If you’re in Cobb County, Georgia, you can now hit the state’s first drive-through court service on your next lunch break. The newly opened Clerk’s Office Express lets residents pay certain fines and fees without even needing to get out of their vehicles. Operated by the Cobb County State and Magistrate Court Clerk’s Office, the hope is that it’ll streamline routine court transactions and cut down on congestion inside court buildings.

Time will tell how quick and easy it actually ends up being in the long run. Nevertheless, the Clerk’s Office Express accepts payments for traffic citations, school bus arm violations, and probation fees, as well as court fines and restitution for cases that don’t require a court appearance, like that million-dollar speeding ticket someone got in the state a couple of years back.

The concept was developed by Cobb County State Court Clerk Tahnicia Phillips, who said courts must adapt to changing demands and community needs. “Modern courts must meet people where they are,” Phillips said in a press release. She called the drive-through a practical step toward improving access without needing to add any complicated new technology in the process.

In recent years, Cobb County has seen a significant rise in citations issued. Naturally, that comes with a similar increase in payments needing to be made; part of that increase comes after the county’s rollout of 150 school bus cameras to stop drivers from illegally passing stopped buses. That’s why it’s always a good idea to know what to do if you need to pass a stopped car. The state’s also seeing more tickets from speeding cameras in school zones. 

By shifting some of those routine transactions to the drive-through, officials expect to reduce the court’s crowded lobbies and improve efficiency for both staff and the public alike. The drive-through even allows attorneys to submit filings, making it more than just a place for people to pay fines.

Online payment options have been available and will remain so, even with the opening of the drive-through. Still, if things go according to plan, this new alternative will be a helpful and time-saving change for those who prefer to pay in-person. 

The office opens at 7:30 in the morning and will remain open until 3 in the afternoon, Monday through Friday. People need to bring their citation or case number, a photo ID, and a debit or credit card to take care of what they owe.

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While the majority of cars produced over the years are built to last, they aren’t bulletproof. If you have the right tools for the job, though, most maintenance and repair work isn’t anything that requires you to go to the mechanic for. Keeping on top of the smaller tasks is sure to help you avoid the massive bill for a major repair in the long run, so investing in a solid set of versatile and reliable tools will prove hugely beneficial no matter your skill level. 

With so many options on the market that have similar purposes, it can sometimes be tricky deciding which tools are best for the specific job at hand. For this list, we’ve selected tools that are easy to use and cover many different bases, all designed to make car repairs as streamlined as possible as well as avoid getting ripped off at the mechanic for a job you could have easily done yourself. Repairs that may feel overwhelming beforehand can be made so much easier with the following five tools, most of which can be picked up for hardly anything.

The best tools to have at the ready are ones that can be used for a variety of different tasks. And with car repairs, the list always gets longer and longer. Within these jobs are plenty of smaller things to take care of, which is where a propane torch kit can come in super handy. If you need as much heat as possible to weld, cut, or remove the tightest fasteners, going for an oxy-acetylene torch or even an oxy-propane one will be the far more effective choice. But if you just need to touch up a few areas for the best maintenance, a standard propane torch should prove to be incredibly useful.

Pricing for propane torch kits can vary depending on the overall capability, but you can pick up a highly-rated one for around $40. For example, one of Bernzomatic’s tools from Home Depot gets plenty of praise for its versatility and features an overall rating of 4.5 stars. In the garage, you can use this for repairs and maintenance tasks like soldering and brazing smaller metal parts, loosening fasteners that don’t need as much heat to shift, and restoring plastic trim that’s picked up damage over the years. 

Keeping on topic with the best tools to make jobs revolving around fasteners far easier, it doesn’t get much more effective than an impact wrench. There are a few different areas where this tool will come in handy, with the most obvious being removing the lug nuts from your wheel. Subsequently, this’ll also make it easier to access to parts such as the brakes and suspension, which are other parts where you may well encounter tough fasteners that you need to take off during repair or maintenance.

A high-quality, cordless impact wrench can also prove massively effective for your engine, once again removing stuck or difficult-to-reach fasteners during individual replacements or complete disassembly. They’re aren’t the best at putting those same fasteners back on, though, with a torque wrench being the optimal tool for that instead. Plenty of the major tool manufacturers have an impact wrench in their lineup, with examples from Milwaukee (SlashGear’s reigning champion for impact drills) ranging from $199 up to $489. They’re certainly one of the more expensive tools that you’ll pick up for your garage, but they provide unrivaled efficiency for the specific task.

The next tool on this list is a little different from the rest, as it’s not one that you’ll use to actually repair something directly. Trying to find the source of that mysterious rattle that seemingly came out of nowhere feels like an entire job by itself, particularly when it sounds like it’s coming from a component-dense part of the car. This is what makes investing in a mechanic stethoscope so valuable, as it could potentially save you a lot of money on something you can resolve yourself.

A mechanic stethoscope works the same way the one you encounter at the doctor’s office, as it enhances your ability to hear faint sounds. Instead of a diaphragm, though, it uses a metal rod that can pick up vibrations clearly and accurately for you to hear. For automotive work, placing the rod on the different components where the noise is coming from can pinpoint what exactly is causing it, giving you a much clearer idea on the next steps. The money-saving aspect of this tool is through indicating low fluid levels, particularly if you find the noise is metal-on-metal contact with components like bearings that are lacking in lubrication.

You can pick a highly-rated mechanic stethoscope for as little as $8.99 from outlets like Harbor Freight, a unit that boasts a highly respectable 4.6-star user rating. It’s easily one of the cheapest yet most practical tools for your garage repairs. Do take extra care when placing the rod while the engine is running, though; the last thing you want to do is to hit any moving parts that could mangle the stethoscope or any other components.

If you do find yourself needing an oil change, removing the filter can present yet another challenge that can be easily solved with this next tool. Whether you have a leak or the filter just isn’t on tight enough, oil gathering on and around the filter can sometimes make it next to impossible to tighten or take the current one off barehanded. Purchasing an oil filter wrench can reduce the hassle significantly, providing you with the necessary grip and force to remove filters that otherwise wouldn’t budge.

There are a few different types of oil filter wrenches you can buy. The first is the plier type, which works in the way you’d imagine by gripping either side of the filter. Another popular choices are the adjustable strap and band types, which are best for attaching to the more difficult-to-reach filters. Harbor Freight offers a solid plier wrench with a 4.7-star user rating for just $4.99. Strap wrenches are often more expensive, running closer to $10 or higher.

Getting the most precise measurements are essential for most automotive repair jobs. If you’re looking to buy an aftermarket part or you’re fabricating a custom one from scratch, your measurements can’t be even slightly off if you want the right fitment. This is especially the case for newer cars that have even less breathing room for tolerances. To make things as easy as possible while getting accurate measurements, we’d recommend using a digital caliper, which offers all the versatility required for automotive repairs.

The standard vernier type of digital caliper consistently proves to be the most useful, with its opposite jaws capable of proving both interior and exterior measurements with ease. These prove particularly useful for the smallest components that are also hard to reach, especially for parts with rounded edges. Another incredibly useful garage tool you can pick up on a budget, Amazon has plenty of these, like this caliper set for around $20 with standout reviews and a 4.4-star rating. A comparable Harbor Freight in-house product, similarly well-reviewed by buyers with an identical user rating, goes for an even more affordable $9.99.

When you sign up to be a Costco member, there are a number of obvious benefits you can take advantage of right off the bat. Apart from being able to purchase good quality everyday essentials often at a more reasonable price, you have the option of garnering even more savings by stocking up on items that have a high turnaround in your home by buying them in bulk. Costco also has its own gas pumps that could potentially save you some money, as well as an in-house pharmacy that offers in-person pickup and, in some areas, home delivery of prescriptions for your family and even pets. Perhaps one of the more attractive perks one can avail through a Costco membership is a relaxed return policy on most of its merchandise.

Costco’s cheapest membership offering to date is $65 per year for the Gold Star membership. Should you decide to splurge $130 per year for the higher-tier Executive Costco membership, you can get access to more than the core shopping perks. For instance, you should be able to shop at most Costco warehouses an hour earlier than the usual store hours, which could be a game-changer, especially in populated neighborhoods. 

You also should receive a $10 credit on eligible SameDay.Costco.com or Costco via Instacart orders per month, if you prefer getting your purchases delivered to your door. To ensure that you maximize your current Costco membership — or to help you decide to get one if you’re still on the fence — below are some of the advantages you can enjoy that you may not know about.

If you enjoy going on trips with your friends or family, it may be worth it to look into a Costco membership to book through CostcoTravel.com. Anyone can browse through the platform to find hotels and cruises available for specific locations, dates, and group size, among other things. You can even build a vacation package by adding flights as well as a car rental, so you get a broader picture of how much money it would take to make your dream getaway a reality.

While a Costco membership isn’t required to participate in a Costco Travel excursion or package, at least one person in your traveling party needs to have an active Costco membership to actually book a hotel, cruise, car rental, or vacation package through the members-only platform. In addition, Executive members may be eligible for package-specific rewards, such as resort or shipboard credit. They should also earn a 2% reward after a trip booked directly through the Costco Travel website is concluded.

Of course, any seasoned traveler and car renter should always do due diligence and check the usual third-party travel aggregators to compare and contrast prices for flights, car rentals, and vacation packages. More often than not, though, and depending on your destination, you may find that Costco travel deals are highly competitive, if not cheaper than direct-to-the-source rates.

As previously mentioned, one of the best merits of being a Costco shopper is knowing that you have a wide berth for returning any products you may not be 100% satisfied with. This is especially helpful if the item in question falls under the gadget or appliance category. According to Costco’s electronics return policy, products like refrigerators, microwaves, computers, tablets, projectors, cameras, or TVs, among other things, may be returned or exchanged within a 90-day period that begins upon purchase (or upon delivery, when ordered online).

Another important perk that comes with the helpful 90-day guarantee is having access to Costco’s Technical and Warranty Services. The online portal will likely have the answers you need in terms of warranty coverage or simply getting your product to work as intended. U.S. Costco members may also call Technical and Warranty Services at 1-866-861-0450 for additional assistance. Just provide your Costco membership number as well as the necessary product details, and someone from the tech support team should be able to walk you through the steps to fix a glitch at no added cost.

While Costco usually offers free tech support for most electronics and larger appliance purchases, according to the fine print, your product may have certain limitations that exclude it from the benefit. It’s also worth noting that tech support may assist in product setup and basic troubleshooting, but major repairs may have to be checked against your product’s manufacturer’s warranty. In any case, it’s always a good idea to double-check with Costco’s customer service regarding your item’s coverage.

Costco directly partners with a specific list of licensed providers so that members essentially have a one-stop shop for any type of insurance benefit or option they may need. This is bolstered by additional discounts and premiums only offered to Costco members. For example, Protective Life offers competitive rates for up to 30 years and a special entry-level price for the first five years through its Member Advantage Life term policy, only available to Costco members. 

Pets are also covered — as long as you’re based in a participating state, you may be able to get discounted insurance for your furbaby through Figo Pet Insurance. Furthermore, Costco also has a partnership with American Family Insurance that offers both car and home insurance at a discounted price, especially if you opt to bundle both insurance types for maximum coverage. The latter also provides members-only pricing for renters’ insurance.

If you happen to have a Costco Executive membership, additional benefits may be available to you when you sign up for a policy with one of Costco’s partner providers. For instance, when you purchase a home or auto insurance policy through Costco’s partnership with American Family Insurance, as an Executive member located in an eligible state, you may have access to emergency roadside assistance, the option to renew every year that you remain an Executive member, glass repair reimbursement, and home lockout assistance, with certain limitations applied.

All of Costco’s partner-negotiated programs and policies mentioned above are listed on Costco’s Insurance Services page, should you need more clarity on the types of insurance offered by direct partner providers. However, if you want to shop around for other insurance carriers that aren’t in direct partnership with Costco, there’s also the CBC Health Insurance Marketplace, a private, multi-provider insurance platform wherein Costco acts as your insurance broker or agent.

Here’s how it works: You use the portal to shop for a variety of insurance products — medical, dental, vision, and disability, to name a few — from multiple major carriers. Instead of having to go to every provider (like Aetna or Blue Cross Blue Shield) directly and get quotes one by one, you can see several quotes from different providers that fit your requirements on a single portal. Licensed agents from the CBC platform will be on hand to help you compare plans and even walk you through the enrollment process. In some cases, you may not be required to provide a Costco membership number to get a quote. However, you will definitely need one to actually enroll for coverage.

The use of the CBC Health Insurance Marketplace platform is beneficial to those who want comprehensive health coverage options that aren’t necessarily provided by a single carrier. Do note that, much like with the insurance providers Costco is in direct partnership with in the previous section, any plan enrollment you go through via the marketplace will be with the insurance providers you have chosen. Costco will not be underwriting or paying claims.

Considering what you already know about Costco’s exclusive offerings thus far, it would be safe to say that, as a responsible car owner, it would benefit you to at least consider acquiring a membership if you don’t already have one. As a Costco member, you can buy quality tires for a reasonable price and be afforded excellent tire warranty coverage, as well as the convenience of getting a service done, such as a tire replacement, at the same place you shop for groceries.

If you’re shopping around for a new or used vehicle or perhaps need to get your current one serviced but are overwhelmed with the idea of trying to research the best place to address your needs, one thing you should look into is Costco’s Auto Program. This is Costco’s lesser-known car-buying service exclusive to its members. The platform promises to negotiate on your behalf by providing you with a network of trusted and approved dealers nationwide. According to Costco, as a member, you automatically are given low and pre-arranged members-only pricing, with discounts and manufacturer incentives already included. If you’re new to online car buying and are iffy with the whole process, you can get in touch with Costco’s member support team to ensure all your worries are assuaged.

Costco Auto Program also has a partnership with Camping World, a renowned recreational vehicle (RV) retailer in the U.S. You can browse by RV type or brand as well as view what’s available within your zip code. According to the Costco Auto Program’s guarantee, you’ll be offered the lowest advertised price and an additional Costco member discount, among other perks. Other auto-related incentives you can take advantage of by being a Costco member include a 15% or up to $500 discount off select auto parts, accessories, and services at participating service centers, as well as 25% off retail rates when you rent a moving truck with Budget Truck Rental.

If you happen to run a business, you may need to process credit card payments, which can be quite costly in the long run, especially if you have a small enterprise. Through Costco’s partnership with Elavon, a credit-card processing provider, you may be able to reduce some of your operational costs. As a U.S. Costco Gold Star member, you are afforded lower processing rates on both in-person and online credit card transactions, among other perks like round-the-clock support through Elavon’s customer account management team. Executive members who qualify get bonus financial benefits in the form of waived application and monthly statement fees, both of which you typically need to pay for when you have a standard Elavon merchant account.

Costco constantly improves its list of extra privileges that it makes available to those who opt to make the jump to the Executive-level membership. Apart from the benefits already mentioned all throughout this piece, there are some services that have been newly added to the roster. Costco now has a partnership with Pods, a moving and storage company in the U.S. that provides you with a weather-resistant container — either at your home or at a Pods storage center — to use for additional storage, to keep equipment or belongings in while you remodel or declutter, or to pack up and move to a different address, among other uses. 

If you book a Pods container through your Costco Executive membership — provided that you fulfill the requirements (such as a minimum of two months storage rental) — you get free container delivery and pickup to a local address, up to four free local redeliveries, 20% off monthly storage charges, and 20% off long-distance transportation, to name a few. As always, limitations may apply depending on your location, so make sure you get in touch with Pods for a more accurate insight into service availability.