Guest Post

If you are anything like our family, money does not flow abundantly. I often wish we could just clip it off the tree out back, but unfortunately, I have never found the budding money tree. Budgets are tight, especially with Christmas right around the corner.

My guest is Sage, who offered to help the beautiful readers of this blog save money on phone bills, which are quite ridiculous, if you ask me! I hope these tips can help you save some cash in time for the holidays! Thanks, Sage!

Great Ways To Lower Your Cell Phone Bills:

 

Figuring out ways to lower your monthly bills can be quite a challenge. You have regular, ongoing expenses that eat up your budget, leaving you with little or no money to spend on other things. Bills are going up, and yes, they are staying up. With the rise of the smartphone, cell phone bill is probably becoming the biggest expense you have. Good news is, there are simple ways you can save money on your phone bill.

Ditch the extra features and services:

Review your bill and watch out for features like road side assistance, phone insurance, custom ringtones, horoscope texts, games and other services you might not even know you have. Whether you're accidentally activating them or not, these all add to your monthly phone bill. Sticking to the basic service option is key to receiving a lower bill.

Don't use your cell for directory assistance and toll-free calls:

4-1-1 and 1-800 calls aren't exactly free when you make them from a cellphone. Call 1-800-GOOG-411 or 1-800-free411 instead (these are free services) or if you can, wait till you have access to a landline to make your call.

Get the most out of your minutes:

Minimize your data usage by using free apps and wi-fi whenever you can. Turn off your data connection and use Viber, Skype Mobile, Textfree, Google Voice, and Apple’s FaceTime app.

Shop for a family plan:

You can cut back on your minutes if you get your family and friends to split your plan with you as most providers allow if not free, then lower call rates within a small in-network group.

Pick a plan that is just right for you:

Analyze your usage patterns. If you don't make long distance calls, get a local-only plan. If you text a lot, switch to an unlimited text messaging plan. Better yet, use free apps to send texts like Textfree and Heywire. Also shop around for a plan that allows you to rollover unused minutes from the previous month to the next.

Move your services into one provider:

Bundle your cell phone, landline, cable/satellite, and internet into one plan for the best price.

Snag a discount:

Take advantage of corporate/employee discounts. There are also students and senior discounts, special offers from credit cards, coupons. Or you can take your own initiative and just ask for a better deal.

Go no-contract or prepaid:

How much do you really use your phone? If you only use it for occasional calls or texts, then a prepaid plan may be the most economical option for you. http://www.no-contract-plans.com">No Contract Plans.com

offers free information on various popular no-contract plans, specs, reviews, pros and cons all in one place, so if you’re in the market for a new phone or service plan, you can compare plans and find the one that fits you best at http://www.no-contract-plans.com.

Was there ever a time when mobile phones are considered "non-essentials"? Telephone companies sure take advantage of the fact that cell phones are fast becoming must-have items, what with all their enticing offers and promos, everything just seems to sound too good a deal to pass up. But if you can save a few bucks on your phone bill, wouldn't you like to grab the opportunity to tuck away extra cash for something other than your utility bill?

BIO: A frugal living enthusiast, wife and mother, Sage Harman runs http://www.no-contract-plans.com, a site dedicated to providing free information to consumers trying to find viable no-contract phone and internet plans.