COMMENT
12 Ways To Cut Your Phone Bills

I remember a time when telephone charges were easily to understand. That's not so today, when you almost need a PhD in maths to grapple with the myriad of telephone tariffs on offer. Furthermore, every phone company claims that their rates are infinitely better than rival offerings.

Thankfully there are now dedicated websites, such as Fool partner uSwitch, which help consumers negotiate their way around the telephone tariff maze. However, the best way to cut your phone bills is simply to use your phone less. Here are a few ideas that won't cost you an arm or a leg, but will nevertheless help to cut your phone bills dramatically.

• If the call that you are about to make is not that urgent then consider sending an email instead.
  
  
• Letters (remember those) are another cost-effective way to communicate. It only cost 28p to send a letter weighing up to 60g.
  
  
• If you have friends that you contact regularly then why not install an Instant Messenger on your personal computer. Popular IM's include those provided by AOL and Hotmail.
  
  
• If you feel that a conversation by phone is essential then only those call outside of peak rate periods. Remember that the definition of "peak rate" can vary between companies. (BT recently announced that its daytime rate will start from 6am rather than at 8am.)
  
  
• When you make a phone call, always make a note of what you want to say beforehand. This helps you get to the point of your phone call quickly and avoids unnecessary waffling.
  
  
• Never make calls to numbers that are prefixed with "09". These are premium rate numbers than can cost as much as £1.50 a minute.
  
  
• Avoid using directory enquiries if you need to find a telephone number. The Internet is a good place to search for telephone numbers. Furthermore, companies such as Yell and BT will let you search for free.
  
  
• Use the radio or television if you need time checks. Dialling the "Speaking Clock" is an expensive way to get the right time.
  
  
• Always hang up if you are kept waiting on the line.
  
  
• Avoid using pay phones. These are invariably more expensive.
  
  
• Avoid signing up for "free" ringtones and screensavers for your mobile phone. After your first "freebie", providers can continue to send you their products at up to £1.50 a time.
  
  
• Finally, a pet favourite of mine. Try always to limit your phone calls to just five minutes. I always keep an egg-timer by my phone just to remind me when my five minutes are up!

> Save by switching your home phone line.