Tips of the day: Stop money from leaking out of your budget

Every household has financial leaks -- the surprising ways in which money escapes. Find out how to plug them up. -- From CNN.com
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<b>The fix:</b> The average household receives about 15 bills a month. With stamps now at 42 cents each, you spend about $76 a year just on postage -- and don't forget the late fees if your checks get lost in the mail.<br> <br> Save time and money by signing up with the billers' customer-service departments to have your bills paid by credit card or automatic debit; payments will be documented on your monthly bank statement. If you want more control, almost all major banks offer free online bill payment, which lets you schedule payments in advance.

The leak: Paying bills by snail mail.

(Getty Images/Justin Sullivan / January 28, 2009)

The fix: The average household receives about 15 bills a month. With stamps now at 42 cents each, you spend about $76 a year just on postage -- and don't forget the late fees if your checks get lost in the mail.

Save time and money by signing up with the billers' customer-service departments to have your bills paid by credit card or automatic debit; payments will be documented on your monthly bank statement. If you want more control, almost all major banks offer free online bill payment, which lets you schedule payments in advance.