Here’s the scoop. According to DallasNews.com, Safeway Inc., is taking the lead in giveaways to combat rising gas prices.

The grocery store chain is taking off 10 cents a gallon for every $100 purchase from its supermarket gift-card kiosks. According to the Dallas News article, however, saving money is still going to take some planning: “The idea is that you’ll stop at the grocery store and load up on gift cards before you purchase a new TV at Best Buy, have dinner at Chili’s or buy a gift at Nordstrom.”

The article also states that Safeway will be running another promotion that allows “loyalty card customers to accumulate enough 10 cents discounts from grocery, prescription and gift card purchases to get free gas…Prompts at the pump let the customer decide when the discounts are used.” In other words, if discounts are not used within the quarter, funds will be lost.

In addition, Safeway offers 10 cents off per gallon to its loyalty card shoppers for every $100 spent, but it excludes prescriptions and gift-card sales.

Both Kroger and Safeway give their loyalty card shoppers an automatic 3 cents off at the pump, even if purchases haven’t accumulated.

Good times, when gas was only $1.46. How much are you willing to pay?

I would argue today is one of the most important days of the year for Californians– no, it’s not July 4th, it’s July 1st– the first day of the “National No Cell While Driving Ban”.

It’s prohibition for Californian drivers (the rule also applies for Washington). Information on other states? Here’s a break down according to Jalopnik.com:

Rules for Californian drivers under the age of 18

* Complete ban on communication devices: includes cell phone handsets, hands-free headsets, integrated vehicle speakerphone systems, text messaging, etc.
* If you’re caught using any kind of a communication device, it’s a $20 fine for the first offense and $50 for every subsequent offense
* Offenses will go on your record, but not count as points against your license
* Emergency calls for police, fire or medical help are permitted
* Use of a hands-free device is a secondary offense, meaning an officer can’t pull you over for that reason alone; use of a handset is a primary offense, and officers can pull you over for that reason alone

Rules for drivers ages 18 and older

* Ban on handset use
* Hands-free devices are permitted, including Bluetooth headsets (as long as both ears aren’t covered), speakerphone systems, cell phone speakerphones, etc.
* Text messaging is permitted, but if you are pulled over and the officer thinks you were distracted, you could be ticketed
* The first offense results in a $20 fine and each subsequent offense results in a $50 fine
* Offenses will go on your record, but not count as points against your license
* Dialing on the handset is permitted, but strongly discouraged
* Push-to-talk cell phone systems (similar to two-way radios) are not permitted; they are only permitted for commercial truck drivers not in pick-up trucks
* Emergency calls for police, fire or medical help are allowed

Rules for Washington drivers

* Ban on handset use (a complete text messaging ban has been in effect since January 1)
* Hands-free devices are permitted, including Bluetooth headsets, wired headsets, speakerphones, Bluetooth speakerphones, etc.
* Exceptions to the law include emergency use, emergency vehicle operators, tow truck operators or a hearing-impaired person using a hearing aid
* The hands-free and text messaging bans are both secondary violations, meaning an officer can’t stop you for that reason alone
* Fines can be as much as $124

Solutions?

* Bring back Mission Impossible and buy a wired headset
* Talk to yourself and get a bluetooth device. Yes, I’m a hater, and YES I will conform!
* Upgrade your car and get a third party speaker phone, or buy a new car with it built in.

Be savvy, save yourself some money by avoiding the fines.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa based Eco Lips Organic Lip Balm is located at the heart of the flood that hid the Midwest recently. Water rushed through company headquarters, which contained its sales, production and fulfillment divisions. Thankfully, employees had already moved most of the production and manufacturing equipment to dry land but unfortunately Eco Lips lost the remaining items in the building. Despite their losses, however, the company is up and running in a new space and trying hard to make up its losses.

In hopes of rebuilding their company and city, Eco Lips has launched a modest promotion on www.ecolips.com.

Receive a free Eco Lips Organic Gold Lip Balm ($3.49 value) with any order over $10.00, and free shipping to the U.S. for orders over $15.00 with coupon code: FLOOD

Coupon Code: FLOOD
Expires August 31st, 2008

Everyone needs some more lip balm…if you can spare the change, how about helping out a company trying to get back on its feet.