How to Keep a Phone Bill to a Minimum

Many consumers constantly fret about their high phone bills. It takes a major chunk of money out of their monthly budget. Being a perceptive shopper always helps. In addition, the existing technology makes it easier to stay connected and keep phone bills to a minimum.

• 1

  Review your telephone bill and see what charges have been added to it. Check for additional processing fees or any charges that you did not agree to. Have you been charged extra for calls at certain times? Many carriers have different rates for peak hours and are free during weekends. Eliminate extra services you do not require. Change to a cheaper plan.

• 2

  Find a different carrier. If you have been with the same phone company for a long time, it's a good idea to check with different carriers and the plans they offer. Many may offer a new-customer discount and flexible spending plans. Review the packages, compare with your existing company and choose the cheapest service.

• 3

  Change to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service, with a company that routes your calls through the Internet rather than the telephone lines, if you have access to a high-speed Internet connection. Apart from the Internet connection, you will need a phone adapter, which is provided by the company. Companies such as Vonage, Net2Phone or Magic Jack often need no annual contract, offer unlimited long-distance calling in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, and give you features such as caller ID, call waiting, call block and others.

• 4

  Explore alternative methods for international calling. If you make international calls with your present carrier, you may want to use VoIP too. Many companies charge one flat rate and allow you to make calls anywhere in the world. Check with the VoIP provider, ask for international plans and the list of countries included.

• 5

  Use the Internet to make calls or chat with friends and family. Consumers with a broadband connection can use Google Voice, which allows you make free long distance calls in the U.S. and Canada with Gmail. You can send free unlimited texts using your phone or the web and receive low international rates. If you have access to a computer, microphone and a webcam, you may want to use the free Google chat or Skype for free video and audio chat. Simply download and install the chatting software on your computer.

• 6

  Use texts. Texting is a great way to stay connected and save on your phone minutes and money. Save on your texting money and use the Internet to send texts too. There are many websites like Onlinetextmessage.com that work with all major carriers and allow free messaging services.