Dial Into Savings on Your Smartphone Bill -- Savings Experiment

According to the Consumer Electronics Association, 40 percent of U.S. households use smartphones, but with voice and data plans, the devices can cost you and your family a pretty penny. So, how do you save on service?

The easiest way to cut down your cell phone bill is to stop paying for what you don't use. The fear of overage charges causes many people to spend money on unused features, which can add up over the years. Instead of purchasing more minutes and data than you need, take a look at how you use your smartphone.

Heavy emailers can usually make do with low-cost plans, but if you tend to download a lot of videos or apps, your best bet is choose an unlimited data plan. Look at your monthly bill and compare your actual usage with your monthly allowance. If your usage is low, switch your plan. Carriers will usually let you do this without incurring additional fees.

When in comes to buying a new phone, carrier stores may seem like the obvious choice, but third party sites actually offer deep discounts on devices. The best deals are usually online, but if you prefer heading to a store, try big retailers like Best Buy, which can generally beat carrier store prices.

To save even more, don't trash your old phone. Sell it to a recycling service like Gazelle, which pays cash for old gadgets. Check with big retailers, too. They often offer a similar recycling service in exchange for store credit. Use these simple tips, and you'll be dialing into savings on your cell phone bill in no time.