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1. Make the Consumer’s Choice
If you’re paying more than $25 a month for phone service, you’re probably paying too much. But thanks to CUB, there are new ways to save. CUB designed three new, low-cost local calling plans, called Consumer’s Choice, and AT&T is required to offer them. There are three packages, Consumer’s Choice Basic, Extra and Plus, designed to match the way most consumers use their phone.

To find the plan that’s right for you, get out your phone bill and use CUB’s Local Phone Cost-cutter or call our Phone Savings Hotline at 1-866-688-4282. We’ll do a complete phone bill analysis and even call AT&T to help you switch calling plans.

2. Don’t pay more than a nickel per minute
for long-distance calls.
Beware of plans that zap you with high per-minute rates or slap you with monthly fees even if you don’t make any calls. Companies like Pioneer (1-877-492-6878) offer rates as low as 2-3 cents per minute with no monthly fee. A prepaid calling card or 10-10 number may be the ticket if you only make a few calls and want to drop your long-distance altogether. Got questions? CUB's Real Deal Guide to Long Distance can show you low-cost options. Even better, our Phone Savings Hotline, at 1-866-688-4282, is staffed with experts who can help you sign up for a good deal.

3. Take advantage of Pioneer's $20 Credit
CUB has negotiated a $20 credit for Pioneer Telephone's "Rate Buster" plan, which is 2-3 cents per minute. You pay a 99-cent monthly fee only if you want a paper bill, and then only in months you make less than $15 worth of long-distance calls. This was already the cheapest plan in the long-distance market and the $20 credit makes it an even better deal. Just call Pioneer (1-877-492-6878) and say you want the "CUB credit."

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4. Drop “Line-Backer.”
Too many people pay $7 per month for an OPTIONAL AT&T service that insures the phone wires inside your home. But what the phone company doesn’t tell you is that repairs to those inside wires are extremely rare, only occurring about once every 30 years. Drop Linebacker and you’ll cut your phone bills by $84 a year. Your savings will more than cover the cost of any inside wire repair in the unlikely event you need one.

5. Use your cell phone as a money-saving tool
How many times do you end up with leftover minutes on your cell-phone plan? Tap those unused minutes to make local-toll or long-distance calls (calls roughly 15 miles or more from your home). And, since cell plans include free voice mail, don’t buy the expensive service for your home phone. Tell your friends and family to leave messages in your cell voice mail instead.

6. Don’t pay for directory assistance.
Avoid paying up to $2 per call for traditional “411” service. Instead, get the number for free. There are numerous on-line white and yellow pages that give both residential and business listings free of charge. If you don’t have Internet access—
or need a number when you’re not at a computer—try 
1-800-FREE 411 for a residential or business listing or
1-800-goog 411 or 1-800-555 TELL for business numbers.