Headed For College: Phone Bills

If you're living away from your family and friends for the first time, the telephone may suddenly become one of the most important things you own. It can also become one of the most expensive.

Decide on an amount you can spend on a phone bill and stick to it. You may miss your family and friends, but if you call them long distance too many times, you may be home with them sooner than you want to be.

Some simple but devious ways of lowering your phone bill can include calling everyone collect, or calling them when you know they're not home so they have to call you back at their expense. But let's face it, you won't have many friends left to call if you keep that up.

There are more practical ways of cutting your phone bills. If possible, call after 11 p.m. or on the weekend. If you call someone during the day, on most phone plans you're basically paying the higher business rate. Night calls will be much cheaper.

Once you decide on your monthly telephone budget, use that money to buy a calling card. Once the card runs out, you'll need to wait until the next month to make any calls. It's a great way to stay within your budget and, if you do some shopping around, you will get more phone time for your money. Don't forget to read the fine print on the card, however, or you could end up calling your friends to tell them how you got ripped off on your phone card.

Research cellular phones
Some cellular phones have great calling plans that allow unlimited calling on nights and weekends, or a flat rate for all calls to anywhere in the country. If you can find a plan that fits your needs, you may not even need a regular phone line.