How to Save Money Without Noticing

Let's take a moment to consider all the different purposes the experts say you need to save for. There's retirement. So you have a 401K or possibly a private IRA. Here's note though, there's a limit on how much you can contribute to your IRA each year and if you do the math... the limit will not get you through your retirement.

Then you have your "emergency fund". You do have one right? To which I'm sure you're replying "yeah right!". An emergency fund is supposed to cover 3 to 6 months worth of living expenses. The problem is... it takes a long time to save 3 to 6 months worth of salary because you have living expenses and many times that emergency fund gets used for minor emergencies like the car breaking down.

Most finance analysts would say you should have a variety of stocks, bonds, and cds in your portfolio. Yet once again, most American's don't invest in the stock market. Simply because they don't have the time, energy, know-how, or money to do so. So there's another account you're "supposed" to have.

What about college for the kids? How are you going to pay for that? Good luck!

With all of these necessary saving purposes how are you ever supposed to fill them all? I don't have all the answers, but I have some. Read on for some easy money saving tips that you won't even notice.

Tips!

1. Register with Upromise. With every purchase you save money for your child's education.

2. Join Sharebuilder and start investing. The fees and commissions are affordable and you don't need thousands of dollars to start.

3. At the end of the day, put all your spare change in a glass jar and make a game out of seeing how quickly you can fill it. Get the kids involved as well.

4. Most banks have online banking with the option to transfer money from one account to the other. Make sure your checking account always has an even rounded amount in it by transfering cents to your savings account. So if you have $1234.56 in your checking account, transfer 56 cents to your savings account.

5. Bank of America has a "Keep the Change" program where they round up your purchases and put the extra change in your savings account. See if your bank has a similar program.

6. Post everyday on a board called MyLot. They pay you for posting and it's not a lot but it adds up over time. It may not make you rich but it can fund your Christmas shopping so you can save your salary money for more important things.

7. Everyday put one dollar in a jar and at the end of the year (or week or month or quarter) deposit the savings into a bank account. It isn't hard to furnish a dollar bill once a day and it adds up.

These are my tips. Use some, use all. Just start saving money! Have at it!