Although the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) is a good initiative for anyone who qualifies and can afford the cost of owning a new car, I suspect there are some of us that are unable to take advantage of this free government money. It could be that your vehicle does not qualify as a clunker or you simply don't have the funds for a newer and environmentally friendlier ride.

In either case, you probably need to put off buying a new vehicle and become more vigilant about keeping your current vehicle running longer. This means spending money on maintaining and repairing your existing car or truck. So if you're not already a do-it-yourselfer, then it's time to become one. I'm not saying you have to become a technician with ASE certification, but learning how to change out the oil, transmission fluid and antifreeze fluid isn't that complicated and play a big role in the performance of your vehicle.

You can start by going down to your automotive parts store of choice and getting the needed supplies and perhaps some friendly advice on how to easily extend the life of your car. My preferred retailer is the NAPA auto parts store. It's a name I trust and is well known for having good quality parts. It so happen that they are currently offering a free gallon of NAPA washer fluid. The only catch is the offer is restricted to NAPA stores located in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. So if you live in one of those 7 states and need some supplies for an oil change, consider stopping by your local NAPA store for all of your needs. While you're there, remember to redeem your coupon for a free gallon of washer fluid as well.