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Saving Money On Your Cell Phone Plan

NEW YORK (CBS) ― If you're trying to cut back on your monthly expenses, one way to save is to cancel your cell phone service. But a recent survey found 70% of people would rather give up their morning cup of coffee.

CBS 2 has easy tips that will help you cut your cell phone costs.

It's hard to remember but there was a time before cell phones.

"I don't know what I would do without it," Brooklyn native Shane Blackett said.

As more and more people choose cell phones over payphones, the average monthly bill hovers around $70 a month – nearly $900 a year! But experts say by going through your statement, you can find ways to cut that back to as little as $19 a month.

"Just like when you go for a rental car and they try to sign you up for everything, you don't need all these extra little parts of your plan," Lance Ulanoff, of PC Magazine, said.

Unless you have a new or expensive phone, Ulanoff says drop the insurance. At $3 to $5 a month, it can add up quickly.

Do the same for options like roadside assistance, which many auto insurance plans already offer.

"Another way to save is saying, 'do I really need that ring tone?'" Ulanoff said. "Do I really need those games; do I really need that music?"

$2 per game or ringtone doesn't seem like much until you add about 20 of them together. Another option that can cost consumers a small fortune because you're paying for incoming, as well as outgoing, is text messaging.

"So instead of paying a low price for the messages you get within the plan, go ahead and get unlimited messages that will cost you more upfront," Ulanoff said. "It will end up saving you potentially hundreds throughout the year."

Ulanoff says another trick of the trade to save is to tell your provider you're thinking about switching phone carriers. Often they will renegotiate with you offering the lowest price they give to new members.

You may also want to consider saving up to $55 a month by getting rid of your land-line and using your cell as your primary phone number.

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