BENJAMIN BANKES AND SAVINGSMAN™ OFFER TIPS ON USE OF YOUR TAX REFUND

New York (April 16, 2008) /PRNewswire/ – Are you getting money back from Uncle Sam? If so, don't take it as an excuse to run out to the store.

Benjamin Bankes, the icon of Feed the Pig™, a national public service campaign of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Ad Council, has teamed up with Savingsman™ icon of the Choose to Save program of the American Savings Education Council, to offer Americans advice on what to do with that refund check.

• "Open a savings account to be used only for high cost emergency items. Then when you need new tires for the car or dental work not covered by insurance you can pay for it without digging into your pocket," said Benjamin Bankes.
• Savingsman™ said, "Start a long-term cash reserve savings program to insulate you and your family from future economic bumps."
• "Hey, Savingsman™, I think people should pay down credit card debt!"
• "You're right, and they should fund a retirement account, such as a Roth IRA," commented Savingsman™.
• "Your kids are your most important asset, so invest in them by opening an education savings account," Benjamin Bankes and Savingsman™ concluded.

For more information, visit www.feedthepig.org and www.choosetosave.org.

Spokespeople are available to reporters to discuss savings tips and other financial literacy topics