Feeling the money pinch? Here are some ways to make your dollar go further

Whether it's gas prices, falling stock prices, fewer hours at work or higher food bills, it seems everyone is feeling the pinch these days.

But there are ways to fight the squeeze.

From visiting the library and borrowing DVDs for free to making sure money in your checking account is earning interest instead of costing you fees, here is a list of tips that might help you save money.

Not everyone will want to or be able to follow each tip. But when added up, they could mean savings of thousands of dollars a year.

FOOD

Take a look at brand names. In recent months, a number of area grocers, including Publix and Kroger, have had lists on their grocery carts with name-brand products and the matching store-brands to illustrate possible savings. One such listing was spotted last week. At Food Lion in Bluffton, 33 national name-brand products, including coffee, cat food, vegetable oil, marshmallows and macaroni, cost $130.54. The equivalent store brands ring up to $90.50, a savings of $40.04.

Even if you only realize half of these savings each month, that's about $240 per year.

Drink smart. A 24-pack of bottled, name-brand water costs about $6. If you drink one bottle every day, you're spending more than $91 per year on bottled water.

Instead, try a filtered pitcher such as Brita for around $26. Add a water bottle ($4) and filters ($21.99), and you're spending around $52. One water filter is good for about 40 gallons of water.

The water won't cost much. (1,000 gallons of water from Beaufort-Jasper Sewer & Water is $3.32.)

Save on your cola. If you drink a can of soda a day, it matters where you get that can. At roughly $2.50 per 12-pack of generic soda, a can per day totals $76.04 for the year.

Insist on the name brand? At about $4 per 12-pack, that's $121.67 per year, or nearly $50 more than generic.

Either way, avoid the vending machine. At 60 cents per can five days a week, it will cost you about $150 each year.

Buy in bulk. Sometimes, as the old adage says, you have to spend money to make money. A Sam's Club membership runs $40 (there are no Costcos in Beaufort County). The membership will easily pay for itself on everything from wine to produce. And, it isn't just the food. Bulk paper goods, cleaning products and even $2.81 long-sleeved T-shirts all help pay off that $40.

Pack your own lunch. If you spend $8 on lunch Monday through Friday, that's $40 a week, or $160 a month. Even if you only eat out twice a week at $8 per lunch, that's $16 per week or $64 per month, or about $800 per year.

Cut that to once a week, and you're spending about $416 per year.

Start clipping. Coupons in supplements included in the Sunday newspaper offer great opportunities for saving, along with coupons that are in the paper on other days. You can find savings on a variety of things -- from golf specials to meals at restaurants -- in some ads and at islandpacket.com.

Other deals are out there, too. You could get a $7 off coupon for Crest Whitestrips at the Proctor & Gamble Web site. An extra $1 off Johnson's Baby Oil is available through that company's site. And ricekrispies.com wants to give you $1 off a box of Rice Krispies with real strawberries. Not all company Web sites have coupons, so you may have to hunt.

For the truly serious bargain hunter, try thegrocerygame.com. It costs roughly $5 per month, but it rounds up all sales within grocery stores and adds coupons, a combination that the site promises will create an average savings of 67 percent per week.

HOME

Some appliances steal energy while you sleep. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, many appliances draw a small amount of power even when switched off. Offenders include televisions, stereos, computers and kitchen appliances. Estimates indicate that about 5 percent of residential electricity use is eaten by "off" appliances. So unplug appliances or use a power strip to cut all power to unused gadgets.

Be smart with your lights. Replace standard incandescent lights in your home with compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Switching out just five bulbs creates a yearly savings of $22 and a savings of $199 over the life of the CFL bulb, according to Palmetto Electric Cooperative.

All cooperative members will receive two free CFLs in the mail as part of a statewide program to get the more energy-efficient bulbs into use. About 1.2 million such bulbs will be sent out this year alone.

Trim the lawn the old-fashioned way. If it's time to buy a new lawn mower, consider a human-powered push mower. Prices for push reel mowers usually range from about $100 to $250. A sampling of Web sites show electric mowers selling for about $145 to $430.

Walk-behind gasoline-powered mowers usually cost $150 to $400. Gas-powered mowers really don't use that much gas in a year. But the human-powered variety offers a workout and a chance to be a little green.

Maximize heating and cooling. Palmetto Electric offers room-by-room tips on how to limit energy waste and maximize the power you do use. Go to www.palmettoelectric.coop/energyhouse/index.htm. Tips include keeping summer thermostats above 78 degrees and closing drapes and blinds to keep heat in in winter and sun out in summer.

ENTERTAINMENT

Use the library. Maybe you haven't been there since you relied on it for book reports and term papers, but you should take another look. The branches of the Beaufort County Library offer Internet access and DVDs and CDs for borrowing at no cost. And the libraries host book sales, too, where best-sellers are sold cheaply.

Of course, plenty of books are available for borrowing, too, even if you have to wait on a list for a new John Grisham or Stephen King novel. But you'll pay more than $20 on a new hardcover, and what will you do with it after you've read it?

So if you pick up four newly released books a year (around $80) and rent two movies per month (at roughly $4 per movie or $96 per year), borrowing from the library can save more than $170 annually.

"The library is the best bargain in town," said Anne Rosen, director of the Bluffton branch.

Rethink your cable. Cable television costs roughly $60 per month. And, if you need to follow the latest antics of "Desperate Housewives," Hollywood entourages or Larry David, that might be money well spent.

But if you aren't a cable news junkie or movie or sports fanatic, consider looking at your plan and limiting the hundreds of channels you're probably not watching.

Another option is to try a DVD delivery service like Netflix or Blockbuster Online. For less than $20 per month, you can get three DVDs at a time and an unlimited number per month, ranging from hits to favorite TV shows to hard-to-find independent films. Plus, a number of networks are putting their shows up on the Web, such as at hulu.com.

If you enjoy eating out, try altering your habits. Ordering water instead of soda or a beer can save you money; doing without dessert can save you more.

Frequent eating out can put a strain on your budget. While a hamburger with French fries at a restaurant might cost $10 with tip, the same meal at home can cost less than half that.

TRANSPORTATION

Drive at the speed limit. It might raise the ire of the guy behind you on U.S. 278, but it will make you happy at the pump. According to fueleconomy.gov, fuel economy decreases rapidly above 60 miles per hour and with rapid acceleration and braking. Driving smoothly, in a calm manner, can increase fuel economy 5 to 33 percent.

Keep your car in shape. Little things can add to fuel economy improvements. Check and replace air filters (up to 10 percent better fuel economy), get a tune-up (4 percent), keep your tires at the proper inflation (3 percent) and use the recommended grade of motor oil (2 percent), according government research.

Alternate transportation. Try sharing a ride to work with a co-worker, biking to an appointment or store or taking your golf cart places if you live where that's possible.

OTHER

Sell stuff. A little extra money never hurts. Look around your house and identify what you just aren't using anymore. Consider selling it on eBay. Did you enjoy romance or sci-fi paperbacks years ago? Bundle a group together and sell them. It might not bring in a lot of money, but it will help clear clutter. Have a few pieces from a china set? Maybe someone somewhere needs those to complete their set.

Cell phone plans. When your contract is up, shop around. Another carrier may have a plan that fits you better. Or, your current provider may be willing to offer you a new phone, discounts or other sweeteners to keep you. And, remember, you can take your current number to another company.

Haggle. According to Consumer Reports, it's possible to haggle on big items like appliances, furniture and electronics. Not all retailers will haggle. But, faced with a smart consumer who is armed with comparison data, there's a chance to save money. Try asking for a discount on peripherals when buying a television or computer, getting a bulk discount when buying everything for your new kitchen in a single store or visiting a store at the end of the month when sales figures are being scrutinized.

Thrift stores. The local phone book lists 16 thrift shops. Not only does buying second-hand save money, it also creates a sense of discovery in shopping and contributes money to local charities.

THE BIG STUFF

Your mortgage. Interest rates are already relatively low, averaging about 5.5 percent for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. Credit standards have been tightening, though, so expect higher hurdles in getting the very best rates.

Credit cards. People with good credit scores have a golden opportunity to negotiate for lower rates. Issuers will want to hold onto creditworthy customers more than ever.

Banking. You shouldn't be paying for your checking account. Shop around if necessary for a no-fee account. Also, if you have cash just sitting in a checking account, try to get an interest-bearing checking account.

The Associated Press and MarketWatch contributed to this report.