8 Tips for Maximizing Your Wireless Phone Savings

For many families, cell phones can be quite a burden on the monthly budget. In fact, in some families, the cost of wireless plan can account for as much as 10% of the monthly budget. Wow! It's a big monthly expense. No doubt about it. In many households, it's considered a necessity. Even more so than a traditional land-line. Necessary enough that people will cut the land-line off altogether (keeping the wireless phone) in order to trim monthly expenses. Now while you might think that cell phones are necessary, the cost, however, is not. So here are some tips to help you save money on your monthly wireless plan.

1. Shop around and don't be afraid to ask for every available plan, option, and promotion. Many companies won't tell you about the best deals unless you ask for them.
2. Find a phone and a plan that's right for your lifestyle and your budget. Don't pay extra for all the bells and whistles or add-ons if you don't plan on using them or don't really need them. Sure mobile web is nice, but is it really worth that extra $20 or $30 a month? Am I really going to text that often or can I save that extra $10 a month and just make calls? How often am I really going to use a media player to watch videos or listen to music? Etc.
3. Roaming and long distance charges can really hike up your monthly bill. If you're calling outside of your local network on a regular basis, look into a nationwide calling plan which eliminates these unnecessary charges.
4. Take advantage of family/business plans. Family plans reduce individual phone costs considerably and they are perfect for parents/kids, businesses/co-workers, and even roommates. You don't have to be related to take advantage of these convenient plans.
5. Take advantage of online savings and contract advantages/commitment pricing. For example, AT&T Wireless offers instant online savings of up to $100 plus an extra discount on certain phones for committing to a plan. In many cases you can even get a free phone when you sign a contract.
6. Be wary of unlimited plans. They seem nice and in some cases may be the best option, but often times you'll find that unlimited plans pressure you into buying many more minutes than you actually need or will use.
7. Prepaid might be the best option. Prepaid isn't just for the 100 minutes a month individual anymore. Many companies are now offering unlimited minutes for under $50 a month. This is great because you will never go over your limit, hence no additional charges.
8. Talk about it. Cell phone companies are just like most business who seek to turn a profit; they're not going to come knocking at your door to inform you that you could be saving money. So call them up and ask a few questions. Find out if there's a cheaper plan based on your usage and preferences. Are there any current promotions? I've been a customer for awhile, are there any loyalty programs? They're not going to turn their back on you, and there may not be any additional savings. But you'll never know unless you ask, and they're going to charge you as much as they can for as long as they can.