Save More Money.

1 Max Out Your 401(k)

More than half of all eligible employees aren't taking full advantage of their company's 401(k) match. And a third haven't even signed up.

• Keep it simple: Don't let anxiety about choosing from the sometimes intimidating number of investment options keep you from signing up. Check out Resolution No. 2 for simple ways to put together the right mix of investments. You can always change your selections later.
• Get all of the match: Elect initially to contribute at least as much as your company requires to get the full employer match, which is usually between 3% and 6% of your salary.
• Create your own plan: If you don't have access to an employer-sponsored plan, create your own facsimile: Open a conventional IRA, Roth IRA or SEP-IRA and have your bank transfer a set amount into it every month from your checking account.
• 2 Ratchet Up Your Savings

Try these painless ways to accelerate your savings.

• Save half your raise: Increase your contributions by half the amount of any salary bump you get (or, better yet, all of it). You'll increase your level of savings without cramping your lifestyle.
• Sign up for auto-escalation: This feature is becoming more common in 401(k)s: You sign up once, instructing your plan provider to automatically increase your savings rate by an amount you choose (usually between 1% and 3%) on the same day every year. No fuss, no bother.
• Take baby steps: Or bump up contributions yourself, starting with a percentage point or two. If you make $80,000, an extra 2% will add $1,600 in pretax dollars to your account by 2007, but you'll lose less than $25 from your weekly paycheck.
• 3 Look Beyond Retirement

You can apply the same principles of automated savings to other goals, such as building an emergency fund or saving up for your kids' tuition.

• Automate everything: Most major banks, brokerages and fund companies will allow you to set up automatic monthly cash transfers into a designated savings or investment account.
• Match the vehicle to the goal: For your emergency fund, use a safe, liquid vehicle like an online bank or a money-market fund. For medium-term goals, look at short-term bond funds. To see how long it will take for your collective savings to hit seven figures, check out the Millionaire calculator at cnnmoney.com/tools.

Stash Your Cash

Best bets for your emergency fund or other short-term goals:

EMIGRANT DIRECT SAVINGS
APR 4%      CONTACT   800-836-1997

HSBC SAVINGS
APR 4%      CONTACT   888-404-4050

WESTERN FINANCIAL MONEY MARKET
APR 4.25%   CONTACT   877-932-1234

PHOTO (COLOR): No. 1 Resolve to save more cash in 2006--it's ammo for your future.

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By Janet Paskin