Let free text-messaging applications, such as textPlus (available on iPhone and Android devices), take the place of the text-messaging plan on your smartphone, says Andrea Woroch, a consumer adviser based in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Other free alternatives include Google Voice and Kik, which have apps that run on multiple smartphone platforms. Just make sure you read the terms carefully, she says. For example, you may need to change phone numbers to take advantage of free texting.
Making the switch can save about $15 per month, or $180 per year, on a messaging plan, she says. "It can help you downsize your phone bill," Woroch says.
Potential savings: $15 per month or $180 per year.