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Financial Tips

How to Save Money: Tame Your Phone Bill

There’s no need to dread the arrival of the phone bill every month! Get it under control with these tips from Credit Counselors.

Reel in Your Landline

Some people have dumped the landline entirely and use only a cell phone, but it’s not for everyone. If you’re sticking with a landline phone, here are some strategies to keep the costs within your household budget.

  • Look at a recent phone bill. Are you overrun with features? Caller ID, Return Call, Call Waiting, Voice Mail -- some phone companies include these for free, others charge. Consider which ones you really use and whether you need them. If there’s any item on the bill you don’t understand, ask the phone company.
  • How often do you dial long distance? Look at your long distance tolls from some recent phone bills. If you use it frequently, talk to the phone company about a flat rate.
  • If you rarely use long distance, consider what per-minute rate you’re paying. Would a prepaid phone card be cheaper?
  • Many cable providers offer combination packages of cable, Internet, and phone service. You may want to consider whether this could save you money instead of paying for all three services separately.

Cell Phone Smarts

Though it hasn’t been that long since we did without cell phones, most people consider them indispensable today. You can at least minimize the impact on your household budget:

  • How much do you use your phone? There’s no point in paying for extra minutes month after month. Tailor your cell phone plan as closely to your actual usage as possible. Try to make more calls at off-peak times.
  • For many people, a cell phone is still mostly a phone. Don’t fall for the advertising for more expensive models. A cell phone without all the latest features still makes terrific phone calls.
  • This goes double for your kids, who may be less able to resist the peer pressure and advertising. You can make room in your household budget for a phone, but should you make room for a fashion accessory?
  • Very few people truly need Internet service or GPS on their phone. You probably have faster Internet service at home.
  • Resist the urge to download extras for your phone, like ring tones. Is that really what you want to spend your money on?
  • One way to manage the cell phone bill is a prepaid plan. Just make sure you’re realistic about how many minutes you’re purchasing and whether it will end up costing you more per minute.

If the phone bill and other expenses are overwhelming your efforts at debt management, one of the smartest calls you can make is to the debt counseling professionals at Credit Counselors.