If you want to learn how to squeeze out as much as you possibly can from your existing plan, here are some tips to help you save money on phone bills:

1. Determine How Much You Use Your Phone and What For: When you sign up for a phone plan, you have a multitude of options to choose from. If you know exactly what you need, it can help you choose the right plan that meets your needs exactly and help you save on future bills. This way you will not be overpaying for things you don’t need if you never go near your minutes and not getting smacked with hidden usage fees for going over minutes.

2. Watch Text Messaging: Do you really need text messaging? If you only send and receive 20 text messages a month, then you may be better off to pay 25 cents for them individually than you would for paying a higher plan. However, if you send and receive hundreds of them, then you may do better to get a flat rate plan that offers unlimited sms.

3. Combine With Family: Many cell phone providers offer a variety of family packages where you share minutes and simply pay for an added line. If you can do this with your family members, it can save you up to $40-$50 a month or more.

4. Consider the Cost of the Phone: Not all carriers offer a free phone or phone upgrade with your plan – with others an included phone is standard. Depending the phone you need, this may save you additionally if you are only paying an extra $10 a month but get a free phone each year instead of paying $300 or more for a new phone. (Though you can always also opt to purchase a used phone often for a fraction of the price.)

5. Do Away With the Landline: If you use your cell phone for everything, then chances are you do not really actually need a land line. This will automatically save you hundreds of dollars annually. Most landlines, even if not in use, will still allow an emergency call to be made to 911 – so check with your phone provider.

6. Use Skype: Skype is a free service that allows you to make phone calls from your computer to anyone else using the service. This is a great way to save on long distance calls and also help you reduce the amount of your minutes.

7. Use Your Phone Less: The less you use the phone, the less minutes you’ll need, and the less your plan will cost. While it may be tough, and you’ll want to make sure you can discipline yourself enough for at least one month or so without any added charges, this in the end is the most effective way to reduce your cost. Some have found that getting a prepaid phone and using it only for emergency circumstances can be one of the best ways to have the convenience and availability without the recurring monthly charges.

8. Comparison Shop: There are many different cell phone providers to consider and each will offer their own varieties of plans. Before you decide on one, make sure you check with all of the ones available to you to see who offers the best deals. While some may try to convince you to use them with temporary savings or promises of new phones, you’ll want to make sure you are perfectly clear about long term contracts, contract cancellation rates, and if the bill will ever go up for any reason during the time of your contract. Savings for three or six months might sound like a good deal at first, but if you’re tied into a 2 year contract then it may actually end up costing you more if the initial savings doesn’t cover for what you’ll be paying for the long term.

Do you have any other money saving tips or suggestions to save money on your phone bill? Share your thoughts in the comments below.