Seven easy ways to SAVE MONEY

Red lights dance on Arnold Collins' phone console at the Charleston County Human Services Commission, the agency he heads that helps people keep electricity on and water running when the income flow stops.

He pushes his chair back from his desk at his office overlooking Upper King Street and says, "Look at this. I'm not taking applications today, and look at the lines."

More than 1,500 calls come in every week, so many that the commission doubled its phone lines, hired an extra receptionist and started committing one of every five workdays just for processing requests. Not only are the callers more numerous, they're different, too.

As Amanda Lawrence, director of income at the Trident United Way, explains it, people previously considered middle class, people who previously made donations, now need help.

Michaele Pena, director of consumer credit counseling services for Family Services Inc., said so many middle-income families lost one of the two salaries they used to pay their bills. A former six-figure household suddenly faces debt obligations that exceed its ability to pay.

When people wind up in her office, Pena explains how to organize expenses. Mortgage or rent takes top priority, followed by utilities and then car payments. "The reasoning is, it impacts everything else," she said. "If you become evicted or lose your transportation, or if you can't come home and get rested up and cleaned up, you can't go back to work. Plus, it's very expensive to get services turned back on once they've been cut off."

After that, she tells people to pay insurance and medical bills and then unsecured debt such as credit cards.

But in this economy, with financial strain so great, people should work first to keep their homes and their health, Pena said. She calls it survival mode.

Today, The Post and Courier shares some strategies for getting through the reality of this recession.

Housing help available

Financial hardship has meant that some families can't even afford what is likely their biggest expense: the roof over their head.

Luckily, the Lowcountry has a scattered network of agencies that can help with such a universal expense.

Homeowners who can't afford their mortgage might be able to negotiate lower payments with lenders, which have grown accustomed to those requests amid a crippling housing slump.

The Obama administration's Home Affordable Modification Program, created last spring, already has lowered payments for 900,000 borrowers across the country. A national hot line -- 888-995-HOPE -- can connect homeowners with foreclosure counselors in their region and check to see if callers qualify for the federal program.

South Carolina's main payment negotiating agency is Family Services Inc. of North Charleston. Their main number is 735-7802.

Most foreclosure counseling services are federally funded and, therefore, free.

Renters also can seek out help, but that type of assistance is more scattered, explained Barry Waldman of Trident United Way.

Trident United Way's 211 hot line serves a portal to those services, and the representatives who answer the phone know who has money and which assistance program would best fit your situation, he said.

One such program is ShelterNet, which provides one-time, emergency payments to people who have fallen behind because of loss of income, illness or an unexpectedly high utility bill. That program, which is administered by the Humanities Foundation, has a hot line number of 856-4125.

Geona Shaw Johnson, director for housing and community development for the city of Charleston, encouraged renters and homeowners to reach out to money management counselors before they face making an unaffordable payment.

"When people realize they're struggling from week to week with their debt, there are counselors who can help," she said. "Whether you're a renter or owner, that help is available to you."

• Katy Stech

Little luxuries add up

Those vanilla lattes add up.

Luxury goods and services generally account for a whopping one-third of spending by people struggling to pay their bills, according to Amanda Lawrence, director of income at Trident United Way. The problem, she said, is that most people see those purchases as comforts they want to keep amid the financial chaos.

"We suggest looking at the habits they have and how to eliminate some of those things -- whether it's making your coffee at home or, imagine, just drinking your coffee at the office," Lawrence said. But she cautioned that people should not cut their personal rewards altogether.

Paying a monthly cable bill might cost a parent less than taking the family to the movie theater a few times a month, she said. But maybe that parent can save a few dollars by cutting down on the number of channels.

"People are surprised at how much they're spending on these things they think they need," Lawrence said. "You don't have to get your hair done every week. It's nice and it makes you feel good, but its not something you have to do."

She recommended, when dining out, to cut the appetizers and drinks. Lawrence said alcoholic beverages often double a restaurant check.

She also suggested buying generic brands of food and asking doctors to write prescriptions for generic medications to keep pharmacists from defaulting to pricier pills.

Michaele Pena, director of consumer credit counseling services with Family Services Inc., said she sees couples who spend $700 per month on groceries, when families of four get by on $300.

When she points out unnecessary expenses, "they can get a little sad or a little argumentative," she said. "But the way I explain to them is, 'It's not forever.' "

• Allyson Bird

Take control of health

Like investing for retirement, saving money on health care requires taking personal control of it.

Gone are the days that we can leave it up to the insurance companies and the health care industry. Individual responsibility is the name of today's game — from eating healthy and exercising to getting routine physical exams, seeking out lower cost prescriptions and tailoring a health insurance plan to your needs and knowing its details.

Here are some tips from local health care experts:

Ounce of prevention:

'Remember, exercise and sleep are free! Both have been shown to improve immune function,' said Dr. Mickey Barber, chief medical officer at Cenegenics Carolinas. 'The best way to reduce health care cost is stay healthy.'

Simple habits of eating four servings of vegetables (for anti-oxidants and fiber), flossing teeth (decreasing the risk of heart disease) and getting Vitamin D (improves immunity) by sitting in the sun, without sunscreen, for 15 minutes a day, are easy to incorporate into daily life.

Ask more questions:

Beyond taking control of your personal health, one of Charleston's top wellness advocates recommends talking to health care providers about less expensive alternatives at the onset.

'Communicate with your health care provider and directly convey to him or her that you are under financial constraints,' said Dr. Ann Kulze, an author, speaker and wellness consultant. 'Ask about less expensive alternatives in regards to testing and therapeutics. Make sure you know exactly what things are going to cost before you have them done or before you have to purchase them.'

Kulze said other tips include requesting generic drugs, know what prescriptions are covered under your insurance plans and always bring a copy of your plan's formulary with you to doctor appointments. She adds, 'And by all means, avoid the emergency room except in the case of real emergencies.'

Negotiate an expensive medical bill:

In the event you can't avoid an expensive bill, negotiate.

'If you know you are going to have trouble paying your medical bills, speak with the person who handles billing at your doctor's office or hospital,' said Dr. Lee Allison, a local family physician with East Cooper Regional Medical Center.

'Most will be willing to work out a payment plan so you can spread your payments out over time. And if you don't have insurance, many will offer a discount if you're paying out-of-pocket on the day of your visit. But don't wait until you start getting collection notices for unpaid bills, it's better to work it out ahead of time.'

Nipping expensive care in the bud:

Tough financial times are not the time to put off routine check-ups, said Dr. Lindsey Cecil, also a family physician affiliated with East Cooper.

'You'll actually save money by going to your preventative visits, which are often well covered by insurance, so you can catch problems early,' Cecil said. 'If you wait a long time to seek medical attention for your health problems, you may actually end up spending more because by that time you may need more tests, medications, or even hospitalization.'

• David Quick

Missing out of refund

Every year, working people miss out on federal tax rebates worth an average of $2,000 because they don't apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit.

The credit depends on family size and income and can be worth as much as $5,657. Income limits range from $13,440 for a single person to $48,279 for a married couple with three children.

Nationally, the Internal Revenue Service estimates that about a quarter of those eligible for the credit don't apply, and it's been estimated that in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties, up to $17 million is left unclaimed.

'People who don't file taxes don't get the credit, but they could be getting money back,' said Barry Waldman, vice president of communications for Trident United Way.

'The money they could get would be recycled through our economy,' he said.

The credit is refundable, which means that it can exceed the amount owed of taxes and result in a refund check.

There also is a provision that allows part of the credit to be paid in advance, which means people who expect to claim the credit in 2011 could have a portion of the money added to their paychecks this year.

Trident United Way and the Charleston Trident Urban League are offering free tax preparation for families earning less than $49,000 at sites in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. For information and a list of sites, dial 211 or visit www.tuw.org/taxprep.asp

• David Slade

Energy efficiency is key

The cost of water and electricity keeps increasing, putting an added strain on people struggling through this recession.

Cold January weather sent heating bills soaring, but long term costs also are rising.

South Carolina Electric & Gas has applied for a 9.52 percent increase in electric rates, Mount Pleasant Waterworks increased rates by 9 percent and Charleston Water System raised rates 5 percent.

While it would be hard to do without power and water, there are steps that can be taken to keep expenses under control.

For immediate savings, think in terms of efficiency.

A $2 tube of caulk and some foam insulation can pay large dividends. Check around windows, doors, baseboards and the space underneath sinks where the pipes go into the wall, looking for gaps where heating dollars might be escaping.

Electronic devices, from television sets to cell phone chargers, can use surprising amounts of power every minute they are plugged in. Unplug them when they aren't in use, or connect them to a power strip that can be turned off.

To save money on water bills, make sure toilets aren't leaking and faucets aren't dripping.

For outdoor watering, consider getting a rain barrel.

Make sure water heaters are set for no more than 120 degrees, and save more by turning the heat way down during long periods when no hot water will be needed. Electric water heaters also benefit from inexpensive insulating blankets.

For longer-term savings on electricity, heating and cooling costs, buy and install programmable thermostats. Inexpensive and easy to install, the thermostats can turn down the heat when people are not usually home.

When traditional light bulbs burn out, replace them with compact fluorescent bulbs that use about 75 percent less power and last 8-10 times as long.

And if a major appliance needs replacing, check out the federal and state tax credits for buying energy-efficient units.

• David Slade

The sport of coupons

It's the rare grocery shopper who doesn't use more coupons today than a couple of years ago. In this down economy, clipping coupons, handing them to the supermarket cashier and watching that total drop has become something of a sport.

One of the wisest things a consumer can do is to think of coupons as money, not just an opportunity to save money, but money to be spent with care.

After all, a 50 cents-off coupon for an item in a grocery basket is worth at least as much as 50 cents in a shoppers' pocket. And if a supermarket doubles or triples coupons, one with a 50 cent face value becomes worth $1 or $1.50. Also, consumers save more if the product is on sale.

In addition, shoppers who collect multiples of coupons for products used regularly save more. Get multiples by exchanging coupons from newspapers with friends or visiting Internet clipping services and auction sites where consumers can pay about five to ten cents per coupon for clipping, handling and mailing. (Never pay for the actual coupon because they are free.)

Go through coupon wallets or booklets weekly and be sure to use those that are about to expire. Also, review coupons while making out shopping lists and gather those to be used in a special section of the coupon wallet to guard against forgetting to use them.

One more thing, those who have a hard time remembering to take coupons to the store might manage better if they keep them in the glove compartment of their car.

• Wevonneda Minis

Drive smart and save

There's not much you can do about the price of a gallon of gas, other than shop around, but once you have bought that precious fuel there are many ways to squeeze the most out of it.

Simple measures such as slowing down, driving smoothly and having properly inflated tires can make a measurable difference when it comes to fuel economy, experts say.

Fast starts and hard stops can increase fuel use .

Replacing clogged air filters can increase fuel efficiency. And having the right tire pressure can increase mileage.

Or you could leave the car at home and take the bus or carpool.

The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority had its most successful ridership year in history in 2009. Fares start at less than a dollar and range up to $2.50. Route information is available at www.ridecarta.com or 724-7420.

If you want to share the cost of gas, check out Trident Rideshare, a free Internet-based rideshare matching service for commuters and other ride-seekers offered by the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments and the Trident Area Agency on Aging. The Web site is www.tridentrideshare.com.

• Prentiss Findlay