• Utilize your company payroll savings plan. Payroll deduction is a great financial innovation. Just complete your company authorization form, and you can start a savings program that will work for you. It does not matter what type of plan it is or how much you can put in. Just get started and you have a new habit.

• Strive to maximize your company match. When a company offers you a matching contribution, they are basically saying, "Here's some free money. Want it?" Your goal is to make sure you contribute enough money so that you get the full matching contribution.

• Treat saving as another bill. The old adage for saving is, "Pay yourself first." The trick is to treat saving like any other bill. Name an amount and a date to pay it, then make that payment when it comes due.

• Set an annual goal for your savings account balances. You can never reach a goal if you don't set one. Specific annual targets for your account balances will become an incentive for you to save, and by dividing the difference between your current balance and your target, you can easily derive the periodic amount you need to contribute.

• Devote your raises to saving. When you get a raise, be sure to increase your savings also. If you can afford to, save the entire raise. If you can't do that, at least increase your savings by a portion of the raise.

• Save your loose change. Keep a savings jar and at the end of the week, put your loose change in it. You may also want to put bills below a specific denomination in the savings jar. At the end of the month, deposit the money into your savings account.

Saving is about discipline and denying yourself immediate gratification in favor of securing your future. Use the tips above to help take some of the pain out of creating a new habit or adjusting an existing one to help you pursue your goals.