Women currently save at about half the rate of their male contemporaries and they start building a retirement nest egg later, too. This pattern can have negative consequences during those years when you are prepared to enjoy the fruits of your decades-long investment in your career. Automatic payroll deduction is the easy way to avoid shortchanging yourself.

A good way to begin saving is to pay yourself first

A good way to begin saving is to pay yourself first. One way to do this is to have your employer automatically deduct money from your paycheck and deposit it directly into your savings or investment account. You'd be surprised--over time, regular savings can really add up.