner can see everything you’re doing. As the examiner is watching you, they’re watching to see if you’re actually checking your blind spots, which basically, you’re turning your head over your left or right shoulder, depending which way you’re moving, to check where the blind spot area is, or are you just moving your eyes. There’s a big difference between that. You actually want to move your head very quickly or for a split second, just over your left or right shoulder, but at the same time, it’s a very quick procedure. It’s not stand there and stare because that’s too long.

[00:10:45]
Amanda Greene: Learning something new can be hard. Do you have any advice or suggestions for people who might feel anxious or nervous about learning to drive?

[00:10:56]
Linda Ricci: I do. One of the biggest things is build up slowly. You might start in a parking lot, cemetery, maybe an industrial area where there’s some roadways but not too much traffic, and then go from there to a back road. Once you’re on the back road, and you’re comfortable, move up again to the next level, which would be roads with traffic, maybe single lanes, maybe multi-lanes. Once you’re more comfortable with that, now you move to a highway. One of the biggest things I would say is practice daily. Even if it’s for 10, 15 minutes, at least it’s practice. You want to practice on roads that are very familiar with you and then unfamiliar to you.

[00:11:32]
Amanda Greene: Can you walk me through the basics because I bet some of us seasoned drivers can become complacent when it comes to some important steps when you get into the car, when you’re preparing to drive?

[00:11:44]
Linda Ricci: Sure. The first thing you actually want to do is walk around your car, check your surroundings, see if there’s any fluid on the ground, check and make sure there’s no children or bikes, even piles of leaves because children can hide in leaves. You want to make sure that there’s nothing around your car. Once you get in your car, you want to lock your doors immediately. Then it comes to your seat position. Now sometimes, you can just jump in your car because you’re the only one driving it, but let’s say you share a car with someone else. You want to make sure that you adjust your seat correctly. Your left foot would be on your dummy pedal. Your right foot, your heel would be on the ground, and you would actually put your right foot in front of the gas pedal and be able to swivel it back and forth in front of the gas to the brake. That actually helps you, if there’s an emergency situation, you don’t want to ever pick up your foot, you always want to swivel it because there’s less time when you swivel your foot from the gas to the brake than picking up your foot.

[00:12:41]
Amanda Greene: What about your hands? Ideally, where do you put them?

[00:12:44]
Linda Ricci: I prefer nine and three, some people prefer eight and four. The other piece of it is you want your thumbs up along your wheel so that way your whole arm and your hands and your thumb stays out of the area of the airbag and your arms should be bent, not straight out, so you’re about 12 inches from the bottom of the steering wheel. Once you’ve set up all of your seat adjustments, and you feel comfortable, then you want to put your seat belts on. If you’re not familiar with the car, you want to make sure that you know your dashboard. Familiarize yourself with where everything is, and then make sure your adjustment with your mirrors is correct.

[00:13:20]
Amanda Greene: Keep your thumbs on the wheel to get them out of the way of the airbag. I’d never thought of that. These are really good tips. How about emergencies? What do new drivers need to know?

[00:13:32]
Linda Ricci: Probably one of the biggest things, if there is an emergency of any kind, and you can pull over to a breakdown lane on the right side of the road, and that way you’re always safe. You always want to pull to the right. The other thing is if there’s any, let’s say, police or fire, a tow truck, any kind of emergency vehicle that’s on the highway, you always want to move to the right as well and try to get out of their way. I know on the highway, sometimes it’s not as straightforward as that, but on the side roads, you always move to the right and you stop for them. If there’s a tow truck or fire truck or a police car at any point on the side of the road, there’s always a Slow Down, Move Over law. You want to slow down, and you want to move over if you can. That way you’re protecting the person in the emergency vehicle as well. One of the other things is a lot of people forget, if you’re pulled over by a police officer, whether it be day or night, it doesn’t matter, but at nighttime you always want to put on your light so that way they can see inside the car. You never want to move your hands so that they think that they’re going to be reaching for anything. You want to keep your hands visible at all times

[00:14:42]
Amanda Greene: After so many years, driving is second nature to me, but hearing all of this, there is so much to know. Let’s say the big day is here. We’re taking a driving test. What are some dos and don’ts?

[00:14:54]
Linda Ricci: Whether they’re going for a lesson or a test or even practicing with a parent, the same rules are going to apply. Really, they need to know upfront, they put their phone away, don’t even have it on. You want to know where your directionals are. You want to know what your headlights are. You want to basically know everything about your dash because they might ask you those type of questions before you even start moving. The other thing you want to do is make sure that you know how to do all the maneuvers, which usually it’s parallel park and three-point turn and backing up straight. Every rule that you have to do, that you would normally do as a driver, you’re doing during the road test as well.

[00:15:35]
Amanda Greene: Do you have any last thoughts for our new drivers out there?

[00:15:38]
Linda Ricci: Sure. I think really being patient with yourself and practicing as much as possible is one of the biggest things you can do. The second you feel frustrated, stop doing the training, walk away from it, and then come back to it again because practice is always building your confidence. When you have good basic skills, you become a lifelong defensive driver, which is really important because you’re driving with everyone else out there on the road and sometimes, they make mistakes. When they make the mistake, you have to figure out what you’re going to do about their mistake and how to keep yourself safe and your passengers.

[00:16:14]
Amanda Greene: We’re going to move on to a little rapid fire quiz here. Are you ready?

[00:16:18]
Linda Ricci: Sure. Yes.

[00:16:18]
Amanda Greene: Loud music while driving?

[00:16:20]
Linda Ricci: No.

[00:16:21]
Amanda Greene: Singing along to music?

[00:16:23]
Linda Ricci: My first gut feeling is no, unless you’re experienced.

[00:16:26]
Amanda Greene: Listening to podcasts in the car?

[00:16:29]
Linda Ricci: Again, probably the same answer. I would say no for a new driver, and then eventually, maybe after eight to 10 years, maybe it would be safe because now you’re more experienced.

[00:16:38]
Amanda Greene: Headphones on while driving, yes or no?

[00:16:41]
Linda Ricci: It’s illegal.

[00:16:43]
Amanda Greene: Taking extra time to properly de-ice and clear a snowy car?

[00:16:48]
Linda Ricci: Absolutely, it’s a must, and that is the law in most states.

[00:16:52]
Amanda Greene: Honking at a friend to say hello?

[00:16:55]
Linda Ricci: I would say no because that’s distracting.

[00:16:57]
Amanda Greene: Okay.

[00:16:58]
Linda Ricci: Unless you want to pull over and then say hello. I think that’s safer.

[00:17:02]
Amanda Greene: Okay. Amazing, Linda Ritchie. Thank you so much for coming on and sharing all things driving for the first time.

[00:17:08]
Linda Ricci: Thank you. Thank you very much.

[00:17:13]
Amanda Greene: If you’re new to driving, fear not. There’s a lot to learn, but with practice, you’ll get there. Don’t be shy to turn to the professionals. Having someone like Linda in the seat beside you will make a big difference, and enrolling in driving school may help lower your insurance. Safe driving. You’ve been listening to Merging Into Life, where we navigate life’s milestones, one episode at a time, brought to you by AAA Northeast with assistance from JAR Audio. I’m your host, Amanda Greene. If you’re learning as much as I am, follow us wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review. We would love to know what you think. Email us at podcast@aaanortheast.com. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of AAA Northeast, AAA and/or its affiliates.

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RESOURCES

AAA Driving School (available in Mass. And R.I.)

AAA Defensive Driving Course

AAA Driving Instructor Tips

Car Buying Guide

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Want to Learn More? Drop Us a Note

*The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of AAA Northeast, AAA and/or its affiliates.

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IN THIS EPISODE

We’re looking back on the year, and what a journey it’s been! We’ve gathered so many useful and fascinating life hacks, hot tips and takeaways from the first 16 episodes of Merging Into Life, we thought it would be fun to recap some of our favorites.

We tackled some major milestones this season, from bringing home your first pet to planning a theme park vacation to purchasing insurance. With the help of our expert guests, we’ve answered the big questions to make it all easier for you, one episode at a time.

Thanks for coming along for the ride!

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

[1:21] – Is a new vehicle on the horizon? Here’s what to consider when buying a new car (and paying for it).
[7:22] – Big trips coming up in 2025? Here’s a life hack on the best time to fly.
[11:43] – Do your resolve to budget better in 2025? Here’s a helpful reminder from Fidelity’s Ashley Bove
[15:13] – Is getting in shape one of your resolutions? Runner’s World’s Runner-in-Chief of has some tips on how to incorporate running into your everyday routine.

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TRANSCRIPT

[00:00:05]
Amanda Greene: Welcome to Merging Into Life, where we navigate life’s milestones one episode at a time. Brought to you by AAA Northeast. I’m your host, Amanda Greene. Today we’re going to look back at 2024, all the best of season one of Merging Into Life so far because there are still lots of episodes to come. But with a new year here, let’s celebrate all the things we’ve learned since this all started. Even though we’re adults, there’s an intense learning curve with a lot of this stuff, so we’ve really tried to help make life just a little bit easier and way more fun.

With a show called Merging Into Life, we’re of course going to talk about life and travel and cars, so let’s start there because that’s where we started on our very first episode. Everyone remembers buying their first car. I sure do. It was a thousand dollars and I bought it off of Craigslist. But what I remember from this episode is Nicole Wakelin’s enthusiasm for all things vehicle.

[00:01:09]
Nicole Wakelin: The minute I got my license, it was like two seconds after the law said I could get it, I had it, and it was just I never turned back.

[00:01:16]
Amanda Greene: She’s the editor-at-large for Carbuzz. Here is what Nicole said about buying a new car.

[00:01:21]
Nicole Wakelin: Before you even go online and start looking at the mass of information about cars is to figure out what you want and what works for you. Not what your neighbor wants, not what your sister wants, not what your dad wants, what works for you.

[00:01:36]
Amanda Greene: And of course, if you’re buying or leasing a car, you’ll also have to figure out how to pay for it. Thankfully, we had Ted Lyons, the VP of financial services with AAA Northeast Bank on hand to guide the way.

READ MORE

[00:01:48]
Ted Lyons: Everybody falls in love with a car and they get a little punch drunk when they go to the dealership because you probably drove in with something that maybe isn’t running so great. There’s a reason you showed up to the lot, so you just drove something that’s really nice and now you fell in love with it and you have to have it, and that’s where those rash decisions come. So the more information you have up front, the better. But are you driving the same type of car you did? Do you know what your insurance is going to cost? Is this car going to double your insurance and make it unaffordable? Have you looked at what repairs are going to cost on this car? Fixing a Toyota Corolla is different than fixing a BMW. And I’m not picking one over the other, it’s just a fact of life. Don’t show up to somebody’s house or a dealership or what have you without knowing what that car’s worth.

[00:02:28]
Amanda Greene: Like Ted said, get educated. And of course, once you bring that vehicle home, it’s definitely in your best interest to take really good care of it. We did an episode called Everything You Need to Know About Car Repair. It’s funny, something that stuck with me was that we’re all supposed to run our vehicle for at least 30 seconds before we pull away.

[00:02:49]
Peyton Knight: When you start your car when it’s cold, let it run for a good 30 seconds, maybe a minute. If you start your car, throw it in reverse right away, the engine’s running, but it’s not being lubricated for a good 30 or 40 seconds.

[00:03:02]
Amanda Greene: So that’s not a just-in-the-winter thing, that’s an all-the-time thing.

[00:03:05]
Peyton Knight: Correct. The engine is cold all the time. So if it’s 80 degrees out, the engine’s cold because the engine runs at 210, 220 degrees. So it doesn’t matter where you are in the country, the engine’s cold.

[00:03:18]
Amanda Greene: That nugget came from Peyton Knight, owner of Knight’s Automotive Repair in Ledgewood, New Jersey. But something that I hadn’t thought a lot about until we covered it in our episode all about electric vehicles is that the 30 second rule doesn’t apply for EVs because there’s no need for things like transmission fluid oil or even gas. But don’t take it from me. I asked Matt Farrell, a tech enthusiast who spends his time looking at sustainable technologies and how they affect our lives. Here’s what he had to say about the amount of maintenance EV owners can expect to do.

[00:03:51]
Matt Ferrell: Virtually nothing. Like I said, I’ve been driving electric vehicles since 2018. Obviously, windshield washer fluid, your tires might need to get replaced, things like brake pads, things like that are still part of the car that you have to keep an eye on. Like my last car I had for five years, the brake pads were almost like new when I got rid of the car, so I never had to deal with those. There’s no spark plugs, there’s no oil to change. Really, it’s just keep your car clean, make sure the tires are aligned, make sure they have good treads. It’s like the normal kind of stuff like that, but beyond that, there is virtually no maintenance on an electric vehicle.

[00:04:24]
Amanda Greene: I have to say, that’s tempting. I was also curious about how often you have to charge up. Ben Sullins broke it down like this.

[00:04:32]
Ben Sullins: The average range for a new EV is over 300 miles. And if you look at the Department of Transportation studies on household trips, how far people drive, there’s less than 7% of people drive more than 30 miles a day. So at 300 miles, average range, less than 30 miles per day, you’re going to be fine for several days. Anecdotally, my wife and I both have electric vehicles and we drive a fair amount, we got to take kids to school and go do all those kind of things and go to work and back, and so in that, with two electric vehicles in one place to charge, she charges maybe twice a week and I charge maybe twice a week. So it’s one of those things you can even have multiple EVs and still not even need to be charging every single day.

[00:05:14]
Amanda Greene: Ben is an EV advocate and a former data scientist, so he was really helpful in explaining the numbers behind EVs. Of course, if we’re going to tackle anything car related, the first thing we have to do is get our driver’s license. Many of us head out as soon as we can, but there is a growing number of teenagers who are putting off driving until they’re adults. So we brought in Linda Richie, AAA’s driving instructor extraordinaire.

[00:05:40]
Linda Ricci: One of the biggest things is build up slowly. You might start in a parking lot, cemetery, maybe an industrial area where there’s some roadways but not too much traffic, and then go from there to a back road. Once you’re on the back road and you’re comfortable, move up again to the next level, which would be roads with traffic, maybe single lanes, maybe multi-lanes. And then once you’re more comfortable with that, now you move to a highway. And one of the biggest things, I would say, is practice daily. Even if it’s for 10, 15 minutes, at least it’s practice. And then you want to practice on roads that are very familiar with you and then unfamiliar to you.

[00:06:15]
Amanda Greene: I really enjoyed Linda’s tips. As she said, new drivers are going to be out on the road with the rest of us soon. It’s better for all of us if they know what they’re doing. Speaking of hitting the road, we were fortunate to talk to Kim Rodrigues. She’s an avid traveler responsible for her blog, the K-Rod Collective. Kim’s thing isn’t just that she likes to travel, but like more and more people out there, she likes to travel alone.

[00:06:42]
Kim Rodrigues: I started traveling by myself years ago, like 10, 11, maybe, almost 12 years ago, and I did it because I was tired of waiting on other people to see the world. I had this long bucket list and all these places that I wanted to see, so I just took the leap and did it myself.

[00:06:58]
Amanda Greene: Kim talked a lot about how to stay safe, but she also talked about the joys of being able to do things at your own pace and how when you’re by yourself, you are more open to meeting people and making new friends. And isn’t that what traveling is all about? On that same episode, we also talked to AAA’s Jillian Young. She knows all the tricks and trends and says if you’re traveling by air, early morning is the way to go.

[00:07:22]
Jillian Young: We actually looked at the busy summer travel season when we do see just so many flights between June, July and August in particular, and at the 30 largest US airports, the percentage of on-time flights peaked during the 6AM hour, and then it dropped every hour until 7PM, which had the worst percentage of on-time flight departures.

[00:07:46]
Amanda Greene: Jillian also mentioned that if you hit any snags and you happen to be traveling alone, it’s much easier to rebook a flight. Just saying. So these tips are great if you’re flying, but lots of us like to keep it simple, and that can mean only one thing, road trip. In our episode, Road Trip Starter Pack, Lindsey Basara, who writes the toad trip travel blog, New England Chickadee, said something I’ve started applying.

[00:08:13]
Lindsey Basara: Packing for a road trip is something that I continue to refine because there’s always things that I add to my packing list, but I am really big of a mindset where I want to pack more things that I’m going to actually use rather than forget something.

[00:08:28]
Amanda Greene: I usually try to pack light, but when you’re on a road trip, there’s really no need. There’s less restrictions. We had AAA’s Adrian Petri here to talk about mapping out a trip. He had lots of good tips, but I think this says a lot.

[00:08:41]
Adrian Petrie: Don’t spend all of your time in the car. It will drive you absolutely insane.

[00:08:45]
Amanda Greene: That’s really good advice. It’s important to drive a distance that’s fun and comfortable for you and all the passengers. Okay, I have to admit, I got pretty excited for the theme park episode. I love Disney. My family loves Disney, and I got to talk to an incredibly knowledgeable guest who loves Disney. Felicia Troy, travel sales manager at AAA Northeast, helps people plan the theme park trip of their dreams, and I loved her approach.

[00:09:16]
Felicia Troy: I think when we sit with people, we actually don’t really start with the meat and potatoes. We want to get to know you a little bit more. We want to find out what you like, what you don’t like, if you’re bringing kids, what they’re interested in, how old are they? What do they like to do every day? Because I think it matters. If you take the time to get to know somebody, you can plan something truly excellent instead of just being that order taker that’s like, “Okay, you want to go here? Let me get that for you,” And move on. We really try to get to know the person so we can fit you to the right trip.

[00:09:45]
Amanda Greene: Our episodes about travel are so helpful, plus there’s a certain romance in a new place. But another thing that’s top of mind when we’re having all of these adventures is safety. There are different kinds of adventures in life. For some, it’s parachuting, for others, it’s rock climbing, but nothing beats the rush of bringing your baby home from the hospital for the first time. Adelle Zocher has helped hundreds of families with this one. Adelle is a public affairs specialist with AAA Northeast, and she knows just about everything there is to know about installing car seats.

[00:10:21]
Adelle Zocher: The best seat is always the seat that works best for the family, fits their price range, fits their vehicle, can be installed and used correctly every time.

[00:10:29]
Amanda Greene: Another episode that changed how I do things is the one about identity theft. There was so much good stuff about how to spot a scam, multi-factor authentication and what to do if you’re part of a data breach. But the thing that really stood out to me is Robert Siciliano’s advice.

[00:10:46]
Robert Siciliano: The best thing that consumers could engage in or should engage in is credit freezes. Today, you can apply for Credit Freeze online or over the phone through the three major credit bureaus, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, and essentially lock down or freeze your credit in such a way where going forward, you have an access to all three credit bureaus, you have an account at each one, username and passcode, and you can go in anytime and temporarily thaw your credit.

[00:11:18]
Amanda Greene: I did it. I feel so much more protected. But we also have to retain a healthy dose of skepticism and vigilance because as Mike Bruemmer, vice President of Consumer Protection for Experian, said…

[00:11:29]
Mike Bruemmer: 90% of all the data breaches occur not because of software, not because of hardware, not because the hackers are so smart, it’s because humans are vulnerable and they make a mistake.

[00:11:43]
Amanda Greene: One of our most popular episodes so far this season was Budgeting 101. In it, Ashley Bove explained the 15 50 5 rule. Your essentials like housing, food, and car should be no more than 50% of your budget, 15% of incoming money should go toward retirement, then put 5% away for an emergency fund. This leaves you with 30% to spend however you like.

[00:12:07]
Ashley Bove: And if you are in a place where you hate that feeling of, I don’t know where my money’s going, I am stressed, can I afford this? What if this happens? Just having that cushion and knowing that mentally you’ll be in an okay space if you do this is worth everything. And that motivation after the first month or two should be enough to really push that budget to stick.

[00:12:30]
Amanda Greene: Ashley is a workplace financial consultant with Fidelity Investments, and that budgeting info will come in handy when you decide it’s time to start looking for your first home.

[00:12:40]
Steven Vieira: It takes a small village to bring you through the process. Typically, a lot of people start with the real estate agent, but what my recommendation would be is really to start on the lending side first and maybe even look personally at your own monthly budget. So what fits your monthly budget before you even approach the lender and ask them what you think the bank will qualify you for.

[00:13:02]
Amanda Greene: That was Steven Vieira, director of Mortgage Sales and Operations at AAA Northeast. In that same episode, we have some great advice about how to choose the right home for you. But let’s say you decide to rent rather than buy, we still have you covered with tons of info about how to move, choose reputable movers and decorate. Measure before you buy. The episode about getting your own insurance for the first time was really helpful. Emily Buckley, assistant sales manager at AAA Northeast, made a fantastic point.

[00:13:33]
Emily Buckley: The thing with insurance is we buy it so that we don’t have to use it. It’s protection in case the worst case scenario happens.

[00:13:40]
Amanda Greene: So whether it’s car, home, life or boat insurance, basically anything you can operate or live in can be insured. And I guess when it comes to insurance, we shouldn’t forget our pets. So of course, we dedicated an entire episode to them. We covered a lot, like choosing your very first pet.

[00:13:58]
Dr. Anne Hohnehaus: Well, I think that is the question they need to ask, what is your lifestyle and how can a pet fit into that? So if you are someone who likes to go away on the weekend, can you take that pet with you where you’re going on the weekend? Or if you’re someone that works from home all the time and can walk a dog whenever you need to, then a dog might be a great pet. And then let’s not just think dogs and cats, but we could also think about kind of more non-traditional pets, which might be something in an aquarium that needs probably less day-to-day maintenance. Although having been a fish tank owner for some time, cleaning those things can be a challenge. Or some small mammal like a gerbil or a Guinea pig. Those are easy pets to take care of. And so that lifestyle question is a very important first question for the first-time pet owner to wrestle with when they’re making a decision on a pet.

[00:14:57]
Amanda Greene: That was Dr. Anne Hohenhaus from Ask the Vet Podcast. Pets make us happy because they’re cute and give us unconditional love. Another thing that is a natural mood booster? Running. And who would know more about this than Jeff Dengate, runner-in-chief at Runners World.

Running 101

[00:15:13]
Jeff Dengate: The first thing I always recommend everybody is just make it a habit. Schedule it, put it on your calendar like any other important appointment. The easiest way to do that is make sure you get it done in the morning as well because when life gets busy and things get pushed, at the end of the day, that run is the thing that oftentimes gets sacrificed. So you just want to carve out the time to protect the time so you can go out and run or walk.

[00:15:33]
Amanda Greene: In that episode, we delved into how to get off the couch into some sneakers and maybe, just maybe, entering your first race. It’s full of great information. And if anything you heard today piqued your interest, go back and listen to the full episode. You’ll find them on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks so much to all of our many guests who took the time to share their passions and knowledge with us. And of course, thanks to you for joining us. You’ve been listening to Merging Into Life. Oh?

[00:16:04]
Tori Weldon: Hang on, Amanda.

[00:16:05]
Amanda Greene: Our producer, Tori Weldon. What’s up?

[00:16:07]
Tori Weldon: Well, I didn’t want to close out the episode without some kind of quiz, so…

[00:16:11]
Amanda Greene: Oh.

[00:16:11]
Tori Weldon: I’m here to ask you some questions.

[00:16:13]
Amanda Greene: Okay. Fun.

[00:16:15]
Tori Weldon: All right. Are you ready for Merging Into Life trivia?

[00:16:17]
Amanda Greene: Yes.

[00:16:18]
Tori Weldon: Okay.

[00:16:18]
Amanda Greene: Maybe.

[00:16:20]
Tori Weldon: All right, let’s give it a try. Okay, so you are bestie Jenny once joked that she orders takeout every single night. What kind of food does she order?

[00:16:28]
Amanda Greene: Pizza.

[00:16:29]
Tori Weldon: Yes, you got it. Okay. My girl. Episode one, which activity elicited a, “Weee,” from Nicole Wakelin?

[00:16:37]
Amanda Greene: Oh. She talked about… Did she jump a truck?

[00:16:42]
Tori Weldon: Yes, she did. You got it.

[00:16:43]
Amanda Greene: That was memorable.

[00:16:45]
Nicole Wakelin: Took it up in the air, weee, and came down on the other side.

[00:16:49]
Amanda Greene: Okay.

[00:16:50]
Tori Weldon: You and Felicia Troy really hit it off over your mutual love of Disney. Do you remember what Felicia’s favorite Disney snack food is?

[00:16:58]
Amanda Greene: Oh my gosh.

[00:16:59]
Tori Weldon: This is a tough one.

[00:17:01]
Amanda Greene: Is it a Mickey Pretzel?

[00:17:03]
Tori Weldon: No.

[00:17:03]
Amanda Greene: What was it?

[00:17:04]
Tori Weldon: Buffalo chicken chips.

[00:17:05]
Amanda Greene: Okay, spicy.

[00:17:07]
Tori Weldon: All right. Okay. How about this one? Same episode. What is it called when you give out little mementos and trinkets to other people waiting in line with you?

[00:17:15]
Amanda Greene: I know this one. Pixie dusting.

[00:17:17]
Tori Weldon: Yes, of course you do. Okay, how about this? In our running episode, Jeff Dengate talks about fitting your running shoes. Should they be, A, on the big side, B, normal, sort of like a walking shoe, or C, nice and snug?

[00:17:30]
Amanda Greene: Ooh, I have no idea. Should they be snug?

[00:17:35]
Tori Weldon: A, big. You want them on the big side.

[00:17:37]
Amanda Greene: Interesting. I might need to go back and re-listen to that one.

[00:17:41]
Tori Weldon: I was going to say, maybe your shoes are a little too tight, Amanda. According to Dr. Anne Hohenhaus, who was featured, of course, in our first pet episode, how litter boxes do you need per cat?

[00:17:51]
Amanda Greene: One. She said they each need their own litter box.

[00:17:54]
Tori Weldon: You got it. Exactly. So that’s why when you get into a three cat situation, it’s not so much the animals, the litter boxes in your house. All right, so this is the last question.

[00:18:02]
Amanda Greene: Okay.

[00:18:03]
Tori Weldon: So think back to the episode with the blogger, Lindsey Basara, AKA the New England Chickadee. She was talking about road trips. It turns out that both of you went for a drive, a good distance out of your way, ending up at the same restaurant for the same type of food. Do you remember what food that was?

[00:18:20]
Amanda Greene: Grilled cheese.

[00:18:22]
Tori Weldon: Yes.

[00:18:22]
Amanda Greene: Epic grilled cheese. I mean, not just any old grilled cheese, epic grilled cheese.

[00:18:29]
Tori Weldon: That’s exactly what I thought. If both of you are doing that kind of drive for a sandwich, it must be a good one.

[00:18:33]
Amanda Greene: Thanks, Tori. That was fun. I can’t wait for you to hear the episodes we have in store for you in the new year.

You’ve been listening to Merging Into Life, where we navigate life’s milestones one episode at a time, brought to you by AAA Northeast with assistance from JAR Audio. I’m your host, Amanda Greene.

We would love to hear what you think. Your feedback really matters to us. So if you have any ideas for an episode or you just want to say hi, please leave a review wherever you listen, or email us at podcast@AAANortheast.com. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of AAA Northeast, AAA and or its affiliates.

---

RESOURCES

AAA.com/Podcast

---

Want to Learn More? Drop Us a Note

*The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of AAA Northeast, AAA and/or its affiliates.

---

IN THIS EPISODE

Opening a credit card account can show potential lenders that you are financially responsible. Learning how to build credit and maintaining a good credit score can open doors to bigger purchases. But credit card debt could easily work against you.

Credit cards promise points programs and other perks, but there are also high interest rates, minimum payments and annual fees. So, what is the best credit card to get and when is the best time to use it?

Listen in as personal finance journalist Katherine Fan breaks down the basics like how to avoid credit card debt and other common credit card mistakes, along with making the most of your card’s perks and managing credit to your benefit.

Learn about AAA Visa Signature Credit Cards.

---

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[10:50] – What do people need to keep in mind about credit cards?
[12:08] – What to be aware of when looking at store credit cards.
[13:09] – How do you choose which card to use, and when?
[16:07] – Basic tips to maintain healthy credit card habits.

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TRANSCRIPT

[00:00:00]
Amanda Greene: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast do not constitute financial advice.

[00:00:06]
Amanda’s Daughter: Mama, can you buy me this candy please?

[00:00:10]
Amanda Greene: Oh, I didn’t bring any cash with me. Maybe next time.

[00:00:13]
Amanda’s Daughter: Oh, why can’t you do your credit card?

[00:00:16]
Amanda Greene: We’re not going to put candy on a credit card.

[00:00:18]
Amanda’s Daughter: Well, why not?

[00:00:20]
Amanda Greene: This might be a good time to teach you why not? Welcome to Merging Into Life where we navigate life’s milestones, one episode at a time. Brought to you by AAA Northeast. I’m your host, Amanda Greene. Today we’re going to talk about building credit and getting your first credit card. I can remember when I got my first credit card, I felt like a real adult. Finally, I could be trusted to make bigger purchases, manage my money more easily, and maybe, and most importantly, build credit. I learned fast though that this piece of plastic came with responsibility, more than I knew at the time. And to be honest with you, there’s still more to learn, because let’s face it, there are so many credit cards to choose from and all kinds of terms that are really difficult to understand at times. But don’t fret, today we’re breaking down the mystery behind credit cards and going back to the basics.

READ MORE

[00:01:15]
Katherine Fan: I’m Katherine Fan, correspondent for credit cards at Business Insider, and that just means I cover all things credit cards. So, when you should get a credit card, if you can get a credit card, what you should do if you shouldn’t use a credit card, anything in that vein, I love talking about it all day, every day.

[00:01:33]
Amanda Greene: So, I’m really excited to dive into this with you. If we could just start at the basics. Can you explain what a credit score is and how that works?

[00:01:44]
Katherine Fan: So very simply put, a credit score is basically a number that the U.S. issuers use to aggregate everything that you are doing with money and assign you a somewhat arbitrary score.

[00:01:59]
Amanda Greene: And why do you need it? How does it affect us?

[00:02:02]
Katherine Fan: So, there’s a lot to be said about credit scores and some people say they’re not the best example of your financial picture, because let’s say you’re an 18-year-old and you earn $10 an hour and you only work 10 hours a week, but if you don’t have any debt you may end up having a higher credit score than someone who gets paid way more, but overdrafts their bank account every single paycheck. So, a credit score essentially allows an issuer, a bank, to quickly assess whether or not you are going to be a financial risk. And this is useful if you want to get a car loan, you want to get a mortgage, even if you want to get a credit card, your credit score is very crucial to determining the types of products you’ll qualify for, the interest rate you’ll receive and several other financially related metrics.

[00:02:52]
Amanda Greene: Do those things you just mentioned, a mortgage, a car payment, a credit card bill, do all of those payments, and I guess extensions of credit in a way, those all determine your credit score and affect your credit score making those payments?

[00:03:06]
Katherine Fan: Yes, absolutely. So, the No. 1 thing you should always know is pay back your debts as quickly as you can consistently, because those payments are tracked, and they typically get reported to one of the three major financial bureaus for consumers. So, if you’ve ever heard of Equifax, TransUnion, or anything like that, Experian, those are the agencies responsible for tracking, “OK, did Amanda pay her bill on time? Did Katherine pay off her credit card statement? If she did, was she late or did she leave an outstanding balance?” Those are all tracked, and they all contribute towards your credit score.

[00:03:44]
Amanda Greene: So you said we need to pay our bills on time to make sure that our credit score is not going down, I guess. What are some other basic principles when it comes to credit scores?

[00:03:53]
Katherine Fan: There are five main buckets of focus that go into your score. So, 35% is your payment history. Again, like we mentioned just now, pay off what you owe, pay it off when it’s due. That is a solid third of what comprises your credit score. Even if you have a massive debt, as long as you’re consistently paying it off, or paying down what you can toward it, that counts for something. As long as you make sure you’re always doing it when it’s due, not 30 days later, not 90 days later, not even a couple days later, that goes a long way toward boosting and maintaining a high credit score. The second one is how much you owe. So, this is 30%, so also a sizable chunk of what comprises your credit score. Obviously if I owe a $ 100, that’s very different from if I owe a $ 100,000, but there are different types of debt as well. Obviously if I have a mortgage, it’s probably going to be somewhere in the six figures, but if I have very high interest credit card debt, even if I only owe a $1,000 or $10,000, if I don’t pay that off consistently, I will end up owing a lot more very quickly. Then the third out of five is the length of your credit history. So, that counts for something that’s 15% of it. And then the last two are 10% apiece. They’re not the biggest deal, but it does factor in a little bit to your credit score.

So, the next one is new credit. If I just got a brand-new credit card, if I just got 10 brand new credit cards, that counts for something as well, because a bank is still going to be like, “Well, is she trustworthy though? Because she only had a $ 10,000 credit limit a few months ago, and now, all of a sudden, she’s got a $50, 000 credit limit.” So, they’ll be a little bit wary if your credit is brand new. And then, finally, your credit mix is the final 10% of that. So, that just means: Do I have a diverse range of debts or financial responsibilities that I’m consistent about? So that might mean a car loan, a home loan and my credit card and maybe student loans. So, it just looks at is all of my debt credit card debt? Because if it’s a 100% credit card debt, that does make me sound a little bit more risky. But if it’s I’m paying down my car responsibly, and I’m paying off student loans, I honestly look like a really good financial candidate.

[00:06:07]
Amanda Greene: So, let’s say you pay off your car. Should we be adding another loan or credit card into your credit mix, or just leaving things as they are?

[00:06:17]
Katherine Fan: I think your money should work for you, so only open that line of credit if you need it. Because typically there are financial ramifications of anything you do, even if it’s a credit card and you pay it off all the time, it’s one more space you have to keep track of. So again, only do it if you makes sense for you, and especially if you’re planning on getting a big loan soon, like you want to buy a house in the next year, most experts will tell you try to avoid anything that impacts your credit score at all. So, even if, let’s say, you did pay off that car loan and your score looks like it a dipped a little bit, don’t touch it for a few months, don’t open a new card, don’t do anything, because what you want is for the bank to see your consistent usage. That’s going to get you the best interest rate when you’re applying for a mortgage. So, if you’re ever looking for something where you do want to boost your credit score, the best thing you can do for yourself, pay off as much as you can, pay it consistently and don’t open too many other things at the same time.

[00:07:13]
Amanda Greene: When a person is just starting out, how do you get your first credit card?

[00:07:18]
Katherine Fan: So, I think I got my first credit card, I actually was an authorized user on someone else’s card, so that is still my oldest card, and it’s not even in my personal name, but that’s how a lot of us get started.

[00:07:31]
Amanda Greene: How did that help you build credit? Are you piggybacking off of someone else’s responsible use of a credit card by being an authorized user? Does that help you build credit?

[00:07:43]
Katherine Fan: That’s exactly what that means, Amanda. So, typically someone who’s an authorized user, maybe a child, maybe a partner of the main credit card holder. So, one way people are helping their children build credit now is by adding them as authorized users. So, an authorized user typically has several different forms of access, you can either give an authorized user complete access, let’s say it’s your spouse, and you want to use one credit card for household expenses, but you’re clearly going to be in different places at different times. That’s where you can give an authorized user complete access. They also have an online login. They can see how much money they’ve spent and maybe even see how much you’ve spent on the card. You can also offer limited access, which is probably what you want to give your kid, your teenager if you want to give them a certain allowance to spend every month for school meals or school clothes or whatever, but you don’t want them to just run away and have too much fun with it. And the credit score that you’re essentially going to share is going to be based off of that main credit card holder’s credit score. So, only do this, of course, if you have really good or excellent credit to share. But because I was able to build great credit early on when I added my younger brothers onto my own credit cards as my authorized users, they very quickly were able to get an excellent credit score.

[00:09:03]
Amanda Greene: And that’s not something that can negatively affect your credit, right? Having someone as the authorized user?

[00:09:10]
Katherine Fan: So, it depends. It’s very risky, because you are tying your financial well-being to someone else’s. That being said, let’s say again in the instance where a parent is putting a minor child on their credit card account to help them build credit, you don’t even have to give them the credit card. You can just open it and keep it somewhere safe, locked up in the safe for them. But this one can be risky, because again, if you have poor credit, someone else’s credit can be tanked from the get-go just by being paired with yours. So, be very careful with this option.

[00:09:40]
Amanda Greene: So let’s say this is not an option for you, you don’t have the opportunity to jump onto someone else’s account as an authorized user to build credit. How else could you get good credit if you’re starting with absolutely no credit?

[00:09:53]
Katherine Fan: So, one of the best ways to get started is just start building a relationship with a bank, and credit cards are the easiest way to begin building credit. Sometimes you can’t do that though, you won’t be approved for a credit card if you don’t already have a banking relationship. So making sure you open a bank account, making sure they recognize who you are, what you do with your money, showing a consistent history of responsible usage. Another way that your credit can be impacted by just daily life in general is a lot of times when you pay rent, if you miss payments, those will get reported, you will be marked as someone who is delinquent on their rent payment or skips out on rent, or anything like that. So, you can also check to see if your consistent payments are being reported to the credit bureaus.

[00:10:46]
Amanda Greene: What are some of the things that you think people don’t really know about credit?

[00:10:50]
Katherine Fan: The questions you asked just now are actually really helpful to keep in mind, because people are really different. Some people are super responsible, they can barely get themselves to splurge a little bit on a meal out. Those kinds of people can relax a little bit. On the other hand, I think many of us are prone to the temptation of, “Oh my goodness, I have a credit card. What can I do with it? The possibilities are endless.” Especially if they give you a really nice credit limit. If they give you tens of thousands of dollars at once, it can feel like the heavens just opened up and dumped money on you, but that’s not the case. So, I think it’s super responsible for people to remember that rules are just rules for a reason. You have to understand what you are most likely to do. You need to know your own worst habits and also best traits. So, just because you have a lower credit score than someone else doesn’t mean that you’re any less worthy or successful in your career or good at managing money. It just shows you, “Hey, this is something that you could work on improving, and there are many different ways to getting there.”

[00:11:50]
Amanda Greene: I find it a little confusing and overwhelming that I feel like every time I check out at a store, they’re like, “You’re pre-qualified for a credit card. Would you like to take one out and save x percent?” And I feel like there is just constant offers for credit cards. How do you choose the right one?

[00:12:07]
Katherine Fan: Specifically to credit cards from stores, I will say be really careful of them, because they have some of the highest interest rates across all credit cards in the entire country. Typically, a regular bank credit card may cap out at about 30% APR. Store credit cards consistently go 30, 32, 35, 40%, so always be really careful with those.

[00:12:30]
Amanda Greene: That’s terrifying.

[00:12:31]
Katherine Fan: It is terrifying. And it’s also really hard to remember that you applied for one when you are super excited you just got such a gorgeous outfit, or such a fun deal, it’s really hard to remember. And a lot of times they’re not linked to your typical bank, so if you don’t have auto payments set up, you can get in so much debt so quickly.

[00:12:50]
Amanda Greene: But how do you make the choice of which one or ones to take out? I have a friend who has one that she gets the gift card rewards, and another who specifically does an airline to earn airline miles. Do you have any advice about if you do want to take out one or two cards, how to choose one?

[00:13:08]
Katherine Fan: Absolutely. So, quick plug, I cover all of our credit card guides at Business Insider, but the whole thing that I reiterate over and over in these guides is understand your own financial preferences, lifestyle behaviors, and your foibles as well. So, know if you are pretty prone to just spending recklessly, you probably want a card that will cut you off at a certain point. Maybe you don’t want a very high credit limit, maybe don’t even apply for a credit card. But if you are a pretty responsible person and you would like to get a little bit back in exchange for the money you would spend anyway, I typically suggest, if you want to keep it simple, just get one credit card that you can use for everything. It won’t always get you the very best discount of everything, but it will consistently reward you for every dollar you spend. There are some flat-rate cash-back cards that get you a consistent 2% back on every dollar you spend. If you’re willing to put in a little bit more work, some credit cards give you 5% back on categories that change every quarter, so every three months. So, it’s a little bit of a game. If that’s something you enjoy doing some of those cards may be a good fit. Or, if you really like traveling, I highly recommend travel rewards credit cards, because not only do you get points back for traveling, but the benefits can make or break your trip.

[00:14:35]
Amanda Greene: What is the rule of thumb between usage and credit available? Should you only be using 25% of what’s available to you to keep your credit right?

[00:14:46]
Katherine Fan: Yes, there is a rule of thumb, but the honest answer is as little as possible. I would say you’re probably in a very good range if you can use 10% of your available credit. So again, that’s called your utilization ratio. So, if you keep that one to 10, that’s very, very good. But I would say, for most people, let’s say you only have a few thousand dollars credit limit, it’s totally fine to be anywhere in the 10 to 30% at any given time. Again, remember, the most important part is that only spend what you can pay off in full every single month. So, if that’s what you’re doing, it doesn’t really matter that much if you’re overreaching that utilization ratio in between. It’s ideal to maintain that 30% or less benchmark, but it’s totally okay if especially you’re buying new furniture or you have a new tuition expense or something, if it goes up for a while. Again, that consistency makes all the difference. So, if it’s only this one time this month that you went to 60 or 80 or 90%, you’re OK. If you find yourself consistently going over, even when you pay off everything in full every single month, it might be a good time to ask your bank if you can get a credit limit increase.

[00:15:59]
Amanda Greene: So, let’s say you get that credit card, what are the basic rules of engagement to take with you and apply?

[00:16:05]
Katherine Fan: Ooh, I like to automatically set up auto pay on my credit card so that at the bare minimum, the minimum amount required, gets auto drafted out of my bank account the day my statement closes. So, typically you have a few weeks between when your statement closes and when you actually need to pay that dollar amount. I pay it the moment it closes, and that just helps me remember at a bare minimum, even if for some weird reason I totally forget to pay off the rest of my card, I won’t show a missed payment. It will at least show that I paid the $25, $100 dollars that was required for the minimum payment to show that I tried. The second one is I set up a bunch of calendar alerts for myself. I remind myself when my credit card renews every year. Not a big deal if you have a lot of no annual fee credit cards, it is a big deal if you have a card that charges $95 a year, all the way up to $550, $695 a year, it’s super important to make sure you know when that next annual fee is coming up so it doesn’t catch you completely off guard.

[00:17:13]
Amanda Greene: Let’s wrap things up with a round of rapid fire questions. How many credit cards should a person have?

[00:17:18]
Katherine Fan: Ooh, as many as you can responsibly manage.

[00:17:21]
Amanda Greene: If you have to miss a bill payment, which one should you choose to miss for the month?

[00:17:27]
Katherine Fan: You should always pay at least the minimum if possible on all of them. So, even if you cannot pay all of them off, put a little bit on each one of them. And if you absolutely, absolutely have to miss one, call your bank and explain what happened. At least have a record that you tried.

[00:17:41]
Amanda Greene: OK. That’s such an adulting thing to have to call places and talk about things. It’s true. What is the most important credit card perk to you?

[00:17:51]
Katherine Fan: I really value travel benefits. We fly to Asia pretty often, so that saves us thousands of dollars every trip.

[00:17:58]
Amanda Greene: Wow. What is the most a person should pay for a credit card?

[00:18:02]
Katherine Fan: You should pay what you personally are comfortable with. Make sure that the card that you’re getting offers enough benefits to offset what you’re paying and quite a bit more.

[00:18:11]
Amanda Greene: What’s the most expensive credit card you’ve ever heard of?

[00:18:14]
Katherine Fan: There’s a very well-known card that is invite only, it has a $ 5,000 initiation fee, and you have to pay thousands of dollars every year just to keep it, and it only earns 1 point per dollar, so it’s totally one of those bragging rights cards.

[00:18:28]
Amanda Greene: Is that the metal one? Is it pretty heavy?

[00:18:31]
Katherine Fan: It is pretty heavy.

[00:18:31]
Amanda Greene: But there are a bunch of metal cards. So, I waitressed in college, and I remember this one family would come in with a very heavy metal card, and I thought, “This feels very fancy.” But again, I’m 19, I have no idea what I’m holding in my hand, but I’m like, “I think you guys might be really-“

[00:18:48]
Katherine Fan: You might be fancy. No, there are a lot of metal cards now, because people love that vibe.

[00:18:55]
Amanda Greene: Thank you so much for coming on with us and sharing everything that you know and shedding some light on a topic that can be a little overwhelming. And the more we talk about things, the better we can do with managing it all. So, thank you for coming on and sharing.

[00:19:08]
Katherine Fan: Thank you so much for having me.

[00:19:11]
Amanda Greene: So friends, a credit card can be a powerful tool to show that you’re financially responsible. It tells a story about you. Whether you’re using a credit card to build credit, earn rewards, or manage expenses, the key is knowing your terms, making payments on time and using your card wisely.

[00:19:29]
Amanda’s Daughter: Mommy, can I buy this candy, I have a dollar?

[00:19:33]
Amanda Greene: You have a dollar with you?

[00:19:34]
Amanda’s Daughter: Yeah.

[00:19:35]
Amanda Greene: Sure. You can buy it with your cash.

[00:19:37]
Amanda’s Daughter: Oh, yay.

[00:19:38]
Amanda Greene: Happy responsible spending. You’ve been listening to Merging Into Life where we navigate life’s milestones, one episode at a time, brought to you by AAA Northeast with assistance from Jar Audio. I’m your host, Amanda Green. We would love to hear what you think. Your feedback really matters to us. So, if you have any ideas for an episode or you just want to say “hi,” please leave a review wherever you listen, or email us at podcast@aaanortheast.com. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast do not constitute financial advice and are not necessarily the views of AAA Northeast, AAA and or its affiliates.

---

RESOURCES

AAA.com/Podcast

AAA Visa Signature Credit Cards

How to Build Your Credit Score

Good Debt vs. Bad Debt

Katherine Fan

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Want to Learn More? Drop Us a Note

*The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of AAA Northeast, AAA and/or its affiliates.

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IN THIS EPISODE

Heading down the aisle soon? Congrats! Now for the fun part: wedding planning. It’s a milestone event you’ve always thought of and will always remember, but no pressure!

From the venue and vows to the flowers, food and photographers, there’s a long wedding planning checklist for into turning your dream wedding into a reality.

In this episode, you’ll meet Jessica Bishop. As founder of Budget Savvy Bride, host of “The Bouquet Toss” podcast and author of the bestseller, “Budget Savvy Wedding Planner and Organizer,” she knows a thing or two about how to plan for a wedding. She shares practical wedding advice and tips for the bride and groom, like how to plan without breaking the bank and with minimal stress, so you can get hitched without a hitch.

This is your essential wedding planning timeline and guide.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

[3:31] – How to make sure your wedding day is enjoyable, and not stressful
[7:09] – Keys to keeping your guest list under control
[8:16] – The pros and cons of a destination wedding
[9:27] – How to make a reasonable budget
[15:52] – What are the hot wedding trends?

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TRANSCRIPT

[00:00:01]
Amanda Greene: My wedding anniversary is actually coming up soon. What a day that was. It was so romantic, surrounded by family and friends, and we danced all night. And I collect skeleton keys, so that was our theme. We had them hanging from all of the centerpieces. It was so beautiful and special, which I know skeleton keys aren’t for everybody, but that’s the thing. It was about us and I loved all of those personal touches that we were able to add, but oh my goodness, it was so much work.

And by the time the wedding was over, I felt like I was just figuring out what I was doing. So instead of waiting until yours or your friends or your brother’s or your cousin’s wedding is over, why don’t we figure out how to make that special day amazing now. Welcome to Merging into Life where we navigate life’s milestones one episode at a time, brought to you by AAA Northeast. I’m your host, Amanda Greene. Now that we’re well into season one, we would love to hear what you think. If you have feedback, ideas for an episode or you just want to say hi, please leave a review wherever you listen or email us at podcast@aaanortheast.com.

Today we’re going to talk about planning a wedding. Venue, food, beverages, decorations, flowers, vows, a photographer, a videographer, I don’t even remember what else. Planning a wedding is a huge undertaking. It’s also supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life. So how do you take these two things, immense stress and a celebration of love and make them work together? You ask people who know what they’re doing, people like Jessica Bishop.

[00:01:42]
Jessica Bishop: So I actually was just a humble bride to be myself trying to figure out the crazy roller coaster that is wedding planning. And at the time I was working for a wedding magazine, and so I just really got fully immersed into the world and I’ve worked in the wedding industry ever since.

READ MORE

[00:01:59]
Amanda Greene: She’s the founder of Budgetsavvybride.com, host of the podcast, the Bouquet Toss, and author of a bestselling wedding planning book, the Budget Savvy Wedding Planner and Organizer.

How did you get into wedding planning?

[00:02:13]
Jessica Bishop: So when I was engaged in planning my own wedding, I was looking for resources to help me pull it off within a pretty limited budget at the time. We had decided based on our savings and what we could save over the course of our engagement, that we could spend about $10, 000 and that was all we were going to be able to spend. We were pretty freshly out of college. We wanted to host a large group of our friends who were still very much involved in our lives. So I had to really get creative and come up with resourceful ways to pull off a wedding for 150 guests within a $10, 000 budget. And so that was how the Budget Savvy Bride started.

[00:02:51]
Amanda Greene: So let’s say you just got engaged. What’s the first thing to do?

[00:02:55]
Jessica Bishop: Well, I always tell people to take a moment and just soak up the newly engaged glow. I think there’s always this pressure to just start planning things right away. Your family and friends are going to immediately start asking you, when’s the wedding? What’s the venue? All of the questions, but take a moment and enjoy being engaged and also start having those important conversations with your partner about what is it that we really want out of our wedding day? How do we want to feel? How many people do we want to be there? Getting really clear on what you picture and envision for that day is a key part to starting the planning process.

[00:03:30]
Amanda Greene: How do you temper the expectations of your wedding day being the best day ever with everything that there is to do? There’s a lot of pressure. Do you have any tips how to make it an enjoyable day and not a super stressful day?

[00:03:45]
Jessica Bishop: I think no matter what size budget you’re working with, what your circumstances are, not doing it so DIY that you’re the point person and in charge of everything on the day, I think a day of or month of coordinator is an absolutely worthy investment. You want to be the guest of honor at your wedding. You don’t want to be the director. So having somebody who is in charge, who is going to answer all the questions and deal with all the logistics on the day of is such a worthy investment. And I encourage every couple to do that for their own sanity and enjoyment and their ability to be present on the wedding day. It’s such a cliche, but it truly goes by in such a flash, and you want to be able to be as present as possible with your partner, with your families, with your friends who’ve traveled and you’ve spent all this money to put it together, let somebody else handle all the details on the day.

[00:04:38]
Amanda Greene: That makes a lot of sense. So where do you start?

[00:04:41]
Jessica Bishop: One exercise I find really helpful for couples to go through is almost like a values exercise. What do we really care about? What matters to us about the wedding? And then using that list to prioritize the aspects that you’re going to focus on, you’re probably going to focus more of your money on those aspects. So that’s a really, really helpful exercise I think, just so you’re on the same page and you can use a very detailed checklist to systematically go through the whole process.

[00:05:09]
Amanda Greene: How do you keep all of that organized?

[00:05:10]
Jessica Bishop: Well, luckily there’s a lot of online tools and resources now, but definitely having a dedicated wedding planning binder still, that pen to paper is great. There’s also lots of great digital tools. I’m a big fan of a hybrid approach at this point. I think Google Docs has become an absolute necessity in a lot of people’s lives, and you get that two-way communication or sharing between you, your partner, and potentially your wedding planner or vendors. So it’s a great way to collaborate on things like that.

[00:05:41]
Amanda Greene: The size of your wedding also is going to play a big part in this. What are some of the similarities between planning a bigger wedding versus planning a smaller wedding?

[00:05:49]
Jessica Bishop: Well, all the elements are really the same. When you think about it, you’re going to need a venue photographer, you’re going to need catering, flowers, all the things. All the vendors, all the elements are likely going to be the same regardless of the size of your guest list. But the thing is, when you invite more people, you’re obviously adding up the costs with each additional guest you add. It’s another chair, it’s another meal at the reception, it’s another invitation. For every eight to 10 guests that can fit at a table, it’s another table, centerpiece, flower arrangement, whatever.

And so you really have to be careful and think about, especially if you’re working with a tight budget, exactly how many people you can realistically afford to have because each person is just adding an additional line item to your budget at the end of the day. Cutting your guest list is the simplest way to cut your costs, but it’s not the easiest by any means because it’s so emotional. There’s so many people you would love to include, but at the end of the day, I always encourage being financially responsible when it comes to your wedding.

[00:06:48]
Amanda Greene: It’s hard too because when everyone is asking you about your plans, it almost feels like they’re expecting an invitation.

[00:06:54]
Jessica Bishop: Yeah. Oh, it can be so sticky. And I definitely feel for couples these days because with the economy and inflation and everything else, it just costs more now than it did 15 years ago when I was planning. So it’s definitely a challenge.

[00:07:08]
Amanda Greene: So how do we keep that guest list under control?

[00:07:11]
Jessica Bishop: Well, there’s some good sort of handy rules of thumb that you can use to eliminate people from the guest list. One I really like to suggest is thinking about, would you or you and your fiancé invite this person to dinner and pay for their bill? Because that’s essentially what you’re doing when you’re inviting them to your wedding. If you haven’t physically seen them or spoken to them in at least a year, maybe they don’t need to be included. And really just evaluating, I think it gets into this really tricky territory when you’re like, oh, if I invite this person from this aspect of my life, then I’m going to have to include these other people. It’s all a gut check. But I do think that those handy flowcharts sort of things, there’s one in the book that I think is really helpful in deciding who to include and who not to.

[00:07:57]
Amanda Greene: Like when you’re cleaning out your closet, they say, if you haven’t worn something in a year, you need to donate it. I guess the same goes for a guest list for your wedding. If you haven’t talked to them or seen the person in over a year, it’s probably not essential that you invite them to your wedding.

[00:08:11]
Jessica Bishop: You can always blame it on your venue capacity. We could only fit this number of people. We’re keeping it to our closest family and friends. It’s tough, but you got to do it if you want to stick to your budget.

[00:08:25]
Amanda Greene: I feel like people often think that planning a destination wedding might be a budget-friendly option. What are some of the pros and cons about going the destination route?

[00:08:35]
Jessica Bishop: Yeah, I definitely think there is a certain idea that it could be a way to save money. And I would say the thinking there is more based on the fact that there are going to be guests who self-eliminate from the guest list, maybe because of their schedule or finances or family obligations, whatever the case might be. So your guest list might be smaller with a destination wedding, which could help reduce the cost. But there’s added costs too. In some instances, you’re talking about international travel, you’re talking about a longer stay, you’re not just going for a day. So there are additional costs involved that you really have to weigh all the options and do the math to know whether or not you’re actually saving.

[00:09:17]
Amanda Greene: So Jessica, you are the expert. I’m sure this is probably one of the biggest points for most couples. How do you make a reasonable budget and also the hard part stick to it?

[00:09:27]
Jessica Bishop: Oh, yes, it is the biggest hurdle I think that a lot of couples face, and I really think a lot of it is because of the social media of it all. We’re not just comparing our weddings to the people whose events we’ve actually been invited to and witnessed in person, but we’re seeing weddings online from celebrities and influencers and people who have a completely different set of financial circumstances then we do. And so my best advice for couples is always to really figure out realistically, how much you can actually afford to spend and be committed to not putting yourself into a financially bad situation in order to have this wedding that you can’t actually afford.

Look at your savings, decide how much you want to allocate towards this event, how much you can realistically put away each month to go towards the wedding fund. If you have family members who are able and willing to financially contribute, and you want to accept that help because it often comes with conditions or opinions on how the money should be spent. So it’s always a caveat, I say, but having those discussions with your families and finding out how much are you able to contribute? When will those payments be made? Do you want the contributions you’re making to go towards specific aspects of the wedding? These are all really important conversations to have, and it’s not always comfortable, but it’s so necessary just to have everything be very transparent and clear. And yeah, communication is key always in everything.

[00:10:56]
Amanda Greene: Regardless of the budget. Is there anything that you recommend people always pay for no matter what?

[00:11:03]
Jessica Bishop: Good photography. Honestly, you’re your wedding photos are one of the only tangible reminders of the day that you’ll have, and a good quality photographer is an investment, but those are the things that you’ll be looking back on for years and years to come. You’ll be sharing them with your children and grandchildren, and I’m just such a big believer in capturing those memories professionally.

[00:11:24]
Amanda Greene: Are there any easy things that you recommend people DIY?

[00:11:28]
Jessica Bishop: There’s so many things you can DIY truly, whether it’s decorations. Depending on the type of venue you are using, it’s possible to find venues where you could potentially bring in your own alcohol, which is a great savvy tip because oftentimes professional catering halls or event venues, they have alcohol markup that’s significant. And so if you’re able to control the cost per bottle of the wine or beers that you’re serving, that’s a really great way to save, but not always possible depending on the venue you choose.

[00:12:04]
Amanda Greene: Are you seeing a lot of the older traditions still being upheld, or do you think people are doing their own thing now?

[00:12:10]
Jessica Bishop: I think couples are really blazing their own trail and breaking the rules and making new traditions. I think it’s really amazing. It’s something that we actually talk a lot about on our podcast, the Bouquet Toss, which is an age-old wedding tradition. And what we did in our first season of that show is we actually talked about the history and the origin of where all those traditions came from. You might decide, you know what? This doesn’t really align with us. It doesn’t feel true or right or authentic to who we are as people, so we’re going to toss that tradition. I really love that couples are doing more of that.

[00:12:41]
Amanda Greene: How do you pick the right people to be in your wedding party?

[00:12:45]
Jessica Bishop: It’s a tricky thing, and I think what I’ve seen more of lately is not necessarily always choosing the longest relationships, but the people who are more present in your life right now or the people who you really do see being in your life for many, many years to come. Obviously there’s always the chance of hurt feelings and things going wrong, but at the end of the day, being in someone’s wedding is a responsibility. There’s a lot that comes along with it. Time investment, money, travel, and so you really have to be openly and honestly communicating with those people and finding out if they’re really up to the task.

[00:13:22]
Amanda Greene: Are people tending to keep their wedding parties smaller these days? I feel like, I don’t know, even 15 years ago people had 12 bridesmaids and 12 groomsmen and the lines were so long.

[00:13:33]
Jessica Bishop: I think overall, we’re seeing a lot of couples cut back, not just on their wedding party, but their guest list as well, just because of the sheer money involved in it. And I do think it also has to do with the fact that a lot of couples are getting married a little bit later in life, and so their social circle is maybe a bit smaller as they get older.

[00:13:49]
Amanda Greene: Planning a wedding brings out so many emotions, and it does seem like everyone wants to share their opinion about your wedding when you’re planning it, right? What is the best way to set expectations when it comes to your in-laws, for instance?

[00:14:06]
Jessica Bishop: Oh, that’s an interesting question. I think the best thing you can do is always graciously accept their feedback or ideas, but express you and your partner have made the decisions you have because it’s what feels most true to the two of you. And obviously, like I mentioned, your family is contributing financially perhaps. That can make things a bit more sticky, but it’s just clear communication and a little bit of gentle boundaries I think are helpful in those conversations.

[00:14:39]
Amanda Greene: Do you see people assign maybe them a task or a job so that they are included in a way, but maybe not in the way they were trying to be?

[00:14:47]
Jessica Bishop: Yeah, that’s always a great compromise too. Helping them feel heard and involved is going to go a long way, especially if you might be diverting from their particular wishes. Overall, I think it’s about just mutual respect and understanding that you are joining two families together and you want everyone to feel included.

[00:15:10]
Amanda Greene: What are some hot wedding trends you’re seeing right now?

[00:15:13]
Jessica Bishop: I feel like I’m seeing a lot of food trucks. We’re seeing a lot more non-traditional food elements and also almost making them into art pieces. So I don’t know if you’ve seen they have these really cool, almost, I think it’s like a wafer of some sort. They can monogram it, put the couple’s initials and things like that and put it in the cocktail glasses. I don’t know what the name is for that, but I’ve seen so much of that lately. Also, a really unique statement piece seating chart, which becomes a bit of a photo opportunity as well as an element of interaction where the guests can go up and they can get a key, or sometimes it’s a glass of champagne that has a ring on it that has their table number and their name, so they know where to go sit. So finding ways to make the practical elements of the wedding also interactive and personalized I think adds a lot to the guest experience and is just a really cool photographic detail too.

[00:16:10]
Amanda Greene: Planning a wedding is such a fun thing for a creative person who wants to do all of these ideas, but probably sounds like a nightmare for someone who’s like, whoa, that sounds like a lot of work.

[00:16:19]
Jessica Bishop: You don’t have to go overboard at the end of the day. I really think that the most special weddings are the ones that feel like the couple. You get a real sense of who they are, and that could be as simple as personalizing your wedding vows or having someone you know be your wedding officiant. Those things don’t have to cost any extra money, but they add to that level of personalization and make it feel like your day, not just some generic day that you’ve seen all over Pinterest or Instagram a hundred times.

[00:16:48]
Amanda Greene: From all of your experience, do you have any final words of encouragement for maybe a newly engaged couple starting to plan their wedding?

[00:16:56]
Jessica Bishop: I would say, first of all, just enjoy this time together. Enjoy the engaged period. It doesn’t last long. At the end of the day, you’re only a fiance for so long, and really use this time to dive deep together into what truly matters to you, not just for your wedding day, but for everything that comes after as well.

[00:17:16]
Amanda Greene: So I was looking at your Instagram page and I came across a lot of details that I’ve never thought of, so I’m using that as my inspiration for a few rapid fire questions. Are you ready?

[00:17:28]
Jessica Bishop: Let’s go.

[00:17:28]
Amanda Greene: The best bridal party gift you’ve seen?

[00:17:31]
Jessica Bishop: I really love a nice piece of jewelry, I think is a good memento, something they can wear again. Big fan of things like that.

[00:17:38]
Amanda Greene: Real flowers or fake?

[00:17:41]
Jessica Bishop: Real flowers are super expensive and you might not realize just how much until you get into planning. So I’m a huge fan of a faux floral arrangement.

[00:17:49]
Amanda Greene: Open bar, closed bar?

[00:17:51]
Jessica Bishop: For the budget’s sake, closed bar.

[00:17:53]
Amanda Greene: Are kids invited or is this adults only?

[00:17:56]
Jessica Bishop: I’m a big fan of adults only celebrations, but I’m a childless millennial.

[00:18:01]
Amanda Greene: AI. Using AI to help write your vows?

[00:18:06]
Jessica Bishop: I just can’t. It should come from the heart and AI can be helpful as a tool, but I don’t think you should rely on it completely. I’ll say that.

[00:18:15]
Amanda Greene: Jessica, thank you so much. We appreciate you coming on and sharing.

[00:18:18]
Jessica Bishop: Thank you so much for having me.

[00:18:20]
Amanda Greene: That was Jessica Bishop, the Budget Savvy Bride. So how do you and your partner do everything possible to make your wedding a day to remember? Make a budget and do everything you can to stick to it. Make your day your own by really thinking about what you and your partner value. There are so many details to think of and tasks to be completed. I loved Jessica’s suggestion to find or hire a point person for the wedding day at the very least. You want to be the guest of honor, and I think one of the most important things she said was enjoy yourself.

You’ve been listening to Merging into Life where we navigate life’s milestones, one episode at a time, brought to you by AAA Northeast with assistance from Jar Audio. I’m your host, Amanda Greene. We would love to hear what you think. Your feedback really matters to us. So if you have any ideas for an episode or you just want to say hi, please leave a review wherever you listen or email us at podcast@AAANortheast.com. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of AAA Northeast, AAA and or its affiliates.

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RESOURCES

Find Expert Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Planners

How to Plan a Destination Wedding

Great Marriage Proposal Sites in the Northeast

Wedding Planning Guide: The Basics

“The Bouquet Toss” Podcast

Budget Savvy Bride

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*The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of AAA Northeast, AAA and/or its affiliates.

Are electric cars good in winter? It’s a common question for those who own or are thinking about purchasing an EV. If you’ve ever left a charged cellphone in a cold car overnight and been greeted the next morning with a dead phone, you’ll understand the curiosity.

Yes, just like your phone, cold temperatures can affect the lithium-ion batteries in EVs. However, this doesn’t mean your vehicle won’t survive the winter. Depending on your driving habits, you may not even notice a drop in performance. You can also work around any lost output by simply planning ahead.

How Winter Weather Affects Electric Cars

Before we delve into the why, let’s first investigate how electric cars are impacted by winter weather. Though there may be some concerns over how these cars perform on wintry roads (we’ll get to that in a bit), the main issue is that cold temperatures may reduce the distance an EV can travel on a full charge, or it’s driving range.

Although some of the latest EVs boast driving ranges over 500 miles and charging infrastructure is developing throughout the country, range anxiety remains a primary concern for many consumers, so a reduction in driving range is no small issue.

How much of a performance drop does cold weather have on electric car batteries? Research by AAA found the average electric vehicle’s driving range decreases by 41% when the outside temperature dips to 20 degrees and the car’s heating system is on.

Why Winter Affects Electric Cars

Electric car batteries are hampered by winter weather in two ways. First off, cold temperatures create resistance against the battery’s chemical reactions, slowing down the energy-producing process.

It’s the increased demand of operating in cold temperatures that takes the greatest toll. Driving a vehicle in frigid weather requires more power, particularly when it comes to keeping the car warm. In a gas-powered car, the engine creates heat, which can be redirected into the cabin when it’s cold outside. Without an engine, most electric cars depend on their batteries to power energy-intensive resistance heaters.

The winter season brings plenty of other, not-so-obvious power demands. Less daylight requires headlights to run longer, for example, and lower temperatures can lead to more condensation on a car’s glass that will call for defogging. More power going to other parts of the car means less power going to the motor.

Are Electric Cars Good in the Snow?

Acclimating to frigid temperatures is just one aspect of winter-weather driving. The other is navigating snow- and ice-covered roads.

Once upon a time, electric vehicles had reputations as less-powerful cars that you didn’t want to take out on anything but a pristine strip of pavement. Those days are long gone. After all, there are now fully electric pickup trucks on the market. In fact, because their batteries are usually located under the floor, electric cars generally have a lower center of gravity than gas-powered vehicles, which can result in better handling.

“Electric vehicle owners I have talked with have told me that their electrics handle winter easily,” said John Paul, AAA’s Car Doctor. “This is the same experience I’ve had during my car evaluations.” For example, Paul evaluated the Ford Mustang Mach-E in winter weather conditions and found the optional all-wheel-drive system performed extremely well.

Winter Weather Workarounds

There are several easy steps to take to improve your electric car driving experience in the winter.

Don’t Let the Battery Charge Drop Too Low

An electric car reserves about 15-20% of its charge capacity to heat the battery itself. Make sure you’re well above that level before heading out.

Be Smart With the Heat

Warming an electric car is a significant drain on its battery, so use the heat efficiently. It may seem logical to heat the entire cabin, but that could waste energy, especially if you’re driving alone. If the vehicle has heated seats and steering wheels, stick to those to use less electricity. “Some electric vehicle owners tell me they use only minimal heat and have better luck extending the vehicle range using the seat heater and dressing a bit warmer,” Paul said. Preconditioning the cabin when the car is plugged in and charging is another way to get into a warm car while maximizing battery range.

Park in a Garage

Batteries perform best in moderate temperatures. Keeping your vehicle out of the cold will allow the battery to charge faster and hold the charge for longer. Also, it takes less energy to keep a car warm than to get it warm, meaning the battery won’t be taxed raising the cabin’s temperature.

Inflate Your Tires

This should be done by all motorists throughout the year, but it’s particularly important in the winter. The air in your tires contracts in colder temperatures, causing air pressure to fall. Only with fully inflated tires will you get the most efficient drive.

Utilize Eco-Mode

Many of today’s electric cars come equipped with an eco-mode, which extends driving range by limiting the car’s energy consumption.

Switch to Winter Tires

If you’re still concerned about driving through snow and ice, Paul suggests focusing less on your car’s source of power and more on the part of your vehicle that touches the ground. “Just like with any vehicle, your winter weather driving experience can be improved immensely with the addition of four winter tires,” he said.

So, Are Electric Cars Good in Winter?

What we need and want from our car varies from person to person. That said, AAA advises drivers not to give electric cars the cold shoulder solely because of any winter struggles – driving them this time of year simply requires a touch more preparation.

It’s also easy to forget the lead batteries found in gas-powered vehicles are impacted by cold weather, as well. Yet you wouldn’t avoid your car in the winter out of fear the battery won’t start. (Nor should you – without driving regularly, your car battery won’t maintain a full charge.)

Furthermore, technology is continually improving, making battery capacity and driving range less of a concern. Some electric car companies, for example, are now using heat pump systems that require less energy than resistant heaters.

And finally, Paul reminds us that the drop in driving range doesn’t occur with the flip of a switch. “Yes, range changes in the winter, but just like the temperature, it changes gradually. As the outside temperature drops from summer temps in the 80s to fall temperatures in 50s and winter temps in the 20s, you get acclimated to the change in range.”

Visit AAA’s Electric Vehicle platform for more information on these cars of the future.

Have more car care questions? Leave them in the comments below!

AAA projects 119.3 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home over the year-end holiday period from Saturday, Dec. 21, to Wednesday, Jan. 1. This year’s domestic travel projection is expected to set a new record with an additional 3 million travelers compared to last year. 

“Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday this year, which puts both the weekend before and after the holiday in play for travelers,” said Jillian Young, AAA Northeast. “We continue to see demand for travel soar at this time of year as Americans visit family and friends and take in new destinations.” 

Nearly 90% of holiday travelers will be driving to their destinations: 107 million people are expected to travel by car, 2.5 million more than last year. AAA car rental partner Hertz says the busiest pickup days are expected to be Friday, Dec. 20, and Saturday, Dec. 21. The busiest time for rental returns is expected to be the weekend after Christmas and the following Monday. 

AAA expects air travel to set a new record this holiday season with 7.85 million passengers. That number surpasses the previous record of 7.5 million air travelers last year. AAA booking data shows domestic flights are 4% more expensive, and international flights are 13% more expensive this holiday season compared to last year. 

The number of Americans traveling by bus, train and cruise this holiday season is up nearly 10% compared to last year, with 4.47 million people expected to travel by other modes. Domestic cruise bookings are up 37% compared to last holiday season. 

Best and Worst Times to Drive 

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects drivers will experience the worst traffic delays the weekends before Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The holidays themselves are expected to have minimal congestion.  

AAA’s Top Holiday Destinations 

Tropical weather destinations are hot this holiday season, according to AAA booking data for Dec. 21 to Jan. 1. Domestically, several cities in Florida top the list, followed by Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The most popular international destinations include the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Costa Rica. 

Will you be traveling this holiday season? Tell us in the comments.

Whether you crave salty or sweet, a Northeast snack factory road trip is sure to please every palate. Each of the destinations on this list offers a delicious blend of entertainment and education – and you won’t leave hungry.

Ben & Jerry’s

Waterbury, Vt.

Vermont’s famed Ben & Jerry’s factory was built in 1985 and produces upward of 350,000 pints per day. The tour starts with a short movie about how founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield started their ice cream kingdom, followed by a sneak peek at the ice cream-making process and how it gets packaged in those legendary pint containers. Of course, you’ll be able to indulge in ice cream samples along the way. After the tour, visit the Scoop Shop for a treat and peruse the Flavor Graveyard of retired flavors.

Hershey’s

Hershey, Pa.

Remember making chocolate milk with Hershey’s syrup or s’mores by the fire with a Hershey’s chocolate bar? Share those sweet memories with your children at Hershey’s Chocolate World. The massive establishment offers a full day’s worth of chocolate-themed activities, including a chance to design your own candy bar. And while not an actual chocolate factory, the factory tour ride is a fun (and free) journey of the entire chocolate-making process.

Herr’s

Nottingham, Pa.

Herr’s is a genuine snack empire with 340 types of delightfully salty treats, from cheese balls and potato chips to caramel popcorn and peanut butter-filled pretzels. The factory tour is an informative (and tasty) glimpse into the brand. Afterward, hit the museum and gift shop for some road trip snacks. Herr’s variety pack, anyone?

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PEZ

Orange, Conn.

PEZ has been supplying its iconic interactive candy to the world since 1927. The family-friendly company offers tours through the colorful world of PEZ dispensers at its visitor center in Connecticut. Here, you’ll learn about the storied history of PEZ, work your way through interactive games and exhibits, and see the world’s largest PEZ dispenser and vintage dispenser museum. Guests can even design their own PEZ dispenser.

Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery

Lititz, Pa.

Take a tour of the original Julies Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, founded in 1861, to discover the origins of the pretzel-making tradition and see the pretzel production. Kids can even try their hand at pretzel twisting with a hands-on lesson with pro bakers. Enjoy samples and make a pit stop in the gift shop for some delicious treats to go.

Taza Chocolate

Somerville, Mass.

About 20 minutes outside of Boston, the Taza Chocolate factory is handmaking stone-ground chocolate daily. Take a behind-the-scenes tour to see how cacao beans are transformed into artisanal chocolate bars, participate in a chocolate sampling or try a chocolate-making workshop. On weekends, kids under 10 years old can join in a chocolate-themed scavenger hunt.

Utz

Hanover, Pa.

Known for its potato chips and pretzels, Utz produces more than 3 million pounds of snacks per week. Witness the potato chip-making process on a self-guided tour, featuring an observation gallery overlooking the production line.

Need a ride? AAA members can save up to 20% on Hertz rentals.

Which of these Northeast snack factories is on your list to visit next? Tell us in the comments.

This article has been updated and republished from a previous version.

Nothing warms the soul quite like a rich, velvety cup of hot chocolate, especially on a cold, wintry day. From artisanal blends to indulgent flavors, like red velvet and s’mores, we’ve found just what you’re craving on a frosty day.

Whether you’re a cocoa purist or looking for a creative twist on a winter favorite, here are some of the best hot chocolate spots waiting for you in the Northeast.

Connecticut

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Caffe Social

Norwalk

Caffe Social’s menu is sure to warm you up with its lineup of irresistibly delicious hot chocolates. From salted caramel to s’mores, you’ll find eight swoon-worthy hot chocolates that hit the spot. Don’t miss festive, seasonal flavors, like red velvet and peppermint bark. Enjoy a steaming cup on its own or pair with challah French toast or a creative eggs benny at this cozy cafe.   

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Heirloom Market

Wethersfield

Heirloom Market at Comstock Ferre offers a standout hot chocolate experience. Made with locally sourced, organic ingredients, each cup reflects the market’s farm-to-table ethos. This warm drink is made for cold, snowy days. Settle in to savor the rustic interiors and historic ambiance as you sip on hot chocolate topped with a homemade toasted marshmallow.

Maine

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Gelato Fiasco

Brunswick and Portland

Gelato Fiasco is known for its fresh gelato, but its coffee bar is a must-visit for hot chocolate lovers. Or, as this scoop shop likes to call it, “drinking chocolates.” Essentially, they’ve taken their rich chocolate gelato and turned it into a luscious, steaming cup of hot chocolate, which pairs perfectly with their house-made whipped cream.

Monica’s Chocolates

Lubec

Monica’s Chocolates serves up splurge-worthy hot chocolates as decadent as the shop’s signature bonbons and truffles. This inviting shop is the place to warm up with a cup of ultra-rich hot chocolate as you browse unique Peruvian-inspired chocolates and gifts. For artisanal chocolates with a unique cultural background, this is the place. Come early, the hot chocolate often sells out.

Massachusetts

Caffe Vittoria

Boston

Caffe Vittoria delivers an authentic taste of Italy. Some consider their rich and velvety, Italian-style cioccolata calda to be the best hot chocolate in Boston. Certainly, it’s among the thickest, thanks to its secret ingredient: corn starch. Founded in 1929, the cafe exudes old-world charm and a welcoming atmosphere – perfect for savoring a hot drink.

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Hot Chocolate Sparrow

Orleans

This hot chocolate place is for chocolate lovers, offering a variety of rich and creamy options made with their signature homemade fudge milk. The Hot Chocolate Sparrow is the shop’s signature hot drink that gets an extra flavor boost when paired with mint or coconut syrup. You’ll also find a white hot chocolate, as well as iced versions of both sweet, creamy hot chocolates.

New Hampshire

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Common Man Roadside

Hooksett and Epsom

Common Man Roadside may be a quick-service roadside stop, but the hot chocolates are worth the detour. Favorites include the Uncommon Hot Chocolate, made with real chocolate shreds, and the Dirty Hot Chocolate, which features a splash of vanilla syrup and a shot of espresso for an extra kick. It’s the perfect place to relax, recharge and re-fuel.

The Met

North Conway

Metropolitan Coffee House (The Met) has two locations in North Conway, including North Conway Village and Settlers Green. Stop in for breakfast sandwiches and locally roasted coffee. In fall and winter, hot chocolate jumps onto the menu. There are 15 unique varieties, like chocolate and orange, peppermint and cinnamon. Order a cup with homemade whipped cream.

New Jersey

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Hatch 44 Cafe

Metuchen and Bradley Beach

Hatch 44 Cafe is a beloved brunch spot that warms with an inviting atmosphere that’s perfect for enjoying a rich cup of hot chocolate. Indulge in a classic hot chocolate that’s celebrated for its rich, velvety texture. Hatch 44 serves all kinds of hand-crafted drinks. When winter arrives, look for creative yet comforting takes, like a cardamom-sprinkled hot cocoa.

The Asbury Park Roastery

Asbury Park

For a sweet, creamy warm-up after a seaside stroll, make a beeline for Asbury Park Roastery. On the menu, you’ll find a classic hot chocolate, as well as favorites like the peppermint hot chocolate. You’ll want to top this treat with marshmallows or whipped cream (maybe even both). When winter weather rolls in, kick back with a steaming cup at this favorite Jersey Shore destination.  

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New York

Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain

Brooklyn

Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain may have opened in 2010, but it’s got all the nostalgic feel of an old-time soda fountain. On the menu, you’ll find a frozen hot chocolate with house-made toasted marshmallows. Choose from chocolate, double chocolate or mocha. Of course, you’ll also find a steaming hot chocolate, as well as creative takes, like a Chai White Hot Chocolate.

Strange Brew Cafe

Binghamton

Strange Brew Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch, but you can pop in any time for a delicious cup of their classic hot chocolate. You’ll find wildly delicious specialty versions of this frosty morning fave too, like peanut butter, peppermint and snickerdoodle. Every creamy cup of gourmet cocoa comes topped with both whipped cream and marshmallows. Yes, both!

Rhode Island

Fuel Coffee Bar

Narragansett

For delicious hot chocolate made with Ghirardelli dark chocolate, steamed milk and frothed milk, head to Fuel Coffee Bar. Their piping hot cocoa is even topped with whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate. For a refreshingly cold twist, the frozen hot chocolate is a crowd-pleaser. Order a cup to-go or settle in at this welcoming cafe with a fresh-baked muffin or a pastry.

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The Chanler

Newport

At the Chanler, the seasonal hot chocolate bar is an experience you’ll want to mark on your calendar since it’s open only on select dates in December. The cozy firepit, mesmerizing Cliff Walk views and artisanal hot cocoa will make it worth your while. Indulge in a cup or two of hot chocolate that’s made with premium Valrhona chocolate from southeastern France.

Vermont

Lake Champlain Chocolates

Burlington, Waterbury Center and Stowe

Lake Champlain Chocolates offers gourmet hot chocolates – by the cup or the tin – that have been celebrated as among the very best in the country. By the tin, choose from peppermint, traditional and dark, as well as several organic and vegan varieties. Don’t forget the vanilla marshmallows. In the flagship store on Pine Street, treat yourself to a steamy cup at the hot chocolate bar.

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Vermont Cookie Love

North Ferrisburgh

Vermont Cookie Love offers creamy classic hot chocolate options, as well as whimsical takes, like a Melted Snowman, which features a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkling of cocoa powder. Naturally, you’ll want to pair a hot chocolate with a selection of cookies, like triple chocolate chip and oatmeal with dried cranberries. They sell cookie gift boxes and ice cream, too.

What do you think is the best hot chocolate spot in the Northeast? Tell us about it in the comments!

A higher proportion of American drivers admit to speeding, driving distracted and engaging in other risky behaviors than those who steadfastly follow the rules of the road, according to the latest AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index.

The report, updated annually by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, measures the public’s attitude on the roadway by asking drivers about their perceived level of danger for various driving behaviors, with most drivers saying unsafe driving behaviors are very or extremely dangerous. Yet, many have admitted to engaging in these dangerous behaviors at least once in the previous 30 days.

For example, while 93% of drivers identified hand-held phone use as an extremely risky behavior, more than a third admitted to reading a text or email or holding a phone while driving over the previous 30 days.

In 2023, nearly 41,000 people were killed in U.S. traffic crashes, a sobering reminder of the ongoing public health crisis on our roads. Despite a slight decrease from the previous year, the threat posed by risky driving behaviors remains alarmingly high.

The new report illuminates this issue by categorizing drivers based on their self-reported risky behaviors. Speeding, distracted driving and aggressive driving emerged as the most prevalent dangerous habits.

Key Findings

Distracted Driving

• Most drivers (93%) recognize the dangers of texting, emailing and reading while driving.
• However, 27% of drivers reported sending a text/email while driving; 37% read a text/email; and 36% spoke on a hand-held phone while driving in the previous 30 days.

Aggressive Driving and Speeding

• Most drivers (89%) perceive aggressive driving as dangerous and 81% said the same about running red lights. Yet 27% ran at least one red light in the previous 30 days.
• And nearly half (49%) admitted to driving 15 mph over the posted speed limit on a freeway at least once in the previous 30 days, while 36% of drivers reported driving 10 mph over the posted speed limit on a residential street.

Drowsy Driving

• Most drivers (96%) recognize the dangers of drowsy driving.
• However, 20% admitted to driving while drowsy in the previous 30 days.

Impaired Driving

• Drivers overwhelmingly perceive drunk driving as dangerous (95%) and socially unacceptable. Yet 7% admitted to engaging in this behavior in the previous 30 days.
• By comparison, only 70% of drivers felt that it was very or extremely dangerous to drive within an hour of using cannabis, and 6% reported having done it in the previous 30 days.

Driver Profiles

The survey identified five distinct driver profiles.

1. Safe Drivers: Rarely engage in risky behaviors – 34.9%.
2. Distracted Drivers: Primarily engage in all distracted driving behaviors – 19%.
3. Speeding Drivers: Primarily engage in speeding behaviors – 32.6%.
4. Distracted and Aggressive Drivers: Engage in distracted and aggressive driving – 11%.
5. Most Dangerous Drivers: Engage in all risky driving behaviors – 2.5%.

“The survey’s findings highlight just how prevalent speeding is, especially among drivers who take other risks behind the wheel,” said Jillian Young, Director of Public Relations, AAA Northeast. “Enforcement, community outreach and education continue to be absolutely critical to curbing a wide range of risky driving behaviors and ultimately lowering the number of traffic crash fatalities in the U.S.”

The AAA Foundation’s annual TSCI survey has been a decade-long deep dive into driver behavior. As traffic dangers rise, the latest TSCI offers crucial insights into driver attitudes and risky habits, guiding the development of life-saving safety measures. Please refer to the full TSCI for data collection methodology and limitations.

Life insurance scams happen every day, and becoming a victim can be costly and life changing. The FBI estimates that the total cost of non-health insurance fraud is more than $40 billion per year. (Read about car insurance scams here.)  

If you are in the process of taking out a life insurance policy, updating an existing policy or have been contacted about an existing or new policy, understanding these scams is crucial to avoid becoming a victim. Read on to learn the different ways scam artists try to trick you and the best ways to determine whether something is legit.

Types of Life Insurance Scams

Life insurance scams can occur over the phone, by email and even through social media. In each medium, the scammer will target unsuspecting people by impersonating legitimate agents of well-known insurance companies.

With social media becoming a more popular way for people to learn about and connect with life insurance agents, it’s important to be wary of common misconceptions and misinformation.

“Agents advertising concepts like ‘infinite banking’ or ‘being your own bank’ to get rich can be misleading,” warned Timothy Ferreira, Life and Annuity Manager at AAA Northeast. “They can lure you into purchasing very costly insurance policies that may not fit your needs and primarily benefit the agent in the form of big commissions.”

In a phone scam, a scammer may call you claiming there is an urgent need to buy or update a life insurance policy. They may use high-pressure tactics, offering bogus special rates for a limited time.

Email scams operate in a similar way, but with additional tricks. In this scenario, scammers may send emails that appear to come from reputable insurance companies – even using logos and email addresses that look genuine. These emails may contain links to fake websites that look official at a passing glance.

In both phone and email life insurance scams, the main goal is to steal personal and financial information, so it’s essential to verify the source of any unsolicited life insurance offers by contacting the insurance company directly.

Is There a AAA Life Insurance Scam?

We are currently unaware of any scams that impersonate AAA Northeast life insurance agents. If you are ever unsure, we encourage you to reach out to us to verify any correspondence.

How To Spot Life Insurance Scams

While scammers are getting better at hiding their tracks, there are certain red flags that can help to quickly identify if something is a scam.

One of the first signs you’ll recognize is feeling pressured to act quickly and impulsively. Scammers often use tactics that create a sense of urgency to get you to agree on the spot. Legitimate insurance agents will give you time to review and consider your options without pushing you into a decision.

Suspicious contact methods can also be warning signs. “While purchasing life insurance over the phone is commonplace today,” Ferreira said, “being called by a non-business phone number should raise a red flag.” The same goes for email: If you are contacted from a personal email address rather than one associated with a recognized insurance company, it is likely a scam.

Preventive Measures

There are a few things you can do to protect yourself a life insurance scam:

• Ask for the insurance company’s website and use its search function to look up the agent you’re in contact with.
• Search for the agent’s license number on your state’s Department of Business Regulation website. If they appear, it will indicate that the person is authorized to sell life insurance.
• Avoid high-pressure sales and be skeptical of agents pushing you to buy quickly without explanation or alternatives.
• Make sure you understand your policy by thoroughly reading over the terms, premiums, coverage and exclusions.

Support For Life Insurance Scam Victims

If you have been a victim of a life insurance fraud, contact your state insurance agency.

Connecticut – Phone: 860-297-3800; website

Massachusetts – Phone: 617-521-7794; website

New Hampshire – Hotline: 800-852-3416; Phone: 603-271-2261; website

New Jersey – Hotline: 800-446-7467; Phone: 609-292-7272; website

New York – Hotline: 888-372-8369; website

Rhode Island – Phone: 401-462-9520; website

Licensed AAA life insurance agents are available to support AAA members in branch offices. Learn more.

Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” emanates from every speaker in the Western world, mall parking lots turn into scenes of winter chaos, greeting cards flood mailboxes and everything becomes gingerbread- or peppermint-flavored.

These are all telltale signs the holidays are near.

But there’s one other sound, or should we say jingle, that comes around once a year, signaling the start of the holiday shopping season: “The Hess truck’s back and it’s better than ever!”

The Hess Corporation has released a new toy truck just in time for the holidays every year since 1964. What started as a simple gesture of gratitude toward customers has grown into one of the most iconic and collectible toys to ever hit the market.

But how did the Hess truck come about in the first place? For that answer, we’ll have to travel back nearly a century.

The Origins of the Hess Truck

In 1933, recent high school graduate Leon Hess purchased a used oil delivery truck and began his own business delivering fuel to homes in Asbury Park, N.J. By 1964, he had a burgeoning empire of gas stations to his name. That winter, Hess wanted to offer his customers a gift as a sign of goodwill. He started selling toy trucks at Hess gas stations that would be both affordable and suitable for kids of all ages.

The original 1964 Hess truck, a replica of the company’s first B61 tanker, was well ahead of its time compared to other toys of the day. Hess was adamant the toy be made with the highest craftsmanship. The truck featured an empty cargo tank that could be filled using an accompanying funnel and rubber hose, as well as working headlights and taillights. The toy even came with batteries to make it more affordable for parents.

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The Hess Truck Jingle

For the next 15 years, the Hess truck was sold each holiday season without the aid of major marketing efforts. That all changed in 1980 when the company released its first television commercial. A few years later, in 1988, it came up with a jingle to accompany the ads. The now iconic “The Hess truck’s back and it’s better than ever” tune, which has been used ever since, is an adapted version of the hit 1963 song, “My Boyfriend’s Back” by the Angels.

In 2014, the Hess company sold its 1,200-plus retail gas stations to Speedway. Many thought this would mean the end of the line for the trucks. Hess, however, quickly eased those concerns by announcing the tradition would continue with its 50^th anniversary truck. Since then, the toy has only been available online. The transition hasn’t hurt business, as the truck is one of the bestselling toys on the internet, according to Hess.

Hess Trucks Through the Years

For nearly a quarter-century, every Hess toy truck was modeled after an actual vehicle in the Hess fleet. This included different versions of fuel tankers and replicas of Leon Hess’s original oil delivery truck. There were also some outside-the-box toys sold during this time. In 1966, the company released the Hess Voyager, a replica of a real Hess oil tanker ship. Four years later came the first Hess fire truck, designed after the one used at the company’s Port Reading, N.J., oil refinery. Maybe the most surprising addition to the Hess toy lineup came in 1981 with the arrival of the Hess training van. This toy was modeled after the GMC Royal Motorhome Hess used to conduct field training lessons.

These early releases differed from today’s toys in another way as well: they were not always one and done. Nowadays, Hess releases a brand-new model of its iconic toy each year, but that wasn’t always the case. The company sold the same tanker-trailer in 1964 and ’65. It doubled up again later that decade by selling a slightly modified tanker truck from 1968-69 and again in 1972 and 1974. Hess sold its first fire truck in consecutive years to kick off the 1970s, as well as a modified one in 1986. The company also brought back the toy replica of Leon Hess’s original delivery truck in 1982 and 1983.

Recent Hess Trucks

It wasn’t until 1988 that Hess released a toy not based on one of its vehicles. That year, the company debuted a combination trailer truck and GT-style race car. These vehicles were also the first to come with license plates inscribed with the year of issue, while the friction-powered race car was the first Hess toy with a motor.

Since the late 1980s, the Hess toy lineup has grown to include just about every type of vehicle imaginable. In 1993, it was a police car. Two years later, a helicopter. Closing out the decade was an RV with dune buggy and motorcycle in 1998 and a space shuttle in 1999. This century, Hess has created everything from tow and dump trucks to jet fighters and monster trucks. In 2024 the toy celebrates its 60th anniversary with a three-piece fire truck, car and motorcycle. Continuing its educational giving program, this year Hess will donate approximately 10,000 toy trucks to classrooms across the country with the newest edition of a STEM curriculum guide.

The Hess toy truck has been released every year since 1964 with three notable exceptions. Ironically, gasoline was a main culprit in each instance. In 1973, the U.S. found itself mired in an oil embargo. The astronomical gas prices made manufacturing toys extremely expensive, prohibiting Hess from releasing a new truck that year. Later that decade, the country was again hit with a fuel shortage, this time in the form of the 1979 oil crisis. This prevented Hess from making a toy for the second time. The last year a new Hess truck was not unveiled was 1981, when the country entered a recession. It was a time marked by supply shortages and inflated prices, not ideal circumstances for manufacturing. During those years, gas consumption was discouraged. This meant fewer customers visiting Hess gas stations, the only places where the toy trucks were sold. It simply wouldn’t have been a good business decision to release new toys knowing fewer people would come across them.

How Hess Trucks Are Made

Children’s toys may look simple, but – at least when it comes to the Hess trucks – the process of creating and building them is anything but.

Hess doesn’t give too many clues into what it refers to as the “secretive process” of developing its annual toy. But we do know it usually takes two to three years to get the collectibles from the drawing board to the shelves. However, it’s been known to take up to six years in some cases.

The process begins with a collection of images to narrow down a possible theme. Then some initial sketches are drawn up. The top two or three of these designs are chosen and developed into 3D rotating images. Finally, handcrafted models are built, and final design decisions are made.

Hess trucks have always been well ahead of their time when it comes to quality and craftsmanship. Early models comprised about 75 different pieces. Today’s models have anywhere between 200 to 300 pieces, each one precisely cut. Once the pieces are made, the toy is meticulously assembled and undergoes numerous quality tests before being packed in its box and shipped to your doorstep.

Do you collect holiday Hess trucks? Tell us in the comments. 

For more stories like this, visit our auto history page.

This article has been updated and republished from a previous version.

When it comes to Christmas trees, there are people who favor fake trees, real tree purists and those who prefer to choose and chop their tree from a Christmas tree farm.

The question of where to cut your own Christmas tree is an easy one to answer. There are Christmas tree farms throughout the Northeast, where conifers of various varieties, shapes and sizes are planted and nurtured, destined to become the glittery holiday centerpiece of someone’s home. If not every year (although it is prime tradition-making material), you should try it at least once for the adventure if you can.

What are the benefits of cutting down your own tree? For one, they are fresher; the branches are a bit springier, their fragrance brighter and they’ll generally last longer. And of course, there are the bragging rights that come with playing lumberjack and cutting and hauling out your chosen evergreen with your own two hands. It also feels more Christmassy than the Home Depot parking lot.

If any of the above sounds good, take a look at these 10 Northeast Christmas tree farms. Most open right after Thanksgiving.

Scroll down to play our Christmas tree word search.

Before Heading to the Christmas Tree Farm …

• Get out the tape measure. Measure the spot that you would like to put your tree and the height of the ceiling to know how tall or wide of a tree your house can accommodate.

• Consider which type of tree is best for you. If you would like your house to be filled with the Christmassy scent of pine, try a Douglas fir. If you have a lot of heavy ornaments, pick a tree with sturdier branches like a Colorado blue spruce and avoid varieties like the white pine, which has very soft needles. If you want branches with good fragrance that are just as great at ornament holding, you can’t go wrong with a balsam or Fraser fir.

• Call the farm ahead of time. Make sure the farm still has plenty of cut-your-own trees available, especially if you go toward the end of the season. You can also call ahead to make sure if the farm is pet-friendly or if saws are provided. Most Christmas tree farms allow you to bring your own hand saw. Power tools are not typically permitted for safety reasons.

Cut-Your-Own Christmas Tree Farms

Check websites for seasonal schedules and pricing. Call ahead for closings due to inclement weather.

Maple Row Farm
Easton, Conn.

Maple Row Farm has been in business since 1769, but that doesn’t mean they don’t keep up with the times. The farm’s app will help you navigate the grounds and find the perfect tree for your family from the wide assortment available. Pet the oxen, enjoy a hayride and relax while browsing for wreaths and other holiday accessories. Bonuses: Dog-friendly, tailgating is permitted and saws are provided. 

Greenwood Tree Farm
Billerica, Mass.

Selling mostly Fraser and balsam fir, this small family Christmas tree farm is a charming little operation for the holidays. While the staff helps to load your tree onto your car, warm up in the barn with local apple cider and samples of honey from their honey bee farm. Before you leave, browse the Christmas gift shop or visit the decoration station at the farm stand to get a wreath or kissing ball customized to your liking.

Vandervalk Farm & Winery
Mendon, Mass.

Balsam and Fraser fir trees are available for cutting on a first-come, first-served basis (no tagging or reserving in advance), along with plenty of pre-cut fresh trees. Free services include tree shaking, wrapping, twine, apple cider, snacks and cute picture spots. Warm up by the fire in the Christmas barn, which also sells holiday goods and decorations. And afterwards, don’t miss your opportunity to stop in for a tasting of Vandervalk’s blueberry and fruit wines, handcrafted in small batches from the farm’s own blueberries.

Noel’s Tree Farm
Litchfield, N.H.

Whether you cut your own tree or buy pre-cut, the family that own Noel’s tree farm puts in a lot of love, tending to their trees throughout the year to make sure that you have a perfect-looking selection to pick from come Christmastime. Other decorations like wreaths and roping are also available in many shapes and sizes. Bow saws are supplied and leashed dogs are welcome.

The Rocks Estate
Bethlehem, N.H.

As the North Country Conservation and Education Center for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the Rocks Estate has been growing Christmas trees for over 35 years. It is known as a holiday destination, complete with caroling, horse-drawn wagon rides and marshmallows roasted on an open fire. Visitors can wander through the historic property and search row upon row to find and cut down their ideal evergreen. Free tree wrapping and car loading is provided.

Evergreen Valley Christmas Tree Farm
Washington, N.J.

Wander rows of over 10,000 trees surrounded by mountain views at this 145-acre Christmas tree farm in Warren County, just a short drive from both New York and Pennsylvania. Bring your own saw or borrow one from the farm. Staff is also on hand to cut your tree for you if you would like.

Wyckoff’s Christmas Tree Farm
Belvidere, N.J.

Wyckoff’s has been in business for over 60 years and has been an official Christmas tree supplier to the White House. There are over 5,000 cut-your-own trees waiting to be selected at the farm, as well as fresh pre-cut trees, wreaths, pine roping and blankets available for purchase. For those looking for something a little funkier this holiday season, Wycoff’s also has painted trees in a variety of colors. Hand saws are provided, along with extra services such as putting your tree on a “tree shaker” to rid the tree of stray needles, wrapping it for better transport and drilling a hole at the base for pin stands. Visit the holiday barn for gifts and decor.

Elwood Christmas Tree Farm
Huntington, N.Y.

For a quiet tree cutting experience, head to this 20-acre Long Island farm. Bring your own saw or they will cut your chosen tree for you. The staff will also tie your tree to your car without extra charge.

Battenfeld’s Christmas Tree Farm
Red Hook, N.Y.

Enjoy an old-fashioned Christmas in the country at Battenfeld’s family farm. Choose and cut your own Christmas tree from six different varieties. A one-stop shop for all of your holiday decorating, the farm also has an assortment of individually handmade wreaths ornamented with all-natural embellishments and a Christmas shop for gifts. Saws are provided and leashed dogs are welcome. Handsaws are available to rent for $10 or purchase for $15.

Big John Leyden’s Christmas Tree Farm
West Greenwich, R.I.

Selection is not a problem at Big John’s. The farm grows over 100,000 trees and 10 different varieties including balsam fir, Fraser fir, blue spruce and white pine. And they allow you to tag trees in advance, meaning that you can make an outing out of choosing your Christmas tree earlier in the season and come back and cut it down whenever you’re ready to put it up. The staff will cut your tree, wrap it and put it on your car. While you’re there, take a family photo in front of the 20-foot tall Santa in the field. Leashed dogs are welcome.

How to Safely Transport a Christmas Tree

• Ensure it’s wrapped well. Most trees sold at farms will be put through a netting machine that tightly bundles up the branches for safe transport. In case netting isn’t available, bring a blanket or tarp to wrap the tree yourself.
• Direction matters. When arranging the tree on the roof of your vehicle, make sure the stump end is at the front. This will diminish damage when the car is in motion.
• Tie it up tight. If you can, use a vehicle with a roof rack to make your tree transport simple and safe. Car roofs, doors and windows are not designed to have objects fastened to them. Looping rope through these areas can even tear the seals off your doors. Secure the tree with nylon ratchet straps at the front, middle and just above the bottom branches. Before heading home, check all straps to make sure they remain tight and the tree isn’t able to move left, right, forward or back.

Tips for Christmas Tree Care

• Don’t feel guilty about cutting down a tree. Christmas tree farms are planted specifically to meet the demands of the holiday season. Plus, real Christmas trees are biodegradable and recyclable. Artificial trees are made of plastic and live in landfills indefinitely when they are disposed of.

• Keep your Christmas tree hydrated. Fill the tree stand with water and check daily to make sure it stays filled up to the base of the tree. A tree stand should hold at least 1 gallon of water – that’s the amount the average 6-foot tree can consume per day!

• Keep your tree away from heat sources like fireplaces, heaters and direct sunlight. Not only is it safer, it will slow the drying process.

Do you cut down your own Christmas tree? Tell us your favorite Christmas tree farm in the comments.

Word Search

Find the different Christmas tree varieties.

This article has been updated and republished from a previous version.

Mold is very tricky. Sometimes you don’t notice it at first. Sometimes it festers in corners or behind wallpaper. Sometimes it can even make you sick. But does home insurance cover mold? Rather, does it cover mold removal? Because when you find mold in your house, the very first thing you want to do is get rid of it. Your home is likely your largest investment, and severe mold damage can harm the resale value.

What Does Mold Do?

Four of the most common indoor molds are Cladosporium, Penicillium, Alternaria and Aspergillus. Cladosporium may cause ear or eye infection, and it can also affect those with allergies, asthma or other respiratory conditions. Penicillium did, in fact, lead to the discovery of penicillin, and most strains are not very harmful to humans. Alternaria and Aspergillus can cause allergies and inflame skin and mucous membranes – they’re also especially harmful for people who are immunocompromised.

No matter what mold you have, it’s likely bothersome to those with asthma and it might make you feel like you have a perpetual cold. There are of course other molds, like black mold, that can be much more harmful. So whenever you spot mold, take action quickly.

Does Home Insurance Cover Mold?

“The answer is generally no,” said Patrick Sullivan, director of insurance sales at AAA Northeast, “unless it is the result of what we call a covered peril.”

For most homeowners insurance policies, financial protection is only given for damages stemming from sudden and accidental causes. These commonly include:

• Fire.
• Smoke.
• Car or aircraft collision.
• Strong winds or windstorms.
• Hail.
• Sudden and internal water damage.
• Roof collapse.
• Lightning strikes.
• Theft.
• Explosion.

These are all occurrences that happen suddenly and generally could not be prevented. There is a clear cause-and-effect relationship between the incident and the damages it may have caused.

Mold doesn’t act like this. No one is suddenly struck by mold – even if it’s been growing in secret. Even if there’s no way you could have known about it. Mold growth is gradual, so it’s usually challenging to prove what exactly the cause was, or when the trouble began.

Homeowners insurance doesn’t usually cover nuisances like bedbugs, termites or mold. Like mold, bug infestations occur over time, and it’s often difficult to tell the difference between bad luck and neglect on the homeowner’s part. Therefore, they are considered maintenance issues.

There are, however, certain very specific circumstances under which mold might be covered.

What’s Covered 

“For instance,” Sullivan said, “If ice damming occurs to your roof and it results in water damage to the inside of your home, and that leads to mold, then you should be covered. However, if you discover mold in your home resulting from a maintenance issue, or if the mold was there prior to you purchasing the home, then it would not be covered.”

Or, let’s say there was a fire in your home. Fortunately, most of your home is still intact since the firefighters arrived quickly and put it out. However, due to the water from the fire hoses, your home has developed mold. That could be covered by home insurance.

As long as the mold is caused by an event that is listed on your policy, your home insurance may cover its removal. If mold is caused by gradual seepage, neglect or general humidity, it usually is not covered.

“Some carriers may provide an endorsement to cover mold,” Sullivan said. “If someone is interested in that, they should consult with their insurance agent.”

Home insurance does not cover flooding, but if you live in an area that floods regularly, you might already have flood insurance. Flood insurance will most likely cover any sudden mold damage caused by a flood.

How to Control Mold

Although mold is sometimes the result of circumstances beyond your control, sometimes mold growth can be prevented.

Mold flourishes in dark, wet and warm environments. The damp areas of your house, like the bathroom, kitchen or laundry room, are the most susceptible to mold. To avoid mold growth, try to keep the humidity in your home to a minimum.

Ventilation is also important – make sure you have an exhaust vent in your bathroom and your kitchen. If you have a clothes dryer, make sure that it vents to the outside of the house.

If you discover a leak in a window, roof or pipe, fix it up quickly. The water seepage over time will most likely lead to mold.

Have you ever dealt with mold? What did you do? Let us know in the comments below.

AAA provides homeowners insurance and much more. Learn more. 

This article has been updated and republished from a previous version.