Building a nest egg is much easier said than done. When we’ve got bills to pay, groceries to buy, and all sorts of other things we need, it often seems like there’s just nothing left to save when the month is over. And when we look at it that way, there’s usually not.

If you’re serious about saving money, it’s best to put it aside before you pay bills or spend on anything. But that is much easier said than done. We often promise ourselves that we’re not going to touch a portion of our earnings unless we absolutely have to, but leave it in the checking account for easy access in the event of an emergency. But invariably, some sort of “emergency” comes up. And when it’s all said and done, we have nothing to put into savings.

One of the best ways to make sure you don’t spend the money you plan to save is to keep it a little further out of reach. Putting it into a savings account is the easiest way to accomplish that. You can usually make deposits in person or online, and if a true emergency arises, you can access it fairly easily. But even the practice of depositing money into savings every month requires a certain amount of willpower, and that’s something that we are often short on.

There is an easier and more effective way to save. And that’s by setting up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account. Just set up direct deposit with your employer, arrange for a transfer for the amount you want to save out of each paycheck on the day you get paid (or the day after to be safe), and forget about it. The money is removed from your checking account soon after it arrives, and the temptation to spend it is gone.

If you are on a tight budget, putting money into savings as soon as you get it might feel a bit uncomfortable. But by doing so, you force yourself to try and find a way to live on the amount that is left in your account. In most cases, it is completely doable. You might even find that you can add a little bit to the amount you’re having transferred and still pay your bills with no problem.

Saving money isn’t always easy. But when you make it automatic, there is less room for unnecessary spending. And if you find that you truly need some of the money you put away, you can withdraw what you need and leave the rest alone. Give automatic transfers a try, and watch your savings grow!