Who wants to work past the age of 65? Not me. But some people in their forties and fifties claim that they want to work until they drop. But when their joints ache with arthritis, their back is stiff and sore, they don’t want to drive in the dark, and they are ready for a nap by two in the afternoon, they might just change their mind.

To avoid the need to work past your prime, save lots of money. A modest but systematic savings and investing program, started at a young age, is one way to ensure that you will accumulate enough money to stop working. For instance, $200 invested each month at a six percent return is worth $398,298.15 after 40 years. Up the savings to $300 and you would have $597,447.22.

And you don’t have to be the next Warren Buffett, the legendary billionaire stock investor, to succeed at accumulating a large pile of money. The key is to save, save and save some more.

For most people saving money is difficult because they want to spend it all on stuff now. But if you view savings as deferred spending, you might feel more inclined to start a savings program. You just have to be willing to postpone some of that spending, and invest what you would have spent today so it can grow into a big pile of money that is available tomorrow

Here are 10 tips to save more and spend less:

• Making savings, not spending, your first priority. After you pay the neccessities (mortgage or rent, food, car, etc), save what’s left rather than spend it on stuff that you think you need but could do without.
• Establish monthly and annual savings goals. Decide the actual dollar amount that you intend to save. Saving can be fun and rewarding when you meet your goal.
• Save, not spend, your raises. When you get a raise at work, save a large portion of it rather than going a shopping spree.
• Make a budget - know where your money goes.
• Resist impulse buying - have spending discipline.
• Be careful buying stuff just because it’s on sale. An item that is marked down 60 or 70 percent still costs you money.
• Control spending for services with monthly charges. Cable TV, cell phones, and satellite services can chew up tons of money.
• Think smaller. Do you really need the largest television set in the store. Wouldn’t a smaller one do? Is the 5,000 square foot house essential to be content? Wouldn’t a smaller one do? Think what you would save on heat, cooling and taxes with a smaller house. Buy the smaller item and pocket the savings.
• Cut back on the pocket-money spending for expensive lattes, snacks at work and lunches out.
• Go green. Avoid power toys like ride-on mowers, snow blowers, leaf blowers and the like. Instead, use a push mower, snow shovel and rake. Save tons of money and get some exercise as well.

For more money-saving tips, see buyupside.com, a free site about saving and investing.