Q: Sometimes I feel I’m just spinning my wheels with monthly finances. I pay bills like I’ve always done, but it seems like problems crop up all the time, and I end up paying out more in fees than I take in. Any advice? — Sara Spin

A: Once more, I emphasize my lack of financial wizardry although, on the other hand, I think you’ve just hit the nail on the head. Paying your bills or managing your finances as you’ve “always done” is likely the problem. Today’s transactions are so much more sophisticated and, if we don’t keep careful track, our financial life becomes allshewrote.

For example, if you’re not checking your accounts online, you may be overdrawn two weeks before the paper statement arrives. In fact, I know a number of naive folks who still didn’t realize that upon writing a check, the old three-day grace “processing” period is long-gone. Wham bam! That check flies back over the computer lines the same day it was written and, unless one has overdraft protection, the unfortunate person’s account may be so overdrawn he or she hasn’t a prayer. Or perhaps your account is set up so you must maintain a minimum daily balance. If the funds fall below that amount, you’re slapped with more fees. And the list goes on and on ...

Since I’ve written in the past about the pros and cons of online banking, let me simply suggest a few essentials to keep your “wheels” firmly on the road.

* Do sign up for electronic banking. Even if you choose not to actually transact business online, at the very least you can view what’s happening on a daily basis before you write those next checks. (Also, if you’re lucky enough to have a savings account and worse comes to worse, you can switch money over faster than Tinkerbelle sprinkles fairy dust.)

* Do sign up for automatic debits. Again, you’re not required to “pay” bills online in order to use this service. Generally, utilities, lenders, insurance companies and the like offer the option of debiting your account every month. One big advantage is you know exactly which date amounts are deducted and, for some like a house payment, the exact total. Secondly, even if the sum varies from month to month (such as a water bill) a charge still gets covered.

* Do sign up for automatic deposits. Don’t you have better things to do with your time than stand around waiting around a teller’s window to deposit your check? ATM lines get pretty long, too. I can’t imagine any payer refusing to cooperate, especially since a direct deposit saves the company time and money to create and snail mail checks to you.

* Do set up overdraft protection. Bouncing checks is unnecessary, wasteful, and embarrassing.

* And because too many creepy hackers are waiting to pounce, do set up a firewall with antivirus and antispyware programs. Keep them updated and make sure they run every single day. (I like SUPERAntiSpyware Professional and AVG.)

People who monitor their accounts online tend to catch problems before they occur. Just remember to use common sense practices (such as not checking your balance on a public computer and failing to log off) and enjoy automation!

Editor’s Note: Ellen Phillips is a retired English teacher who has written two consumer-oriented books. Her Consumer Watch column appears on Saturdays in the Business section of the paper. An expanded version is at www.timesfreepress.com under Local Business. E-mail her at consumerwatch@timesfreepress.com