5 More Messy Money Mistakes and Quick Fixes

To read part 1 of Five Messy MOney Mistakes and Quick Fixes click here

Few mistakes irk MainStreet more than those made with money. Good thing many messy money mistakes can be solved pretty easily. MainStreet rounded up some capital money managing minds to tell you what to do.

MISTAKE: Ignoring Bills
Even if you pay your bills online, you should still take a look at the paper copies before tossing them in the trash. A quick glance at your Verizon (VZ) bill may show you’ve been going over your minutes and paying extra every month. You could also catch extra promotions or gift offers.

THE FIX: Hire a Snail Mail Scanner
If you’re out of town often, have a fear of paper cuts or just prefer doing everything online, Earthclassmail.com is one solution. It’s an online snail mail scanner that lets you view your mail as a PDF document. It then shreds or forwards your mail, upon request.

MISTAKE: Writing Checks
While the use of checks is declining each year, the Federal Reserve still recorded some 30 million check payments in 2006. We spend $22 billion on stamps each year, alone, according to the United States Postal Service. But that’s beside the point. “It’s not the money you spend doing them, it’s the reliance on snail mail and the exposure to possible theft that are the major downsides,” says Greg McBride of Bankrate.com.

THE FIX: Hire an E-Payer.

There are legitimate Web sites that keep tabs on your bills and help you e-pay. Check with your bank first, as it may offer a free service linking your bank account to creditors. Otherwise, comparison-shop for a third party bill payer. Checkfree.com is the chief middleman for online bill payments. Facebook users can also download the Pay Me application for free, which is powered by PayPal (EBAY), for peer-to-peer electronic payments.