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Consumer advocates suggest taking these steps:

• Stop writing funny checks. "If you ever wrote a check before the money was available, don't do it again," said Gail Hillebrand, a senior attorney for Consumers Union. If there's any question, she suggests calling your bank to find out your up-to-the-minute balance. People who bank online can look at their balances from a computer.

• Use direct deposit. "If you use direct deposit, there's no hold," said Carol Malicki, a senior vice president involved in Wachovia's Check 21 task force. "The money is available on the day the item is dated." Many companies will allow employees to have their paychecks deposited directly to their checking accounts. Dividend checks and government checks can also go directly to your account.

• Consider overdraft protection. One way is to set up a formal link between a savings account and your checking account. Faced with an overdraft, the bank would cover it with money from the savings account. Remember that there may be fees for this or other arrangements.

• Ask for "substitute" checks. Check 21 establishes that substitute checks are the legal equivalent of the original. But some banks may provide copies that don't meet the standards for substitutes.

The difference is important. Check 21 actually provides some extra protections in case of double billing or other mistakes. But you have to have a substitute check to claim them.

Hillebrand and other consumer advocates say you should insist on getting substitutes. Again, ask your bank if there is an extra fee for the service.

• Check your statement quickly. If you think there has been a mistake, you must bring it to the bank's attention within specified periods.

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