Travel gear and tips for your Thanksgiving road trip

By Aimee Heckel

The days before and after Thanksgiving are among the busiest for America’s highways. If you are one of the 40 million travelers planning to hit the pavement this holiday, here are a few ways to make your trip the safest and most pleasant possible.

1. Before anything, AAA advises making sure your car is in great running order. Check the tires, wiper blades and battery. Bring your car into the shop for an overall check-up. If your tread is running low, you can order new winter tires from Sears online.

2. Pack an emergency road kit for your car. This should include an ice scraper, sand, small shovel, gloves, hats, blankets, paper towels, water, snacks, basic tools, car phone charger and anything else you might need in a roadside emergency.

Find quality winter gloves at Sears, like these Carlos Rossi leather fur-lined ladies gloves for $49.99 a pair. Get a traditional knit hat with a fleece lining for just $5.95. Save money on your Sears purchase by using one of these online Sears coupons, like $5 off $50 or more. Plus, get 7 percent Cash Back from ShopAtHome.com on your Sears purchases.

3. Pack an emergency kit for yourself, too. You never know when you’re going to need a First Aid kit.

You can get a First Aid kit for your car online at Sears, too. A Johnson & Johnson kit ($10.25) comes pre-stocked with bandages, Tylenol, Cortaid, cleansing wipes, antibiotic ointment and more. Don’t forget to add in a few of your personal medications, too. If you wear contacts, include an extra set, some eye drops and saline solution; long drives can leave your eyes exhausted and dry, and it’s crucial to be able to see clearly.

4. Bring a cooler stocked with beverages and healthy snacks. This will save you money on the road and keep your body in healthy working order. Avoid the gas station hot dogs and preservative-loaded pastries, and instead reach for an organic apple, granola bar or handful of almonds. A shopper fave at Sears is the Coleman 60-quart Xtreme wheeled cooler, $43.69.

Read more articles about saving money at Sears here.

Save more money on your Thanksgiving vacation by using these travel coupons; save bucks on rental cars, hotels, airfare and even restaurants you might stop at along the way. There’s really no reason to pay full price anymore.

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