How to save money on your cell phone plan

The rise of smartphones has also given rise to the ridiculously-over-the-top cell phone bills. With fewer people using landlines these days, cell phones are often a person's only form of telephone communication. According to J.D. Power and Associates, most families spend an average of $139 a month on cell phones. That's almost $1700 a year – for phones! If cell phones are non-negotiable items for you and your family, here are some ways to shave a few bucks off those bills.

Share a family plan and split the costs

When folks think of family plans, they often picture all those people living under one roof. That doesn't have to be the case. If you and your sister, for example, want to go in together to purchase a family plan, you can do so. Most companies offer family plans for two phones, with each additional phone costing around $10 per month. Keep in mind that data services usually cost extra, and be mindful of minutes if those are limited.

Check out employee discounts

Many organizations, schools and employers have sponsorship programs through certain carriers, which can mean a discount for you. State employees are generally eligible for discounts, too. This was the case for us. We save 10 percent a month because my husband is a state employee. We would never have received the discount if we hadn't asked, so be sure to discuss discounts with your retailer.

Switch to a prepaid plan

Services like Straight Talk, Virgin Mobile and Boost Mobile offer unlimited talk, text and data for reasonable prices. Straight Talk, for example, offers their unlimited plan for $45 per month per phone; this includes taxes and fees. The biggest expense with these plans is the upfront purchase of the phones. If you have a phone from one of the major carriers that the prepaid service utilizes, however, you'll just need to purchase one of their SIM cards.

Do you have an exorbitantly high cell phone bill? Tell me how you plan to save money.

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