Cellular Surprises

Funky rings, text messages, picture phones,they're all fun. But they can cost you. We'll run through the expenses and point out ways you can save.

Cell Surprises and Savings

Understand the bill - Know exactly what you're being charged for and what service you may get. It's possible some services are perks that you get for free, while others may cost you. For example, some carriers may provide a specific number of text messages for nothing, while others will charge for each and every message you send or receive.

Duplicate services - See if your services are redundant. For instance, if you're paying for a web service and an email service, you may not need both. It would be a waste of money to pay for both when you don't have to have both.

Double charges - Some services require you to pay twice for one task. Take picture phones, for example. Snapping the photo may be free, but sending it will require you to pay for web service, and you'll pay for air-time while online.
Bright Idea!

Parents especially have to be on the alert. Companies are marketing heavily to teens who want the fanciest phones with the coolest extras. With many styles, you can order extras right off the phone. If you want to control your teen's spending on these phones, you may want to consider a prepaid phone.
What is It?

A prepaid cell phone plan is an option that may work out better for some. You pay for a certain amount of minutes in advance. When that airtime runs out, the phone goes dead. So, who is this type of plan good for? And, who shouldn't consider it?
Teens
Teenagers are prime candidates for prepaid cell phones. "It puts them on a budget, it teaches them that when they use their minutes up it'll be gone," says Sam Simon from the Telecommunications Research and Action Center.

Credit Challenged

Prepaid cells are also great for the credit-challenged, because you don't need a credit check before you sign up.

Occasional Users

Another group that can take advantage of this type of plan is occasional users. That's because the minutes can be spread over several months.

Heavy Talker

People who need to use their phones on a regular basis should stay away from this plan. It's generally much more expensive per minute.

Heavy Travelers

If you tend to travel and bring your phone along, it's not for you. "Generally, they don't cover roaming, so that if you're out of your calling area you are going to pay very high roaming fees," says Simon.

Cutting Your Bill
If you decide a prepaid cell phone is not the best option for you, how else can you cut your bill?

Do Your Homework

Consumer advocate Ennis Jacobs suggests sitting down and figuring out when you use your phone most.

>>What time of day do you use your phone?

>>Do you use night and weekend minutes?

>>Do you see a calling pattern? If so, you may want to change your plan to better suit your needs.

What's a Minute?

If you use your cell phone often, Jacobs also says it's important to consider the provider's definition of a minute. If you're trying to minimize costs, understand how far calling times are rounded. Are they rounded up to the next minute? Or, are they rounded to the next half-minute.
On the Road

If you're on the go on a regular basis, find if you'll be charged roaming fees. If so, how much will they cost?

Extra Services

Subscribe only to services that you need. Extras can add up every month. Do you use text messaging or web access? If you have these options and are not using them, call your carrier to cancel them.

Research

Make sure to look around to find the best rate for you. Watch out. There may be a plan that has a lower price per minute, but the terms and conditions don't suit your needs. So, you could wind up paying a higher overall price.

GET MORE FOR YOUR MONEY
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