WAYS TO SAVE WISE SAVERS MONEY SET ASIDE BUILDS UP QUICKLY CREDIT CARDS -- PAY THEM OFF LIFE INSURANCE AUTOMATIC REINVESTING PUT ALL SMALL CHANGE INTO A PIGGY BANK USE PRUDENCE IN SELECTING INVESTMENTS For many, the goal of saving remains elusive. It may seem surprising that many people, regardless of how little money they earn, manage to put money aside in savings regularly -- while at the other extreme, people with high incomes sometimes have trouble saving. Following is a discussion of ways to save -- ways that work, ways that are almost painless. You may wish to add methods that have worked for you, or try to think of new ones. There are three keys to successful saving: pay yourself first; put savings in a separate account; and be consistent. Many people decide to save what's left over after expenses. But guess what -- there isn't anything left at the end of the month. Wise savers pay themselves first each month. And they have a definite amount and date to save--it's not left vague. The first payment each month (or each paycheck) goes into savings; then, whatever is left over is used to pay bills and for discretionary spending. Somehow, almost miraculously, all expenses are met, and the money isn't missed. The important thing is to set the money aside, which brings us to the second point: use a separate account, specifically for savings. Some of us have tried to accumulate money without setting it aside, but it never builds up. Money set aside builds up quickly, because it's not available to us. Last, be consistent--remember the tortoise and the hare. It's the regular, steady, ongoing, incremental additions that add up. Quick starts and stops are difficult to manage, and wasteful.