As cell phone become increasingly complex and secretive, it is getting harder for subscribers to have a firm knowledge on what exactly is being charged to their bills in terms of extra fees and services. To help you get a grip on the new mobile reality, here is a list of what you should know to avoid excessive cell phone charges.

Get a plan that fits your needs.

This is the first and foremost way to avoid excessive cell phone fees. If you are always talking on the phone for business or just for casual purposes, don’t get a plan that only allocates 200 minutes of talk time. If you are an avid talker, you will go over that limit and WILL get hit with overage charges, which are extremely steep.

On the other hand, if you know you don’t use the cellular to talk that much, don’t sign up for 600 minute plans because you will financially eat all of the minutes that go unused, and that is to no one’s benefit but the provider’s.

This goes for texting and data as well. If you are going to use something a certain amount, make sure you purchase a plan that fits your usage. Paying for overage fees and over-paying for something you don’t use are two ways to guarantee an excessive phone bill.

Mind your extras.

Many excessive cell phone fees come from the extra services people unwittingly pay for that have no use. Do you really need to be able to get email notifications all day? Is the GPS service important to you? Are you going to be using your device in India any time soon? GPS, Wi-Fi, international roaming, and other things such as gaming subscriptions all add extra and usually unnecessary fees to your phone bill. Know what you really need to use and cut everything else.

Pay attention what’s on your bill every month.

All too often in this digital age where we have more bills than we do minutes in the day, the listing of monthly fees and every invoice is just skimmed through or completely ignored. While skimming through your bill may save you time, it may be costing a ton of money. It is not uncommon for a cell phone company to “accidentally” charge you for services you do not subscribe to. Not checking your bill every month will let them get away with these charges.

Knowing the ins and outs of your plans is essential. Excessive charges on you cellphone can be hell to pay. Just make sure everything on your plan is catered to your needs to avoid these extra fees.

Britney Baker reviews prepaid cellphones for PrepaidCellphones.net. Her latest review looked at Tracfone.