In the best of times, saving money is tough, and these are not the best of times.

In fact, sometimes it can seem as if the universe is conspiring against you.

" How is it that the minute you have a spare Rs 500 to save, there is a mysterious expense"

That's exactly the phoenomenan I am struggling to overcome.

It's not the money

"What all the economics research suggests is that you don't have to find more money to save -- you need to be very intentional with the money you have," says Bauer,

Socking away money is tricky, experts believe, for the same reason that diets often fail. The brain resists sacrificing immediate pleasures (eating, spending) for abstract, far-off goals, such as looking cute in a swimsuit or having money in the bank for a rainy day.

According to Princeton psychology professor Eldar Shafir, one obstacle is that the choices we make in one context become more or less appealing when circumstances shift. It's like going to the grocery store when you're hungry, Shafir says. "You promise yourself beforehand that you'll only spend X, but if you shop when you're hungry, you're almost certain to spend more."

To save successfully, you have to recognize that your choices are vulnerable to these unruly changes of heart. So don't expect yourself to do the right thing; assume part of you is likely to fail. Then put your smarter self in charge.

For example: You depend on your practical side to put the alarm clock out of reach at night so that in the morning, your sleepy self can't hit the snooze button. In the same way, when choosing to save money, rely on your most motivated self to make all the arrangements.

Embrace inertia

"It turns out that the most powerful force in our financial behavior isn't knowledge -- it's inertia," says Ray Boshara, the director of the asset-building program.

Fortunately, much like gravity, fiscal inertia can be useful if you know how to handle it. The aim is to have to do as little as possible.

Make it automatic. The best strategy: automatic transfers.

Move your money One woman even put her savings in a bank across town so she would be less likely to pass it each day. The point is, by understanding when and where you're likely to fail, you can find clever ways to increase your chances of saving successfully.

Enlist technology : Ask your employer whether it's possible to have part of your paycheck funneled into a savings account, instead of direct-depositing the whole thing into Salary account

There's another powerful element to build into your new savings equation: a sense of personal meaning.

Rather than abstractly aiming for X amount, think about why having that nest egg is important to you. Is it because you'll sleep better knowing your family has emergency funds?

Is it because you can take courses that could land you a better job, leading to better opportunities for you and your kids? If saving is just about reaching a dollar amount, that's going to be hard to sustain.

Keeping up the momentum

For example, if your grocery receipt shows that you "saved" Rs 178 on items you bought that day, go home and put that money aside.

Arranging your life so that you confront fewer temptations is a wise thing altogether."