Another reason not to drink and drive. From our partners at MainStreet.com.

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What A Fourth Of July DUI Could Cost You
By Juliana Bunim

The Fourth of July, in addition to being America’s birthday celebration, also happens to be the top U.S. holiday for beer sales.

But, before you crack open another bottle of Bud Light (BUD), if you also plan on getting behind the wheel, remember that the police are cracking down on drunk driving. Counties routinely boost highway patrol enforcement over holiday weekends, looking specifically for aggressive or impaired motorists and running screening checkpoints.

And, it doesn’t take much to send your blood alcohol level over the limit. If a 140- lb. driver imbibes four drinks over the course of a three hour barbeque, it’s enough to put him or her well over the .08 blood alcohol limit and behind bars. (One drink is considered to be 1¼ oz. of 80-proof liquor, 12 oz. of beer, or 4 oz. of wine – something to keep in mind if your bartender or host is heavy handed.)

It’s paramount to billboard that impaired driving costs lives. Something to be considered—on an infinitesimally more minor scale—is that DUI charges can also wreck havoc on your financial health, too. A court fine for a first offense typically ranges between $1,200 and $2,500, according to William C. Makler, a Santa Barbara, Calif. attorney specializing in DUIs. If police take your vehicle into custody, add impound and storage fees of around $1,500, along with a $115 booking fee. Getting your restricted license and, eventually, your permanent one, costs another $120 in reinstatement fees. Mandatory drug and alcohol assessment and counseling also costs about $600. Those are just some obvious costs. If your erratic driving required emergency response — the fire department or paramedics — there is a cost recovery statute that bills you for their efforts, which can run from $700 to $2,000. Already, we’re talking potentially $7,000.

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Geezeo can’t resist financial news that concerns beer. Discover the surprising ways beer will play a role in the upcoming Democratic National Convention. From our partners at MainStreet.com.

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The Democratic National Convention Will Run On Beer
by Juliana Bunim

August’s Democratic National Convention is going to be fueled by more than high spirits and the drama of the upcoming Presidential election in November. It’s going to be powered by real spirits, in the form of beer.

Host city Denver is also home to the Molson Coors Brewing Company (TAP), which happens to be the first domestic brewery to convert waste beer to ethanol. This spring, Molson Coors donated enough clean burning ethanol fuel for 400 General Motors (GM) flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) that will transport DNC officials, U.S. House and Senate members, state party chairs, delegates, staff and media.

The company can afford the donation. Coors produces about three million gallons of waste beer—suds of substandard quality, or brew lost during packaging—a year. The company says their ethanol helps reduce the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by about seven tons annually.

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With the warm weather beginning to come around, I feel as though I am spending more than I am actually saving! Warm weather really seems to be able to do this to you…the sun comes out and all of a sudden you feel a need to spend, spend, spend!

Here are a few things I have noticed lately:

1. Dunkin’ Donuts – I am always craving iced coffee’s from Dunkin’ Donuts. Why is this? Because when it is sunny outside, I just want a refreshing coffee to keep me going for the day. But these get expensive every morning. It is just not going to work with me buying a coffee every morning…I will be broke in no time! The lady working at Dunkin’ Donuts the other day even told me the other day that she can always tell when the weather is getting warm because they are constantly serving iced coffees.

2. Skipping Class – This is a problem for me to begin with…being a senior at Boston University with a major case of senioritis I find it hard to go to class on rainy days. But when the sun is out, I feel like I should be enjoying my time in the city…not stuck in class!

3. Buying Drinks – Another thing I’ve noticed…I tend to crave margaritas and frozen fruit alcoholic beverages when the weather starts to turn nice! It makes me want to go to a restaurant and spend money on drinks in the middle of the afternoon which obviously is not completely necessary! Beer too — sales must really increase with these. When weather turns, people all want to BBQ as soon as possible and beer tends to complete this package!

4. Red Sox Season – For those of you who aren’t from Boston, you may not understand…but the Red Sox home opener day this year was beautiful. The weather was just perfect! But it always seems to be the case that when the weather starts to get warm people are wearing their Red Sox clothing more and more.

5. Shopping – This seems to come with the changing of any season, but warm weather especially! People always feel the need (me especially) to go out and spend money on new clothes! Warm weather is especially fun to shop for…shorts, t-shirts, tanks, and all the fun and bright new colors that just make you feel…well, HAPPY! I sure some people can discuss more of these problems here!

So…these are just probably the top five reasons that my spending has increased since the weather here in Boston decided to get a little bit warmer. Its not even that it is really THAT warm yet, but just the thought of the sun actually being out and the blue sky is enough to make me want to spend!

I get that some people enjoy betting on the Super Bowl, but is it really worth losing money? The super bowl is a gambling addicts dream come true! Its a 50/50 chance that they either go home winning A LOT of money, or they go home crying because all of their money is gone and they are now in debt. Although I am a loyal Patriots fan, lets be honest — this is going to be a tough game!

Estimates are that all the people for the 2007 Super Bowl that placed bets, bet a total of about $8 billion! Now thats a lot of money for people to be throwing around. Some of these people have families, putting themselves and their families in serious financial trouble if they lose! To me, it just doesn’t seem like a risk I would ever be willing to take…but apparently many people think differently to myself. I mean, I’m the type of person that has trouble spending $20 at a BlackJack table at the casino!….thats $20 that I could have done something useful with!

Alright, so lets be honest…many of us are not planning on betting our savings away on the Super Bowl (at least I hope not!). But there is a lot more being spent that just the money wasted on high priced bets. Super Bowl Sunday is also the top day for alcohol consumption (especially beer). My friends want to go to a bar on Sunday, I personally would rather have a party at the apartment…buy beer and appetizers and actually be able to watch the game AND the commercials instead of being stuck at a crowded bar from about 2:00 until 10:00pm. I just feel like it is a waste of time…AND MONEY! I don’t understand the point of spending about $100 at a bar for the whole day, and more than likely standing because all of the tables will be taken. My couch is much more comfortable!

Another thing — people spend soo much money on the food and alcohol they buy for big Super Bowl parties that they host. I understand, this is a huge American past time tradition…but after watching Phantom Gourmet the other day, I realize that some of the foods people buy for these parties seem to be a little bit extravagent. I mean do you really need a 5lb burger for people to share? I feel like people would be much happier with their own regular sized burger that they don’t need to share! Also, chocolate covered strawberries at a Super Bowl party? Maybe I’m old fashioned and think that wings and veggies to dip suffice at this type of a party, but apparently I’m a little bit out of date with throwing parties here! Cause in 2008 people are planning all sorts of extravagent parties (all of which I wouldn’t be able to afford of course!).

So, my advice to all of you is try not to blow all your money this Super Bowl Sunday!…savings will be much more useful in the long run than being spent on booze and food all day (although, the memories might be great).

GO PATS!! :o)