Strangest thing that has worked for me is finding out that deposits are sticky: money tends to stay where you put it. So, switch your direct deposit to your savings account and then transfer out what you need for bills. More of it will tend to stay in savings than be the “i have extra money this month, maybe I’ll go shopping” money you discover at the end of the month. This is related to pay yourself first, but it makes it much easier. If you automate your bills – from your checking account, not through the biller’s site – you will very quickly start to see your savings grow. Change that savings account into an investment account and things start to build even more.