AMERICANS ARE PACKING their lunch instead of eating out, saving their loose change and occasionally substituting a coffee for a cappuccino, all to build financial savings.

By using these and other on-line tips, consumers are saving through America Saves, a program developed by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA). Research conducted at Ohio State University provided baseline information to the CFA on saving behavior of households.

"Data analysis really helps us understand current saving behavior - what households do to build their savings," said Catherine Montalto, the Ohio State associate professor who analyzes data in collaboration with CFA. "We are ultimately trying to get people to save."

As compared to other countries, America has a low savings rate, Montalto said. Data shows that everyone can save, not just those with high income. Targeted programs under America Saves help serve specific needs.

One new program, Black America Saves, was launched in July 2002. The program's sponsor, Black Entertainment Television, helps relay information to black American households.

Black American households tend to have lower income and net worth than all other American households, Montalto said. However, savings are similar in poorer households regardless of race.

"In households with less than $10,000, differences by race really start to disappear," Montalto said. "For instance, all low-wealth households have shorter planning horizons. It's not race, but other factors associated with savings that differ among households.

"Our real interest is in savings behaviors and looking at slices of groups to better understand them. Eventually, we hope to expand research to many sub-groups of the population and different interests."