It is hard to imagine life without mobile phones these days. How can something so small become such a huge part of our lives? Mobile phones have become the major way to communicate with friends and family in recent years. This is particularly true for the younger generation, and those that lead lives that are so busy they are always on the go.

The only downside to using them so much is the bill. Sometimes when we have overused out mobile phones, all of our free minutes and text messages have been used up early on in the month, this means the bill that comes can be rather scary. However, by being sensible and remembering just a few points you can make sure that your mobile phone bill does not become the thing of nightmares.

Check Your Traiff
First of all every mobile phone user must review the plan he or she is using. There are a number of different tariffs available so there is sure to be something to suit each individual need. You should do a little bit of research before making the final decision. Like if you do not use the internet service on your mobile, you should avoid opting for a plan in which it is included as this can add a lot of money to your bill so you end up wasting your hard earned cash on something you just do not need.

It is a fact that an estimated 800 million pounds a year is wasted by mobile phone users who sign up for the wrong tariffs. Some users fail to use their inclusive minutes or texts, which means they could go for the cheaper tariffs but they do not. And sometimes the story is just the opposite; many users overdo it each month and use up their free calls and texts too quickly. This results in huge bills and the stress of worrying how to pay for it. This is why before signing up to anything, users are advised to carefully think about their requirements and go for an appropriate plan.

There are many users who like to make calls, some like sending text messages while some are always busy on the internet. In this highly competitive industry, the mobile phone service providers have come up with different plans for different people.

Change Your Contract
After doing a little research on the internet, you can find the best deal for yourself quite easily. If you are going to sign up for a new contract, you must be sure whether you need a new mobile phone or not.

If you do not need a new phone, you can choose a lower –cost. There are plenty of service providers in the market offering new contract with a SIM card only. This can save several hundred pounds over the course of the year. However, if you want a really good, top of the range handset but cannot afford to buy one outright, a contract is a great way to spread the cost.

Change Networks
You can also reduce your mobile phone bills by considering what networks your friends and family use. If most of them use the same network that you are connected to it will definitely be helpful in reducing the bills. However, it might be worth considering changing network provider if most of your contacts are with someone else as cross network calling charges are higher. You can also consider deals which offer free calls during certain hours.

By keeping these few things in mind, you will be able to reduce your mobile phone bills making them much more affordable.

Phil Turner has looked at Talk Mobile and was very impressed with their Sim-only contracts.