How to Save Money on Your Telephone Bill

The landline telephone is still a primary medium of communication, despite the newer forms such as text messaging and the Internet. In fact, a lot of those are centered around landline telephone networks. It is still the best way to keep in touch with family and friends, as well as maintaining contact with other parties in business. Such convenience does cost a considerable amount of money each month, which is why it is important to learn how to save money on your telephone bill.

Call at the right time
It is important to take note of your phone service’s peak and off-peak rates in order to call at the best times during the day. Calling at off-peak hours is significantly cheaper than during peak hours, so always plan your calls. Of course, you must beware of the fine print in any phone service as they might have certain clauses that may not be in your best interest. Such claims of having cheaper rates at certain conditions may have catches that will not necessarily be in your favor, so always read the terms and conditions before you sign up for a service.

Save time on calling
Set limits to the duration of calls so that you do not needlessly talk away while the bill becomes more expensive without your immediate awareness. A good way to remain vigilant is to keep a clock close by and watch it while making your call. It would be even better if you can set an alarm so that you know when you are supposed to end your call. This way, you will not lose track of time and your money spent on excessive telephone calls.

As much as possible, get billed by the second. A lot of phone companies offer services that charge you by the minute, and they do seem quite cheap. However, take note that if you rack up even a single extra second, that is counted as whole minute in such a service. In the end, per-second rates will be much more affordable in the long run than per-minute rates.

Making long distance and international calls
If you have to make long distance and international calls, use calling cards. Calling someone in another country can be quite expensive, so using calling cards from reputable companies should let you avail of better rates than if you just dial in with your landline straight. You can also make use of the Internet instead if possible, which should cost almost nothing, and you can use it more regularly as well. There are various voice messaging software with great features that you can make use of, making long distance calls through landline a moot point.

The text messages
Make use of unlimited text plans if you are a frequent user of text messaging. But before availing of such services, make sure that the amount of text messages you send throughout a day is greater than the total unlimited rate itself so that you would not be wasting money on it if you’re actually not that big SMS user.

Always update your current service to the latest offers that would benefit you. Phone companies regularly come up with various discounts and special promos, but they do not actively notify you of them. You can update yourself with such offers through flyers, brochures, and the company’s website. You may even keep note of them if you are that serious with saving money on your telephone bill.