Shrink Your Cell Phone Bill

Money-Saving Tips 9-13

9. Sell your contract
If you find a cheaper cell phone plan and want to opt out of a pricey multiyear contract, avoid the $150 to $200 early-termination fee by transferring the balance of your plan to someone else. Celltradeusa.com and cellswapper.com charge from $18 to $25 to match sellers and buyers.

10. Start a calling circle
Save minutes (time is money!) with special deals. AT&T and Verizon let you make free calls to other customers who use the same service; T-Mobile's myFaves plan offers free calls to the five people you dial the most, regardless of which mobile carrier they use.

11. Curb your kids' cell phone use
For $5 a month the AT&T Smart Limits for Wireless service lets you control the numbers kids can call and text. You can block certain numbers as well as choose the times of day a child can make outgoing calls. But you can't use the service to set specific monthly limits for minutes -- yet.

12. Opt for a new phone every two years
Pay attention to the date your service contract comes up for renewal and get that new free phone you've been promised -- even if you love the one you already have. Since your monthly charges factor in the cost of the new phone, why not keep up with the latest technology? To donate an old phone, check out cellphonesforsoldiers.com.

13. Put yourself on the "Do Not Call" registry
Telemarketers' calls eat up minutes, waste your time, and drive up costs, so register your cell phone number to block them out (donotcall.gov).

Originally published in Ladies' Home Journal, June 2009.