Household telephone bills, be they for mobiles or land lines, can be the cause of much anguish in many households – even more so when you throw a couple of teenagers into the mix. Phone bills can add up to hundreds of dollars a month if left unchecked, particularly if you have friends and family who live in another country who you speak to on a regular basis. The introduction of smart phones, upon which users can download all sorts of weird and wonderful apps, as well as browse the Internet, all increase the chances of racking up the $ too if you’re not careful. So here are a few useful tips for reducing those bills.
Call ‘smart’
Check to see if you are taking advantage of any deals or call ‘bundles’ from your service provider. Many companies will offer cheaper calls between certain times of day or night, over a weekend or, if you are calling from a mobile, between specific network providers. You can also get some really good text/call/Internet bundles from mobile network operators now too, so if you’re a text maniac then it’s definitely worth looking for a bundle that includes unlimited texting as it’s easy to rack up hundreds of texts a month. It’s also worth asking your network provider if they will offer preferential rates if you have all your household mobile phone contracts with them.
Don’t Pay for Things you Don’t Need
As well as making sure you’re getting the very best deal possible, you should also make sure that you’re not paying for things you neither need or want. Many companies will charge you for Caller ID, itemised billing or even a paper statement! Check your statements carefully and query anything that you’re not sure about. If you only have a home telephone line in case of emergencies and so you can access the Internet then the chances are you don’t need an all-singing, all-dancing package of features.
Call free!
The introduction of Skype and other Voice over Internet Protocol systems has revolutionised how we interact with each other. Skype is a free program which allows you to call (and see if you have a web cam on your PC or laptop) anywhere in the world, for free, over the Internet! All you (and the people that you want to talk to) have to do is download the software, open an account and you’re good to go.
Remember that loyalty doesn’t pay
Much like the insurance market, you don’t get any bonuses or discounts for being loyal to your telephone or mobile provider. But, it’s a competitive market out there, and once they’ve got you they will want to hang on to you. So it’s definitely worthwhile checking out other options so that you can approach your current provider with some ammunition to open negotiations to reduce your charges. And, if they won’t budge go somewhere else. There are always lots of rock bottom offers available to tempt new customers!
Surviving without a phone is unthinkable to most of us. But the tips above will help you to reduce the costs of using yours.