Paid-off credit cards or other loans. Your car is paid off? Fantastic! The $359 (or whatever) you were paying to the car lender should go straight into savings. A few transactions like this and your savings balance will soar! 

Take money out of your savings or money market account to pay off high-rate credit card debt. This makes sense as you're likely only earning 3 or 4 percent (max) on your savings, while you're paying 16, 18, even 24 percent on your credit card. By eliminating the debt, you gain an instantaneous 12 or 14 or 20 percent. Why? Because you're no longer spending the money on interest.
   
8 more ways to start saving now