I have a confession to make: we've never taken a roadtrip. Sure, we've taken to the freeways to visit family, but we've never loaded up the car with the specific intent of driving up the California coast or heading to Yellowstone (both are items on our family bucket list). So, I've never really had to worry about keeping our son occupied for more than a few hours. That said, we do have several items we always bring with us for car trips.

Headphones: They are a must. Our son has to use them for the DVD player, the Nintendo DS, the iPod Touch, the iPad and anything else that will make enough noise to bother everyone else in the car. We have a pair of Skullcandy headphones and they're great. When he's wearing them we can't hear any of the blips and beeps from his games.

Tech toys: As I mentioned, we're a gadget loving family. Before we head out on the road, I make sure all our apps are up to date on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch and we look for new games to download. I make sure all my magazine subscriptions have the current issue downloaded. Even though I charge everything before we leave, I make sure we have our car kit, too.

Camera: Our son is picking up my photography habit. He's really starting to enjoy taking pictures. Even though he can take them with his iPod, I like to give him our point and shoot as well. If your kids have iPods too, there are a ton of free and easy to use photography and video apps they can use for the vacation photos.

 
Books: This is a no brainer. Since our son loves to read just as much as we do, a trip to the library is a must. Right now, our son is really into a few series. He's reading The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Secret Series and The Heroes of Olympus series.



It's no accident that I try to steer our son towards books with a high page count! He reads too fast to buy many short books. And yes, we know we're blessed.

Family games:  In addition to the things we played as kids like the license plate alphabet and license plate states game, I found a cute road sign bingo on Pinterest. You can download the bingo template from Oopsey Daisy.

Video camera: Right now my son is on vacation without us. I wish I'd had the foresight to order a waterproof video camera for him. He'll be riding a SeeDo, going fishing, kayaking and inner tubing for the first time. I'd love to have video of those moments captured from his perspective. This DB Power Waterproof Action camera is perfect for water activities.

Hopefully we'll be able to tackle some of the items on our family bucket list soon. There are so many cities, national parks and attractions we want to see. To quote Amy Foster from our trip to Disney this past spring, we only have 18 summers to spend with our kids. Make sure they are all memorable!

What ideas, tips or resources do you have to make road trips easy for everyone? What has been your 

favorite road trip destination?

This is post three in a series of sponsored posts and sweepstakes for the San Diego Honda Dealers Association. Visit and comment weekly for a chance to win Amazon gift cards! Affiliate links used. 

Shopping Apps for Saving Money | Frugal Friday

I am so unprepared for Christmas! I have no idea what we're going to get for everyone. I originally thought of photo books, but I don't think I have enough really good pictures from this past year to build one. So, I'm heading out today to wander Target, TJ Maxx and my other favorite stores.

I put a new app on my phone today to test while I'm at Target. Amazon launched their PriceCheck app in hopes of cashing in on shoppers looking for last minute deals.

How it works: when you see an item you'd like to buy; scan it, take a picture, speak the name or type the item name into the app and enter the price listed at the store. Other prices will come up to let you see whether you're getting the best deal. If you put the item in your Amazon shopping cart and end up buying it within 24 hours, you'll get a discount.

I like the idea of this. It's always nice to know if an item is cheaper at another store. But, unless you're an Amazon Prime member, there's still shipping costs to deal with. I'll scan a few items and update with how I like the app.

Other shopping apps I use to help save money:
Michaels (offers digital coupons)
Card Star (to organize all my store cards)
Target (digital coupons)
Shop Kick (digital coupons)

Am I missing any other good money saving apps?