Most people don't think it makes a difference which long distance provider they choose anymore. But, fact of the matter is, if you are still using one of the big three, you could save up to 60% on your monthly phone bill. If you know what you are spending, you have already made the first step toward saving. The long distance rate is only part of the whole picture when it comes to choosing a long distance company.

The fees from one company to the next make a bigger difference than the actual rate in many cases. For example, a lot of long distance plans with very low rates have higher monthly fees. This is alright if you spend enough every month to make up for the fees. But, usually those who only spend $30 or less per month are better off with a long distance provider that offers low fees or no fees and a slightly higher rate. Those who spend more than $30 a month may wish to look into an unlimited long distance calling plan. Recently, these plans have become more popular, and for good reason. Some of them offer unlimited long distance for less than $30 per month.

Along the same lines as the unlimited long distance plans, you may want to use a bundled service. These plans combine your local phone calls and long distance phone calls on one bill. Some plans are available for as little as $50 per month with unlimited local calls, unlimited long distance, and the most popular features such as call waiting, caller id, speed dial, and three way calling.

Another way to save is with a dial-around service. These services bypass your long distance provider and can save you money if used properly. In states where in-state long distance rates are very high, your rate with a dial around will be much better. The biggest fallback with a dial around is that they require you to dial more numbers. We've all seen the commercials for 10-10-987 and so on. Many dial around services, however, use ANI recognition to recognize your account. This alleviates the need to dial a pin number. Dial around services are also great for international long distance calls.

Hopefully, you no longer feel like you have to pay outrageous phone bills just because there are no better options out there. Explore your options and you will be amazed by what you discover.