Swap tariffs. If you are on a contract mobile deal then the chances are that your are receiving free texts and calls of some kind. However, the chances also suggest that your are not using all of them up every month.

So what are you doing paying extra money for a contract that you are not benefiting from? Instead, take a look at your actual monthly usage of texts and calls. Then have a look at the contracts currently on offer and see if you can find one that better suits your needs. You are bound to be able to find a cheaper deal if you currently use less than half of your monthly allowance.

PAYG. Pay as you go is an increasingly popular tariff plan these days as people try and tighten their belts to make their way through the recession. Whether or not to switch to this plan really depends on your individual phone usage.

If you are someone who uses their phone only occasionally, then there is no point spending money on a contract that offers you hundreds and hundreds of free text messages and calls. You will have to buy your own mobile handset to use a pay as you go deal however.

You only pay for what you need, can top up as much as you see fit, when you see fit, and many providers now offer their PAYG customers free texts and minutes too.

Many of us have experienced the horror of returning home from a lovely relaxing trip in the sun only to find our mobile phone bill has skyrocketed through the roof. You are sure you only made a couple of calls. But you did not anticipate the huge call charges, or the fact that you were being charged for receiving texts and calls too.

Next time, do not let your mobile ruin your holiday, and make sure you are prepared. First talk to your existing network provider or have a look at their website. They are likely to offer some overseas tariff deals that could save you money.

Alternatively, buying a travel SIM card and slotting it into your mobile could save you a massive eighty per cent on foreign call charge costs and most of these cards allow you to receive calls and texts free of charge too.