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Phone Bill Taxing Your Household Budget? Trim It Down to Size!

At our ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions, we've heard it thousands of times from consumers just like you: Each month when the dreaded phone bill arrives, there's no telling what horrors lurk within. People avoid opening the envelope in fear of an unexpectedly high bill - especially when household budgeting is an ongoing concern. But fear not; with a bit of strategy, you may be able to save hundreds of dollars per year.

Start with Your Home Phone

How long has it been since you reviewed your landline phone bill? Gather a few recent ones and then follow the steps below from our ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions:

• To begin, take a look at the extra features you may subscribe to. Do you have Caller ID? How much does that cost? Could you get by without it? What about voicemail? Are there less expensive options in this area?
• What about your long-distance calling history? If you're a regular long distance or international user, a better plan may exist. Dial your phone company's customer service number and ask about alternative plans.
• Perhaps you're more on the opposite side of the spectrum - you rarely make a long-distance call. If this is the case, it may make sense to consider disconnecting your long-distance service completely. Instead, consider keeping a prepaid phone card handy (but be careful about such cards expiring).
• If you have a cell phone, consider how much money might be saved by eliminating your landline service. (Be careful not to forget that disconnecting your landline may affect your ability to connect to the Internet.)
• Speaking of Internet service, DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) service is another common add-on to phone bills. If you're a DSL subscriber, take a moment to inquire about the DSL plans available through your phone company. Often, cheaper, less-advertised plans exist.
• Consider a bundled service. There are plans that include a phone line, internet access, and cable television all in one monthly bill. This may save you money if you are currently paying for all three of these services separately.

Roaming Over Your Cell Phone Bill

In our society, many people consider their cell phones lifelines to the world. If it's impractical to suggest life without a cell phone, you can at least work to minimize the hit to your household budget by following some suggested guidelines:

• Select your plan wisely. Take a look at past month's bills to figure out times when you call the most. Are you talking mostly during peak hours? If you can't move these calls to off-peak, then maybe it's time to shop plans.
• Ring tones may be fun, but are they worth the price?
• Do you really need to surf the web on your phone? Sure, it's a novelty, but you likely have Internet service at home. Why incur the extra fees?
• Are you seeing roaming charges? If so, it could be time to shop for a better deal.
• Do you really need an expensive phone decked out with all of the latest bells and whistles? Opt for a basic model to save money. Most carriers provide a free basic phone model every few years.
• What else are you downloading or accessing that you could easily live without?
• Consider a prepaid plan to keep your household budget in check. (If you do opt for prepaid, make sure to ask how long the minutes last, whether they can be rolled over, and what your per-minute cost options are.)
• If you have children with cell phones, instruct them never to order extra features without seeking prior permission.

Bundles of Joy

From a budgeting standpoint, a bundled option may serve many families well. Cable and digital television providers are increasingly offering bundled services that cover phone, Internet, and cable or digital TV together. Plan terms vary widely, so make sure you fully understand what fees apply to what services.

Alternatively, if you already access the Internet via a high-speed cable or DSL line, you may want to also consider Voice Over IP service (called "VoIP") that allows you to make telephone calls over the Internet. There are pros and cons to this technology, but many users swear by it and enjoy the cost savings over land lines.

Technology will always move forward, of course. For many generations, there were only land lines. Suddenly, today, consumers have more options than they may even understand. It is important to learn what options are available to you - whether with technology or managing debt effectively. Our debt counseling professionals stay in touch with the latest debt management techniques. So, take the time to review the tips above from the professionals at ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions.