Do you even use your landline? Here’s how to beat the bank on your broadband bill
Consumers increasingly rely on mobiles and data plans - we tell you how to cut the cost while staying connected
ACCORDING to financial comparison website Money Supermarket, only one in five households actually use their landline.
Are you one of millions stuck paying bills for a phone you don't need? Read on to find out our tips on slashing your spend...
Rental Ruse
Line rental - paying for the cost of running a landline at home - is often an extra charge on top of your broadband package.
If you can find a company that doesn't charge you extra for line rental, you could be on to a WiFi winner.
Vodafone recently stopped charging for line rental, and instead absorbs the cost into one monthly price. But other providers are sure to soon follow suit.
Handset Help
Even if you can't avoid paying rental charges, just unplugging the handset can save you money.
Jon Ingram, of comparison website broadbandchoices, says: "Customers don’t need a phone if they are unlikely to use it."
You won't be tempted to use the phone to ring someone - and you'll save yourself time dealing with nuisance calls, often from companies trying to offer you a better deal on your broadband and landline...
Cut the Call Costs
Avoid paying for a call package - at all costs
This is a charge for a fixed amount of landline calls per month - you're already paying for your mobile plan, so why double up?
BT's call package is £8.50 a month - and costs from other providers can add up unnecessarily.
Savvy Switch
For most of us, using our mobiles for calls instead will save cash.
This is especially true if you regularly end up with unused minutes on your contract at the end of the month - and if you're paying for a landline call package on top, you're shelling out twice for something you don't need.
It can also often be cheaper to use mobiles, as many providers have free mobile-to-mobile rates within a tariff.
"MiFi" Migration
Some consumers are choosing to ditch landline, broadband and line rental entirely.
Not for a off-the-grid, social media free life, no, they're just choosing to use only a mobile connection or "MiFi."
You can invest the monthly savings from not paying for broadband into a better phone plan with more data.