My saving strategy is to "trick my brain". Let me explain........I have been doing this for about 30 years and it still works, so you can either say that I am a slow learner or not too bright. But, I did want to share this with you. I have shared it with some people during the past and those who gave it a try have thanked me over and over.
Here it is....simple as can be.
Your check book is the key. Once some bills are paid you see a little "left over" money in your checking account. That tells you that you can do a little spending before you are really broke. Well...........it all has to do with that 'balance amount" that is left over.
What I have done over the years is when I see a balance say of $150.00 leftover......I immediately take out $100 of that by writing "Hide-away" in my checkbook and the date. In the far back of the check register or on another ledger totally separate from my register I input this amount. It is kind of like a savings account in your checking account. Just write it down like a check (with no check number) and deduct the amount....but take it out of the amount showing.
Once you reduce the account balance it is no longer there for you to spend. Meanwhile, your "Hide-away" balances build up like crazy. You balance your checking account like normal and you will be off-balance by the amount that is in your Hide-away.
If your checking account earns you interest, then keep the interest in the balance.....not in the Hide-away amount. Every little bit helps with your Hide-away............you will be amazed at how it builds.
Many times during the years, I had a negative checking balance (because I had to dip in to the hidden money), I never had to worry about bounced checks because of the float that I had with the Hide-away amount.
Then when the Hide-away money reaches a certain amount, take it out.......get a CD. I felt as if it was free money.......I did not miss it along the way and then I had this big amount that I could get a CD with.
The whole trick of this is to NOT show the extra money in your checking balance. Give it a try. I am ashamed of how much money I have saved in the past years.........it would blow your mind. AND IT IS only because I tricked my brain.........I saw a low balance so did not overspend. When I saw a little cushion, I moved it to hide-away.
If you try this, let me know if it is working for you.