(upbeat music) - [Narrator] This is a production of PBS Charlotte.

(ambient music) - Just ahead on "Carolina Impact", it's time to spring clean those finances.

We'll show you how to get the most out of your money.

Plus bow ties and books, how a Charlotte man uses his passions to spread joy.

And we introduce you to two local men with a love for music.

"Carolina Impact" starts now.

(upbeat music) Good evening.

Thanks so much for joining us.

I'm Amy Burkett.

These days most people are looking to make their money go a little further.

If you're tired of watching your paycheck vanish at the pump or the checkout line, dreaming of a getaway, but wondering how to pay for it, "Carolina Impact's" Chris Clark uncovers some smart, practical tips to help us save and give our finances a fresh start this spring.

(air whooshing) (woodwind music) - [Chris] Spring is here.

And while many are focused on clearing out clutter and freshening up our homes, it's the perfect time to clean up your finances.

Cutting unnecessary expenses to exploring smarter ways to save.

Taking action now can pave the way for a brighter financial future, but it all hinges on one crucial factor.

- You gotta be disciplined what you want to do.

- [Chris] It's that time of year, so let's go ahead and dive into saving money with taxes.

They are unavoidable certainties of life that only get more complicated when ignored.

So whatever you do, don't.

- If you don't file on time and you owe, then IRS will assess, of course, what you owe.

They will also tack on interest, which is accrued daily and there can be penalties.

You could be in the thousands of dollars depending on what you owe.

- [Chris] Judi McCrary is one of over 28,000 dedicated volunteers for the AARP Foundation offering free tax preparation services.

- Our typical focus are those individuals that are 50 or older, lower income, low to moderate income, but we will prepare taxes for anyone any age.

- [Chris] Last year the group filed over 1.7 million returns, saving hardworking individuals more than a billion dollars in taxes.

Her first recommendation, adjust your withholdings to break even and keep more of your money each week.

- It's that Christmas in April mentality.

People that like to get the big refunds, and that's fine if that's what you want to do, but I don't like to give the government free loans.

It's an interest-free loan.

- [Chris] When it comes to write-offs, age has its benefits.

- If you are 70 and a half and you're receiving a pension, you can direct your pension payer to pay some of your distribution directly to your church and it comes right off your income.

- [Chris] And in South Carolina, it really has its benefits.

- They give you a credit just for being old.

(laughs) Being a senior, you get credit.

It's great.

- [Chris] This year also brought some significant changes for many, whether through job loss or pursuit of new opportunities.

In the rush to move forward, countless people may have unknowingly left money behind.

It's worth pausing to ensure every dollar earned stays working for you, even as your career evolves.

- A lot of times they may leave their 401k with the prior employer.

You don't want to leave your money there.

So go back and get your 401k and perhaps roll it over into an IRA or into some other type of savings vehicle.

- [Chris] Because IRAs aren't sponsored by employers, you own them directly and won't have to worry about making changes to your account should you change jobs again.

And here's another good one.

Did you know auto insurance agencies aren't obligated to tell you about discounts you're eligible for and what you really need?

So call them and ask about everything.

- Do you need towing?

How about your deductible?

Do you need a $500 deductible versus a thousand dollars deductible?

So, just shifting your deductibles for your auto insurance, that would allow you to save money as well.

- [Chris] When it comes to cutting vehicle expenses, sometimes the key to savings lies in exploring your options and thinking creatively about everyday costs.

You might be surprised at how a little effort can open doors to deals and solutions if you just ask.

- Everything is negotiable.

You go for a car repair and you're looking at $1,500.

Go to your Auto Zone.

First of all, they'll probably sell you the actual part for pennies on the dollar.

Also, that person working at that particular store, either they could do it or they may know someone else.

- [Chris] The idea of paying a yearly fee for a big box store membership can feel like an unnecessary expense.

But don't let the upfront cost scare you away.

The savings from just one regularly purchased item makes this more than worth it.

Take gas for example.

It's about 10 cents cheaper here than it is at a regular gas station.

So if you've got a 15 gallon tank, you fill it up once a week, over the course of 52 weeks, you're gonna save more than the cost of that membership.

Making that a smart decision.

- You have so many services within those.

You can get your visions, your auto care, travel.

I mean, there's so many things that they offer.

- [Chris] Credit cards often get a bad rap when it comes to paying for things.

They're often seen as a shortcut to debt rather than a tool for financial success.

But with a little planning and the right rewards program, they can be a savvy way to unlock some travel discounts.

- You're spending the money anyway.

And usually if we do that, then we get points that lead to-- - Free ticket.

- To London.

It was 65,000 points.

Our other credit card that we use, if we buy gas or we do restaurants or we do groceries, we get five times the points.

And that's what leads to our-- - Toward the hotel.

- Hotel.

- [Chris] One thing is essential for this plan to work, and that is-- - Pay that credit card off each in full each month.

- [Chris] But when you combine using credit cards with a discount program like the one at Harris Teeter, oh, it really pays off.

Not only do seniors get a 5% discount when buying groceries on Thursdays, but you also get travel points for paying with your card.

And Harris Teeter will give you points for every dollar spent that customers can use for future discounts in the store.

- Then you can get up to $35 off on gas when you have those thousand points.

- [Chris] Another way to save is to stock up on restaurant gift cards at Harris Teeter for your go-to dining spots.

And when planning ahead, you can buy those gift cards for Lowe's or Home Depot for big ticket appliances, turning those future purchases into smart, money-saving moves.

- Two years ago the washing machine went out.

Well, I had all these Lowe's gift cards and so when we bought the wash-- - It was already paid for.

- [Chris] With a little planning, discipline and effort, you can turn everyday spending into meaningful savings and maybe even treat yourself with that well earned vacation.

For "Carolina Impact", I'm Chris Clark.

- Thank you Chris.

The best advice we heard over and over is make a plan and stick with it.

Most people get into trouble when they make impulse buys.

A few cents or a few dollars here or there might not seem like much, but over the course of a year it adds up to big money saved or spent.

Well, these days most men don't know how to tie a bow tie.

You can learn on the internet or you can meet Charlotte's own bow tie man, Darrin Gleaton who tries to teach everyone he meets.

It's pretty hard to miss him because he's always making a statement.

"Carolina Impacts" Dara Khalid and videographer, Marcellus Jones show us how he combines his many talents to make a positive impact.

- "Roger struggled a lot with being a bee "and wanted to be something different "to feel better about his self."

- [Dara] It's his signature look.

A bright yellow bow tie covered in colorful insects, an eye-catching hat, a shiny gold watch for some flare and a book.

- "Spike!

Spike!

"Look!

I got extra legs, Roger screamed."

- [Dara] If kids aren't dazzled by his fashionable appearance, the books Darrin Gleaton Sr. reads are sure to do the trick.

- You see it?

Yeah, they found the shell.

- [Dara] And the books you see him reading aren't just any old books off the shelf.

They're ones he's written, like this one, "Just Bee Yourself", that has a message he wants kids to hold onto.

- What did we learn?

We learned that you are cool just like you are.

You don't have to be something different.

You don't have to be anything else.

- [Dara] The 32-year-old just published his fourth children's book called "Stuck in Her Shell".

He's read his books at over 12 schools across Charlotte and has given dozens of them away.

But this particular stop here at Gleaton's Learning Academy is extra special.

- Oh, I'm a proud mom.

I'm excited and I take great pride in him being able to read to children going to schools.

That's great.

- [Dara] Priscilla Gleaton watches her son with joy as he reads to kids at her childcare center.

It reminds her of moments years ago that she spent with Darrin and his older brothers doing the same thing.

- I always told him, you've gotta be able to read.

And he's doing it and he's teaching others to do that.

So that's great.

- [Dara] And she's not the only one who notices the impact he has on little ones.

- It's beautiful, just to hear them come home and say, "Nana, I did this today."

Or, "Darrin came and read us a book, Nana," or "we talked to Darin."

They love him.

- [Dara] Although Darin loves to make other kids smile, his whole journey of being an author started by him wanting to make his own kids smile.

- My oldest son, he actually is an artist and he loves math but struggled a little bit in reading.

So what I wanted to do is show him if I'm writing the books and you think I'm cool, then reading is cool.

- [Dara] Well, did it work?

- Yeah, I am getting better at reading.

- [Dara] So not only did his first book, "You Can Be Fly", help his son do better in the classroom, but it encouraged Darrin to keep on writing.

He sold over 300 copies of his four books, which can be found worldwide, literally.

- My books are in Australia, they're all over the world.

I have them on Barnes and Nobles, Books A Million, Target, Walmart, online.

- [Dara] And his accomplishments aren't just for him.

- This is something that he can show his children's children, children children or when I'm gone he can show them the back of the books.

Him on the back of the books.

- [Dara] Well, Darrin's 13-year-old son who shares his name didn't just inspire his dad to become an author.

- I wanted to change my swag into more suave and distinguished and not look like a child having a child.

And I started wearing bow ties.

- [Dara] But there was one small problem.

- I didn't know how to tie a bow tie.

So I was working at one of my part-time jobs and it was a guy who came in and he had a bow tie on and I asked him, I was like, hey, can you teach me how to tie bow tie?

He was like, "Of course."

- [Dara] From there, Darrin went home and began practicing in the mirror using his dad's bow ties.

And one day the light bulb went off.

- I was just tying them on myself and I was looking like, man, I wanna make bow ties.

- [Dara] Simple as that.

He started his business Swag Bows in 2012, where he handpicks the eclectic fabric.

Each bow tie needs around nine inches of it.

- [Darrin] I'm like a kid in the candy store when it comes to fabric.

- [Dara] Then he sows each one by hand.

(sewing machine stitching) Every month he makes around 40 bow ties.

Some are sold, others are given away to boys who need guidance and men coming out of incarceration.

- But when they leave, or they go to an interview or they have any kind of function, they can wear that bow tie and tie it.

And then people will come up and like, "Hey, that is that a clip on?"

No, I actually tied this.

- [Dara] And the part many enjoy most is the free from Darrin on how to tie the bow ties.

- That brings joy in my life.

Teaching somebody something else.

Being able to teach somebody a skill that they can show their child.

Being able to show somebody something that can help them move forward in their life or their career.

- [Dara] So whether he's chilling in dad mode with his son or giving back in the community, his compassion is just like his books and bow ties.

Bold.

For "Carolina Impact", I'm Dara Khalid.

- Thank you Dara.

Darrin isn't the type of person to slow down much when it comes to his two passions.

He's already written the drafts for his next three children's books.

Plus, he's starting an initiative with his bow tie company to raise awareness for prostate cancer.

Well, next, he isn't the only author you get to meet tonight.

Charlotte is rich in music history and another local man has been covering our music scene here and around the country for 30 years.

When he is not photographing bands on stage, you can find him in the studio producing albums or writing books about music.

Producer Russ Hunsinger has the story.

(jazzy music) - I always feel I'm different people at different times.

Some folks know that I do events, some people know that I work with a lot of musicians.

(pair singing) (guitar playing) On other days I am a producer.

It's all me.

I always just say it's just me, it's Daniel.

But I am, put myself in different things and different positions to allow me to create and enjoy this creative process.

(camera beeping) (camera shutter clicking) Johnny Cash, Avett Brothers, Merle Haggard, Beach Boys, Monkeys, Wilco, Glenn Miller Orchestra.

So in the mid nineties, I started working with a newspaper and I also was writing for a freeform magazine here in Charlotte called Tangents.

Both outlets did not have a photographer.

And I was like, well, I always thought photography was cool.

I'll take the pictures.

And then very quickly, I realized I really enjoyed it.

And then the bands that I was photographing started hiring me.

Then I realized very soon after that that I could do this not just locally, but regionally and nationally.

I could go harken back to these photographers whose work that I looked at from the sixties and seventies where they were out on the road working with the musicians, creating a visual that's lasted.

And I fell in love with that very quickly and discovered that, okay, I really want to do this and I might even make some money here and there doing that.

So very quickly, within a year or two, I've always lived here in Charlotte, but I got on the road and started working with bands.

(record static sounding) (drum music) The most important thing about being a producer is having sympathetic eyes and ears.

You are the one that says, okay, I like this idea.

Oo, what if we did this?

And what if we worked with these musicians to make this an even better idea than what you originally had?

- He is the guiding light.

Because we'll play something and it'll be dreadful and we'll think it's great.

And it's like, let's not get ahead of ourselves here fellows.

Like, maybe one more in the nicest way.

(rock music playing) - Somewhere between a friend and adult that says, okay, you can do this a little better.

Let's get to the best version of this take.

Or in the archival sense, you're the one saying, okay, how can I make these recordings sound better?

How do I describe them?

How do we put the packaging together?

(rock music playing) (tambourine playing) - Yeah, he knows we've been doing it for a long time and it's just hard to tell old dogs what to do anyway.

And a lot of times he'll say something and we'll know he is right and we'll just be obstinate and stupid 'cause it's our way.

(plays guitar) (typewriter typing) - You are falling in love with music.

I always say I listen to Betty Goodman, the same reason that I listen to the Velvet Underground.

I like it.

And along the way, you're meeting musicians and they're telling you stories and you go, that's a really good story.

I've never heard that story before.

You start writing them down.

As a writer, there's so many of the interviews I've done was just an excuse for me to talk to the musician and get these stories down.

And I'm so glad I did.

Many of them have ended up in books.

They've ended up in box sets for a lot of artists that I'm still a huge fan of.

But it came out of me just wanting to get these stories told.

To this day, I'm fascinated by the Charlotte music scene, not just the music that was made here in the 1960s, but then the music that led through the decades to now.

It's all tied together.

It's all people who, like myself, moved here to Charlotte, moved to North Carolina and found a home here and found a creative home.

And it all ties together.

(rock music) If you'd told me as a kid that you're gonna grow up and do all these things, there's part of me would've said, oh yeah, 'cause I wanted to do that, but could I?

Unless I questioned myself and said, yeah, I think I can do this.

I want to do this.

Let's go do this.

So, for me the philosophy of doing all the things I do is create, enjoy, and don't set limits on yourself.

- Thank you, Russ.

I had no idea all the things that Daniel has done and I've met him.

He's an amazing man.

Well, he's also published six books so far, covering subjects like the Double Door Inn and the Briarhoppers.

He's in the process of writing three new ones.

It'll be a collection of interviews Daniel has done over the past 30 years with musicians, writers, and producers.

Next, we meet another man with a love for music.

Our story takes us to Hendersonville, where a man preserves those big band sounds of the 1920s and thirties.

Producer, Doug Stacker shows us how he's on a musical journey to share the magic of spinning those old 78s.

(air whooshing) - There's nothing electrical about it.

Crank it by hand.

This is what people did.

This was the technology of the day.

(record clicking) The bigger the needle, the louder it'll play.

(vintage orchestral music) I am Russ Wilson.

I'm a professional musician, record collector, amateur music historian.

It started when I was about nine or 10 years old and just finding a little handful of records, about a half a dozen.

I owe it all to my dad.

But he loved Reader's Digest.

He bought almost every one of those Reader's Digest box sets.

Those big box sets come with eight or 10 records in them.

One was a album set called "The Great Band Era", 1936 to 1945, and another one was called "In the Groove with the Kings of Swing".

And I listen to those records religiously.

(drum stick tapping) That experience kind of patterned the rest of my life.

♪ Dance with me - [Russ] I love that music.

I knew I wanted to play that music.

♪ Bend with me - The tagline that I've been getting being a vintage band leader is the Paul Whiteman of the 21st century.

(band music) (dramatic orchestral music) Doing the Paul Whiteman music and the band leader and keeping this music alive and bringing it to a new and younger audience.

(dramatic orchestral music) Well, folks, this is the museum, as my friends and family call it.

This is where the majority of the antique phonographs live.

(jazzy music) 29 phonographs, two sets of vintage Hi-Fi gear, the '64 Wurlitzer Jukebox, and between the 33s, 45s, and the 78s, but mostly 78s over 5,000.

(jazzy music) And here we have the record room.

I guess this is truly the heart and soul of my collection.

This houses all the 78s.

All this here is jazz and dance band, 78s, twenties through early, early forties.

It's owning your own little piece of history.

You have these records.

I mean, granted, you can listen to it on a CD any time of the day, but to actually have this record in your hands and put it on a turntable or put it on a phonograph in there, it's a piece of history that you own and you can listen to it.

♪ In the groove, in the groove ♪ In the groove, in the groove ♪ In the groove with Russ and Jimmy ♪ - Welcome to another night, another edition of "In The Groove".

I'm your host, Russ Wilson.

I'm an old fashioned disc jockey for two hours and playing records on the air and have a ball doing it.

Everything that I play is right there in the studio on a turntable.

I do not digitize anything.

The overall response was good.

I've got listeners from all parts of the world.

♪ On my way to Ida, Idaho ♪ Ida, Idaho - They talk about the roaring twenties and the thirties, forties, the swing era.

(string music) That time period is a very, to me it's all about style and class.

And there have been a lot of times I've visualized myself in your own little world, in your own little section of time that you can just kind of drift off to and think about how you would've been in that era.

(vintage orchestral music) - Thank you Doug.

Russ has co-written a song called "One Hour to Love Me" for season nine, episode eight of PBS's Masterpiece series, "Grantchester".

Plus, his radio show, "In The Groove", airs Monday nights from seven to nine on WPVM, the voice of Asheville.

Well, that's all the time we have this evening.

Thanks so much for joining us.

We always appreciate your time and we look forward to seeing you back here again next time on "Carolina Impact".

Goodnight my friends.

(bright guitar music) - [Narrator] This is a production of PBS Charlotte.

(ambient music)