DATE:    10/29/97
CONTACT: Dr. Nancy Porter, (864) 656-5718, or Ms. Joyce           
         Christenbury, (864) 656-5714
WRITER:  Giles Singleton, (864) 656-3876

Money 2000 Gets Good Response

     CLEMSON -- Where does all the money go? Before the month is
out, the paycheck's gone. Sometimes even necessities get charged
to a credit card, just to make it to payday.
     "It is estimated that 70% of Americans live  paycheck to
paycheck,' courting disaster if their income were suddenly
reduced or stopped," said Nancy Porter, Clemson Extension family
resource management specialist.
     Extension's Money 2000 is a program that teaches "how to
tell where your money is going instead of wondering where it
went," according to Janet Ensor, a county agent with the Clemson
University Cooperative Extension Service in Anderson County.
     In addition to learning where their money goes, participants
are encouraged to increase savings or reduce debt by $2000, or
any other amount, by the end of the year 2000.
     The program was designed to improve the financial well-being
of South Carolina residents. A statewide Money 2000 initiative
began January 29, 1997 with a proclamation signed by Governor
Beasley.
     Between February 1 and October 3, a total of 829
participants in 33 counties have enrolled in the free program.  
These participants have set goals to increase savings for a total
of $2,250,644 and to reduce debt by $1,702,603.
     Progress reports submitted by five percent of the enrollees
show a total of $47,058 in savings and $69,109 in debt reduction.
     "We're very pleased with the progress of Money 2000 and the
goals that South Carolinians have set for themselves," Porter
said.
     One participant's comment was, "It creates an awareness of
how much savings add up and makes it easier to want to save for
your goals." Another said, "It is not just teaching, but giving
us tools to make our dreams a reality."
     Anyone interested in participating in Money 2000 may contact
their local county Extension office.
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