Alright, so I'm not one for breaking news over the Internet, but I'm learning a lot from my experiences the last three weeks and I figure I might be of use to someone in the knowledge I am gaining.
So, here it is....Dave and I split up; of course I'm not going into details, it is what it is, but I am living with two boys mostly on my own and I'm doing a lot of things I haven't done too much of, at least for a long time and the number one thing I've learned about being on my own is know your vehicle.  I wasn't involved much because Dave always drove it so he was responsible for oil changes, recognizing weird noises, etc.
Well, when it became mine, I wanted to make sureit was as fixed as it could be and with what I could afford and the number of things that I had to look at with it was ridiculous...so here's my tips, ladies....help be responsible for your car....book oil changes every 5000 kilometers and when they change your oil, get your wheels retorqued and air pressure checked.  Get new noises, shakes, etc checked out right away so it puts the costs at a minimal, and never be afraid to ask questions and wheedle out the best deals.
Anyways, those are my words of wisdom for the day. 
Blessings on your weeks.