Looking for ways to cut back on all your bills? You might think of your cell phone bill as something static with no wiggle room, but the truth is you can cut your bill considerably, especially if you are willing to be flexible. Regardless, these tips can help you keep your cell phone bill stable and manageable.

Shop Around

If your contract is up and you are thinking about renewing with your current carrier, now is the time to look for the best price. A service called Billshrink can help you analyze current available plans to see who is offering services similar to the ones you currently have for a better price.

Paying For Too Much Data?

Out of fear of being hit with fees, many cell phone customers opt for a high-usage plan. But these plans have higher monthly bills, and most people don’t need all that extra data. But how are you supposed to know how much you actually use? To find out how much data you are using on a regular basis, download one of these apps: My Data Manager, available for Android phones; or My Data Usage for the iPhone. Once you have a better idea of how much data you are using, you are in a position to downgrade to a cell phone plan that is more your speed.

Be Careful About Roaming

Make sure you know where your calling area is. You could be paying roaming charges without even realizing it. Your phone should have a notification icon on it to let you know if you have moved into roaming. Don’t use the phone when you are out of your service area unless it is an emergency.

Don’t Pay for Unused Features

Many carriers tack on extra “goodies” like equipment protection or roadside assistance. Over time, seemingly small monthly charges for these extra services really add up. If you are worried about an automotive emergency, you might be better off with a AAA membership. As for equipment protection: While it sounds great, by the time you actually need to use it you will probably have paid enough in monthly charges for the replacement already – and you’ll still have a deductible. You’d be better off putting that monthly payment into a savings account and gaining interest on it.

How do you keep your cell phone bill manageable? Do you find it challenging to control? Start a thread in our comments section below.

Jessica Bosari is a PerkStreet Customer Columnist, as well as the Site Manager and Editor for billeater a blog with money-saving tips to lower your bills. When she’s not gathering money-saving tips, Jessica is feeding her geeky side with sci-fi movies, tech gadgets, useful apps and productivity tricks, just to keep things interesting. Read more of Jessica’s great financial advice on Perkstreet’s blog, or view her other money-saving tips at billeater.com.