Most people already have a cell phone, or are planning on buying one soon. Most people also want to save money while still getting the best cell phone plans they can. Most cell phone plans are based on your usage, so figuring out how you'll use your phone is one way to save a little every month. It can take some work on your part to save money on a cell phone plan, but in the end, it'll be worth it. Here are a few tips for people who'd like to find a less expensive plan without giving up useful features.

Compare Providers and Plans

When you decide what cell phone you want, one of the first things you'll have to do is choose a provider. There are quite a few available, including US Cellular, Vreizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, Nextel and Alltel. You'll want to compare and review the plans and phones available from each carrier to help save money. Consider these things when you make your package and provider comparisons:

1.Rollover minutes are minutes that you don't use in one month, but which can be carried over into the following month. These normally last a year, and can keep you from wasting money on unused minutes. Find out if a plan you're considering allows you to keep rollover minutes.

2. Text messaging is getting a lot more popular. This means that the exact text messaging features offered by your provider are important. Find out if you pay a set amount per text message you send, have a flat fee for a certain number of messages, or unlimited text messaging. A good text message plan is vital if you use this form of communication often.

3. Evening and weekend minutes can allow you to save a reasonably large amount of money. Many plans offer free minutes on nights and weekends. If you spend most of your time on the phone during this period, be sure your plan offers free evening and weekend minutes.

4. Unlimited mobile to mobile services will let you talk to anyone else who's in the same network. Usually there's a small flat fee associated with this feature, but if people you talk to regularly are in the same network, you could save some money but using it.

Get Rid of Unneeded Extras

One more way to save money on your cellular plan is to get rid of extras you don't need. Here are just a few things that might be included in your plan that aren't often used.

· Roadside assistance seems like a great idea, but many people go overboard. There's no point in having roadside assistance on your cell phone plan if you also carry AAA coverage, or have other plans that will help you if your car breaks down.

· Insurance on your cell phone can be an unnecessary expense. If you have a fancy, expensive cell phone, you may need the coverage in case it's damaged or lost. However, if you're just using a basic phone and haven't had problems in the past, you'll quickly pay more than the cost of your phone to insure it.

Try Using Prepaid Cellular Phone Plans

Prepaid cellular phone plans are great if you don't use a lot of minutes, or aren't sure when you'll be using your minutes. If you're using a prepaid plan, you'll never have to deal with a contract or a monthly charge. You pay as you go, refilling your phone whenever it runs out of money. Many major cell phone providers have started offering this kind of service to people who don't need or want a regular cell phone plan.

People who have bad credit, or can't afford a high payment up front can also stand to benefit from using prepaid cellular phone plans. You'll be in control of your usage and costs, making it impossible to accidentally run up a high bill. Your phone will warn you when you're about to run out of money. You can then refill it, either by buying a card with minutes, or by calling into a special number.

Family Cell Phone Plans Can Help Save Money

If your whole family uses a cell phone, buying a family plan can reduce your rates. There are a number of different mobile phone plans offered by major companies that are designed specifically for families. It's almost always cheaper to use a family plan than to buy a separate plan for everyone. You may even be able to get a discount on the family plan's already low rate, allowing you to save even more. Many plans allow you to call everyone in your family for free, making it easy to contact parents or children if required.

There are many different ways to save on your cell phone plan. Start by comparing plans and companies to help reduce your rates, then pare down any extras you don't use. If you're not a routine cell phone user, consider switching to a prepaid plan to save some more money, and remember that family plans can help if you need to get phones for a number of different people in your household. Just use these tips, and you'll have an easy time saving money on cell phone plans.