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.