• Use digital phone services that are offered by your cable company.  You can often find great rates and unlimited calling.
• Switch your cell phone service to a pre-paid calling plan and reduce the number of minutes you use each month.  (Note:  Only switch to pre-paid if you are actually able to reduce the number of minutes that you will use).
  
  
  
• If you often call specific numbers, sign up for a plan that allows you to call those numbers for free.
• Try using some of the online phone services such as Skype or Vonage.
• Check your cell phone bill each month to see if you are using more minutes than your plan allows.  If you consistently go over your allotment, consider increasing your plan so that these minutes are cheaper.
• If you have as many cell phones as people in your house, consider not having a home phone – use your cell phones instead.
• Try Metro PCS phone service that provides unlimited calling for one low monthly fee (usually less than $40 per cell phone).

• If you don’t use the internet that often, consider cancelling your service and using the library’s computer instead.
• Dial up internet is often an affordable option to consider.
• If you have more than one internet provider in your area, call around and look for better rates. 
  
  Examples of inexpensive internet service options are shown below, including www.netzero.net and www.toast.net.