Home Finance

Phone bills can throw the family budget into disarray. Long work calls, mother daughter catch-ups and teenage dramas can end up costing way more than expected. Even though phone bills may not be your biggest monthly expense, they are one you can control.

Landlines are being used less and less these days with most people primarily using their mobiles to be contactable 24 hours a day. With line rental and minimum monthly spends, having a landline might not always suit you. But it is handy to separate your business from your personal calls. I turn my mobile off at 6pm every night to stop work calls, whereas family and friends can still call me on the home phone.

With mobile phone plans, they fall into three main categories; fixed-term contracts, pay as you go plans, and prepaid. They all have different pros and cons and suit different people. Think about what kind of user you are when looking at different providers. How much do you spend each month? How many calls do you make a day and at what time? Do you use your phone for calls, texting or both? Compare flag fall or connection rates, call charges and the amount of free calls and texts per month.

If you are able to connect to services using the same provider then do it. Bundling almost always comes out cheaper, and sometimes with extra benefits. With providers like Telstra you can bundle your home phone, Internet, and cable TV. Depending on the provider they may give you a discount off your mobile phone as well, or if you have several members of your family using the same provider.