Aug 17, 2009 5:29 pm US/Central
Save Money On Your Monthly Cell Phone Bill
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
If you have a cell phone, you're probably paying far too much, according to a new study. We have some steps that could save you $300 a year. And getting that money back in your pocket may be easier than you think. CBS 2's Mai Martinez explains how you can start saving almost immediately.
Most of us have a love-hate relationship with our cell phones. We love the convenience.
"You have your Internet. You have your phone. You have games. You have text messaging, all in your pocket," said Joey Sylvester.
But we hate the bills.
"I think I'm paying too much," said Gerald Olive.
When asked what goes through her mind when looking at her monthly cell phone bill, Jamie Johnson said, "Wishing it was lower."
The Citizens Utility Board, or CUB, says that's a wish we can all grant ourselves by using their CUB Cell Phone Saver program to re-examine our cell phone bills.
"You just upload your bill into the system, and it will automatically recommend the best plan for you, both internal to your current carrier, but also between the top five biggest carriers," said CUB Executive Director David Kolata.
After analyzing almost 7,000 Illinois cell phone bills over the past year using the program, CUB found more than 73 percent of people were paying too much on their cell bills, on average more than $27 a month.
Some unnecessary charges were obvious, like calls to 411 instead of similar free services.
But Kolata says the biggest culprits on cell phone bills are unused minutes and useless extras, like roadside assistance and insurance.
Dropping a $4.99 per month insurance charge alone would save about $60 a year.
And CUB says the savings for most cell phone users is even higher, on average, $331 a year. That's music to the ears of many cell phone users.
"That's a lot of money," Olive said.
With that extra money in her pocket, Johnson said, "I'd go out more often, buy more books instead of going to the library. You never know, $331 is a lot of money."
CUB says bottom line, it's all about streamlining your cell phone bill to meet your needs.
If you don't need the insurance on your phone, drop it. If you already have roadside assistance with your car insurance company, why pay for it again on your cell phone bill? And if you're not using all your minutes every month, maybe you should go with a cheaper calling plan.
One family who took some of these steps saved more than $1,000 a year on their cell phone bill.
Click here to see if the CUB Cell Phone Saver program can help you save money.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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