Let's face it, it's not easy to save. With the pressure of life pulling at every single shilling you earn, every single moment it becomes difficult to set aside money for later use. However, saving is crucial; its the starting point for anyone who wants to achieve their financial goals. Here are five ways to trick yourself into saving more.

1. Go On Autopilot

Ever heard the phrase, "pay yourself first?" It's the best trick to get into the habit of saving: when you pay your bills come payday, budget for your savings just like it's another bill you're paying. Set up separate accounts for emergency savings (for when the car breaks down, or the water heater breaks), retirement and for more fun goals like that family vacation.
Make your savings a no-brainer by setting up an automatic transfer (standing order) to the account(s) on the day your money checks into your sccount, so you're not tempted to spend the money elsewhere. Even if you just set up KES 2,000 on a monthly paycheck, that still adds up to KES 24,000 a year - and you probably won't even miss it. As you get used to saving, try increasing the automatic savings by a little bit every six months.

2. Keep the Change
Remember that big jar of coins your mother kept in the kitchen? Bring it back into fashion, and empty your wallet of coins a few times a week. Get the family involved; if you have kids, have them draw a picture of what you'll do with the money once the jar is full. Exchange the coins for notes at your local bank. Keeping your change over the course of a year can easily add up to a few thousand shillings in savings KES 20 a day totals up to KES 7,300 a year - another painless way to save. And you'll really grow to love those coins that used to clutter up your wallet.

3. Forget the Raise
Got a raise? Congratulations! Before you start spending this windfall, increase your standing order to your savings account to reflect that pay increase. If it's an annual cost-of living increase, you've likely already adjusted to higher prices, and if it's a promotion-related raise, you won't miss the money.

Instead of spending your extra pay, put it towards something that's important to you, like retirement savings or a family vacation.

4. Keep the Habit
It took you years, but you finally paid off your car. Instead of being tempted to spend the extra cash you now have each month, pretend you're still making that payment, but make it to yourself instead. You can set up a standing order to savings for the payment amount; if you're really looking ahead, you can set the money aside until it's time to replace your car. Imagine going to the dealership years from now and paying cash for your next car - now there's some motivation to keep those payments going into savings.

5. Finders Keepers
We all run into the occasional found money: that rebate check you forgot about, the KES 1,000 in your the jacket from the last time you wore it on a night out or that larger-than-usual bonus. Instead of blowing this money at your local, put it into savings. You won't miss the money, and it'll get you closer to your goal if you put it in your savings account, accruing interest. If you're having a hard time resisting temptation and want to have some fun now with your extra money, consider splitting the amount in two: half into savings, half fun money. This way, you can feel good about investing in your future, but still have a little fun today.

The Bottom Line
Saving money doesn't have to be difficult. With these tricks, you can take the work out of setting money aside, getting you on your way to reach your savings goal quicker than you would have thought.