Emergency Roadside Kit

Let's talk about emergency roadside kits.  How many of you have one in your car?  I know I didn't.  You know what I had in my car?  A full change of clothes for myself and the kids, an umbrella, and a wool blanket.  So, pretty much, I'm ready for the kids to make a mess of themselves and/or me, a little rain, and a picnic (because let's face it, that's what we all use the car blanket for).  Not so prepared after all, huh?  Sure I thought about getting an emergency kit for my car, but why spend the money on one when my husband can just rescue me if I get a flat tire.  How silly is that?!?  With so many things that could go wrong on the road and no telling how far from home I'll be when it happens, that line of thinking is seriously foolish.  I know, I know - committing money to a "what if" is really difficult in today's economy.  Well what if I told you I put together my emergency bag for under $80.  Most of us have spent more money on a pair of jeans.  What does that say???  Are jeans more important than being equipped to deal with an emergency on the road?  Absolutely not.  So I decided to set the money aside and put together my "Just in case" bag for my car.  After all, it's not just me that I have to worry about anymore - I've got two little ones to take care of as well. 

I started by purchasing a premade emergency roadside kit.  Here's what it looks like:

 

Inside it has: a heavy duty booster cable (8-gauge, 10-foot length), hand-charged dual LED flashlight, a pair of work gloves, an emergency poncho, emergency whistle, flat head screwdriver, Phillips head screwdriver, a roll of duct tape, utility knife, bungee cord, 2 shop cloths, 10 cable ties, and a 45 piece first-aid kit.  The whole kit was $35 (Amazon.com) 

 

The premade kit was a great start and from there, I started expanding my "Just in case" bag.  Like I said, I already had a full change of clothes for myself and the kids in the car, but I didn't have one for my husband since my original reason for the clothes in the car was for a quick change if myself or the kids got messy at the park.  Once that thinking changed to "in case of emergency," I added a change of clothes for my husband as well.  I also added a pair of old sneakers for myself, since I often wear heels, and who wants to be in heels during an emergency, especially if walking is involved.  Since we get chilly weather here during the winter, I have a sweatshirt, hat, and gloves for everyone as well.  It's also important to remember to change out your kids' clothes as they grow, to make sure the clothes you have packed will fit them should you need them.  All of this I had just laying around, so this was no cost - all I had to do was pack it in the bag. 

 

The wool blanket I already had in the car was a good start, too, but I added some mylar emergency blankets to the bag as well since we can get some pretty cold weather here in the winter.  For those who aren't familiar with them, mylar blankets retain 90% of body heat and repel moisture.  And for a 4 pack of 84"x52" blankets at just $4.10 (Amazon.com)  it's an expense that's easy on the wallet too.  Plus they're really compact when packaged up, so they take up hardly any space. 

 

I also added a small collapsible aluminium shovel to my bag in case I need to dig my car out of snow or mud.  I found one that could be disassembled into three pieces for an easy fit into my "Just in case" bag.  The shovel was $16.85 (Amazon.com).   

 

A self powered weather radio was the next thing to be added.  The radio also doubles as a flashlight, so it gives me a second flashlight to keep in my bag.  It can be powered by solar or by hand crank, which means I have a radio and flashlight in one that doesn't need any batteries.  You know what else it does?  It charges my cell phone.  So if I'm stranded and my cell phone dies, the radio can charge it so I can call for help.  I loved that feature.  The radio/flashlight combo cost me $19 (Amazon.com).

 

What's an emergency bag without an emergency whistle?  These are really inexpensive but they are important - they alert rescuers where you are.  The whistle I purchased was a "5 in 1" survival whistle with a compass, signal mirror, and waterproof match storage.  The whistle was $2.60 (Amazon.com). 

 

I rounded out my bag with some granola bars and a few bottles of water.  And that's it.  The whole thing fits in a tote bag in my trunk and cost me just under $80 to put together.  For the peace of mind of knowing that I am now prepared to deal with an emergency on the road, I think it's a small price to pay.