I absolutely love having a GPS in the car. For me, it is a necessary tool, since I am very prone to getting lost…very prone. I could go on and on about how I was headed in one place and ended up somewhere else, even in a different state. But for those times when I don’t have the GPS or when the newest roads aren’t available on it, I have found a little trick that really helps.
Sure I could look the directions up online and then print them out, but about 50 percent of the time, the online directions send me the wrong way or send me the longest way. I haven’t found these services to offer the reliability that someone like me needs. A good old updated paper map can be helpful, but who wants to get into a car accident trying to unfold the map or find the right spot?
Instead, I take a photo of the map using my digital camera. With the digital photo, I can zoom in and scroll as needed and follow my path on the map. I can also take photos of landmarks or ask the people at my destination to do so. This way, I can see exactly what someone’s house looks like, or be reminded of a difficult turn or hidden road. For someone who gets lost easily, this can be a lifesaver.
I can also use the movie feature on my digital camera to take a movie of the map with a voice over of the directions. Call it a “poor man’s GPS system,” if you like. Try it the next time that you need to go somewhere unfamiliar and tell me what you think.
Do you have any other driving tips? Summer travel will be here before you know it. I would love to be able to compile some great advice.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.
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