Ten ways to avoid the money squeeze

AFTER MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS AS A NEW YORK CONSTRUCTION WORKER...BILL RUSSO IS RETIRED IN MT. PLEASANT WITH HIS WIFE MARSHA...HE'S SAYS HE'S PAID HIS DUES...AND RECALLS TOUGHER ECONOMIC TIMES...DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION IN THE LATE 1920'S. "It was a lot worse then you had rationing on not only on gas on food."

THE COUPLE SURVIVED BY LEARNING HOW TO CONSERVE...TACTICS THEY USED THEN AND EVEN NOW. "We try I do different things you know like with cooking. Cook bigger meals and freeze part of it for another meal. We do less traveling by car we take one trip a day or two not just two or three like we use to and we sold our bigger car and got a compact car to save some gas mileage."

THEY SPEND MORE QUALITY TIME AT HOME WHERE CONSUMER EXPERTS LIKE HUGH CROFOOT SAY REAL SAVINGS BEGIN. "At a mid point I think everybody is afraid and probably with good reason..things will get better but it's more important that people pay attention to their own financial situation."

TO SURVIVE THE MONEY CRUNCH...EXPERTS SUGGESTS TEN MONEY SAVING IDEAS IN YOUR HOME.

1-Make sure your hot water heater is no higher than 120 degrees...(HOT WATER HEATER 120 DEGREES/ $40 )

2-Set your thermostat no lower than 78 degrees in the summer... (THERMASTAT 78 DEGREES/$500)

3-Cut back on the use of your clothes dryer ( USE CLOTHES DRYER LESS /$50 )

4-Use your microwave instead of the oven saving energy cost (USE MICROWAVE/$50 )

5-Install a new type of florescent bulbs (USE FLOURESCENT BULBS $50)

6-Get a free energy audit from your utility company...(FREE ENERGY AUDIT)

7-Consider free cycling...trading things you don't need with your neighbors...including furniture and appliances. (FREE CYCLE)

8-Check out recurring monthly services you don't need...including phones...magazine subscriptions and the gym... (CUT SERVICES/$600)

9- Review your insurance policies. Experts say 12 percent of premiums are unnecessary. (REVIEW INSURANCE POLICIES/12% IN PREMIUM)

10- Save money you receive unexpectedly (SAVE)

BY USING SOME OF THESE SUGGESTIONS YOU COULD SAVE HUNDREDS EVEN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EACH YEAR...I think our consumer confidence is fairly good. We don't have any more reason to be worried than the rest of the country."

OVER ALL CROFOOT BELIEVES MOST SOUTH CAROLINIANS ARE BEGINNING TO THINK WISER...SOMETHING THAT THE RUSSO'S BELIEVE COME WITH TIME...AND EFFORT. "Things are going to get better people have to realize that that things will get better if everybody helps out."

THIS YEAR THE COUPLE CELEBRATES FIFTY ONE YEARS OF MARRIAGE...A TESTIMENT THAT THINGS REALLY DO GET BETTER IN TIME. EXPERTS SAY THE MORE YOU INVOLVE YOUR FAMILY IN CREATING AND IMPLEMENTING A SAVINGS PLAN THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF STICKING WITH IT. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE A FINANCIAL PLAN HAVE SAVED TWICE AS MUCH AS PEOPLE WITHOUT ONE..WITH THE SAME INCOME.