In an age where our social, work, and personal lives are increasingly conducted over the phone, high phone bills are an unfortunate reality. However, this does not have to be the case, as there are countless ways in which the average phone user can substantially reduce their monthly bills without infringing on how much they use their phone.

Sky-high bills are particularly prevalent among the mobile phone community. For people with a ‘pay as you go’ style rate that involves manual credit top-ups to use the phone, switching to a competitive ‘pay monthly’ package can be much cheaper. People who top up their phone with £20, for example, will find that a ‘pay monthly’ package not only gives them the standard £20 calling value, but also adds extras like a free phone, extra minutes and text messages. free text that all detract from your original bill.

For people already on a ‘pay monthly’ contract, high phone bills are not unheard of as callers go over the number of free minutes in their phone package and start paying by the minute or text message. Thinking carefully about the way you use your mobile is the first step to reduce your telephone bill. It’s important to make sure you’re on a network that complements the way you use your phone and will give you access to better deals. If you find that most of your calls are to a particular network, why not investigate a contract that offers free calls to this network at all times of the day?

Expensive phone bills aren’t just reserved for mobile phone users, however, home phones can rack up substantial debt just as easily. Making international calls in particular is a complaint for phone users who are eager to talk to friends and family who study, work and travel abroad. Cheap international calling is not a creature of myth, however, as many websites now offer access codes that greatly discount the cost of calling abroad from UK landlines. With calls to places like Bangladesh, Canada and Australia starting at 2 pence a minute, the cost of making international calls becomes as cheap as calling a local number.

Lastly, homeowners keen to save money on their landline bills can also look to earn free minutes in a similar way to mobile users. Subscribing to packages that offer free calls on weekends and at night can put a noticeable tooth on once-unaffordable bills. Some packages also offer free calls to the numbers you dial regularly, so making a plan for how you use your home phone will allow you to assess the best deal for you.