Your cell phone bill not only includes a monthly service fee but other fees and charges as well. If you plan to budget your cell phone spending, here are a few tips to follow:

- Choose a plan that can fit your budget. Opt for something with a low monthly payment and use the landline phone for the bulk of your calls.

- Check voice mail via landline phone at home or work. You get charged to check it via your cell phone. Ask your service provider on how to check your voicemail using the landline.

- Take advantage of the free calls given through business promotions and other local business that have contracts with these mobile network providers so as to save on minutes when you need to call them. These businesses may include towing companies, radio and TV stations, etc.

- Limit the number of features that you include on your cell phone to what you really need and frequently use. If it is included in the plan, then go ahead and use it. But if not, then it will cost you extra to include it in the plan. Remove features that you do not use.

- Most minimum plans include the Caller ID feature. It may be beneficial since it will help you screen the calls that you do not want to get, thus lowering down your bill calls.

- Receiving incoming calls also count toward airtime charges. Never give out your cell phone number especially to strangers and online.

- Limit your contract into only a year to give room for changes and better deals.

- If your plan does not cover nationwide calls, take care in making and receiving calls outside the coverage area. Charges for roaming as well as long distance may leave you bankrupt. Also check if your plan includes roaming charges if you do have nationwide calling.

- Be aware of the time so as to take advantage of off-peak hour charges. Check with your network provider on their off-peak hours.

- Get the right plan for your needs. Paying too much means you pay too much in taxes too.

- Service providers allow changes to be made on the plan during the first month after which you are bound to it for a year or two. This is the time to make changes or else suffer the consequences of extending your contract.

- Monitor your cell phone usage every two to three months to determine if you are maximizing the plan you have. If you find out that you are not, then have it changed before you lose more money.

- Request for a bill analysis from customer service to check if you have the right plan and to get suggestions if not. This is quite practical to do especially when you are to renew your contract.

- Check your budget as well as promos and rebates available when buying a cell phone . With these savings, you can opt to get a better featured cell phone. These features may include its weight, dimensions, font size on screen, two way radio as well as paging service, and ring tones.

- Thoroughly check your cell phone bill always to avoid any accidental charges to your phone.

- Remember to mail in the card for rebates to avail of their promos and sometimes free cell phone.

- Advise the service provider regarding late payments to avoid getting charged late fees, service suspension and reconnection fees.

- Request for a suspension of your cell phone service if you will not be using them for a certain period of time. Be sure to indicate the exact period since it will determine the number of days they will add to the contract period.