Guest Post By Sage Harman

I have a guest today. :)

A frugal living enthusiast, wife and mom-to-be, Sage Harman runs http://www.no-contract-plans.com, a site dedicated to providing free information to consumers trying to find viable no-contract phone and internet plans. Today she guest-posts on my blog giving us some valuable tips on how to control our monthly phone bills. 

Welcome here, Sage ! :)

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What is the one thing in life you couldn't live without? Besides the obvious ones, of course. 

For me, that one thing is my smart phone. I mean I do love other gizmos and gadgets too and I am constantly wanting to try all the latest cool ones out there but absolutely nothing can rival the smart phone. I rely on it for a lot of things. It's not just my phone but it also serves as my PDA, camera, music player, gaming device, and the best one yet, e-book reader. 

Like me, I'm sure a lot others carry on a long–standing love affair with their phones. If I may ask though, does it cost you too? I thought I could turn a blind eye at first but my bills get higher and higher each month and I've had enough. Smart phones are expensive, and it's not just the phone but the charges and fees too! Whoever said "talk is cheap" must not own a smart phone. Once you've had a smart phone though, can you ever go back to using a non-smart phone? No? Then I hope the following tips on how to cut down your bill and save money help you out.

• Don't use extra services and features like toll-free calls, 411 calls, horoscope texts, roadside assistance, ringtone downloads, call waiting, and cell phone insurance. They may not be worth much separately but added together, they sure will make up for a ridiculously expensive bill. If you really must, use these services sparingly.

• Be responsible. Monitor your texts, data usage and minutes to make sure you don't go over your monthly allowance. 

• Save money by using your landline phone, wi-fi, Skype, Viber, and other free apps whenever you can.

• If you can bundle your phone, cable and internet services, do so. It's often cheaper than paying for each services individually. If you can also get your family and friends to join your plan, most service providers offer free calls within the same network and discounts to family/group plans.

Most service providers offer "No-contract-plans" and pay as-you-go packages. The downside, you will need to shell out a hefty sum to buy the phone outright (although some companies do offer a no-interest payment plan so you won't have to pay the full amount right away, so yay!); the upsides, no hidden charges, no miscellaneous fees and extra expenses, no credit check, no lock-in period, and no termination fee (for those who break the contract early). These plans are now available, you just have to ask your cell phone company about it.

Are you in the market for a new phone? 

Is your phone contract about to expire? 

Or are you looking to switch carriers? 

There are tons of options out there, just make sure to do your research.

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Yours' truly,