You have a regular phone and a cell phone, and you may even make some calls via the Internet. (To think that you used to wait for those things called pay phones.) But every time you see the monthly bills, you have a sinking feeling that there are more affordable ways of making calls.

WHAT TO CONSIDER: The land of phone services is plentiful with bargains — from reduced weekend rates to free cell phones — but you need a lot of patience to conquer it. The first thing to do is to review your phone bills to have a precise accounting of the basic services and extras you're paying for now. (If even that is confusing, call the customer-service number and have a representative break it down for you.) Then think about whether those services cover your phoning needs, and do some comparison shopping to find the best deal.

WHAT TO SAY: The schmooze is easy: Tell them that you may jump ship. The hard part will be assessing the counteroffer. You may even want to sample a new service for a few months to see what it's like and what the phone bills add up to. You can always return to your old plan if you're not satisfied.