Dec 2009
2
In the past ten years the number of people using cell phones has grown from just a few to millions. Advances in technology have allowed cell phone users to not only have smaller phones that can literally go anywhere but also more affordable plans than their predecessors. With the number of phones, features and plans available it is not surprising that almost everyone from the very young to the very old carries a cell phone today.
With so many people opting to use a cell phone, some households have decided to use only cell phones and totally eliminate their landlines altogether. In this situation everyone in the household generally has their own cell phone to use for all their calling needs. Families who have more than one cell phone usually opt for a family or group plan to consolidate the cell phone bill. A family cell phone plan allows several phones to share airtime minutes and features on one plan versus having individual plans for each phone. This usually saves more money than paying one bill per phone. Here are a few tips to ensure your family is saving as much money as possible on the family cell phone bill.
- Determine how many minutes you will need- The key to saving money with a cell phone plan is finding one that meets your current needs. You can get a good idea of how many minutes you will need by examining current cell bills or tracking your current minute usage if you use a prepaid plan. It is also a good idea to consider who you call frequently. Most family plans allow free minutes between members of a group or a network which would not count toward the overall minutes available. This can greatly reduce the number of minutes you would need each month. Although you want to be as close to the actual number of minutes you will use as possible, this is one situation where it pays to have a plan that offers more minutes than less. Cell phone bills go upward quickly when you go over the number of minutes on your plan.
- Determine which features and services you will need- Before shopping for a cell phone plan, take the time to determine which features you regularly use or intend to use on your phone. This includes text messaging, emailing and other media uses that cost extra money. If you or members of the group use these features frequently you want a plan that offers the option to pay for a predetermined (or unlimited) amount of usage versus paying each time you use the feature.
- Compare plans carefully- Different cell phone carriers offer different plans. It is important to carefully compare all plans before committing to ensure you find the one that best suits the needs of your family. Not all plans are created equally and finding the one that provides the minutes, coverage and features that your family uses might require some time and research on your end. It is worth the effort to find the right plan that reflects your needs.
Once you have selected a family plan that you feel works best for your family, it is time to gather your family members to explain what they can and cannot do with their cell phone. If your family members do not know what is included or what costs extra money they might end up using features that are not included in the plan or going over the alloted minutes. This will undoubtedly result in a cell phone bill that is much higher than you originally anticipated. Finding the right cell phone plan that accurately reflects the needs of the group is the best way to avoid paying too much money on your cell phone bill.
©2009