Use a land-line instead of cell phone (eliminate 1 cell phone) and save up to $420 a year ($35 per month).  Cell phone plans can be complicated for sure.  The other thing that is for sure is that the $30 per month plan that you signed on for will cost you $40 to $50 per month by the time you add in all the taxes and fees.  Cingular, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, T Mobile, Nextel, Alltel and dozens of other cell phone providers will tell you that you cannot live without them.

Contrary to popular belief cell phones are not an absolute necessity.  If you have more than one cell phone in the family here are some options to consider for reducing your bill:

1. Get a family plan where extra phones cost only $10 per month per line.
2. Analyze your talking habits and sign up for the plan that fits.
3. Manage your usage.  Put everyone on a minute budget and make them pay (especially children) for any usage over the budget.
4. Consider pre-paid phones for children for emergency use rather than social use.  The can buy the usage cards out of their allowance.
5. If you just can’t live without the cell phones, switch your home number over to a cell phone and ditch your land-line.  At least consider VoIP if you have high speed internet service.
6. Find a better plan Shop By Rate Plan now

Here are some considerations for managing cell phone usage:

1. If you use the phone for work do so but don’t let it run you ragged all evening and every weekend.  See the next suggestion.
2. Turn the phone off for hours at a time.  People will soon learn that you are not available at their whim 24 hours a day.
3. Turn off the phone in the car.  Your family, your doctors and your insurance company will take a sigh of relief.
4. Enjoy the quiet time without interruption.  Answer any voice mail messages when you are ready.
5. Connect with your family and friends face to face rather than phone to phone.
6. Use a shopping list rather than a tag team approach with one person in the pantry at home and the other wandering the aisles in the supermarket.
7. Just because you have “free or surplus minutes” don’t feel compelled to burn them up with others.  Respect their time.  If you have minutes to burn, get a cheaper plan.

This may sound like Stone Age thinking but unless it’s for work, travel, or important family activities; I do NOT want to spend my life on a phone or waiting for it to ring.  Cell phones are like sugar in a nice cup of coffee; a little is just right and too much is too much.

Here are 35 more great ways to save money.