Recent studies show that 85% of us are being ripped off by our mobile phone deals! Expensive contract tariffs offering us millions of minutes and texts may seem like a godsend at first, but are they necessary? Here are a few tips from us to stop you getting bogged down by phone bills:

1) Be realistic - Do you really think you'll get through two-thousand texts per month? If you truly think about it, you probably only use a small percentage of that allowance! Don't be blinded by providers' 'great value' tariffs as you could end up paying for stuff that you don't even use.

2) Think carefully before signing up for insurance - Most network providers try to convince you to pay for additional handset insurance in the unfortunate event that your phone breaks, you lose it or somebody steals it. These policies can be quite expensive and some bank accounts or home insurance policies provide cover for your mobile. Check with your parents before you sign up for any additional add-ons.

3) Don't act like a numpty - Some people end up spending unbelievable amounts of money on replacement mobiles. Smashed screens, melted batteries, leaving your phone on the bus, dropping it down a toilet, trusting it with that dodgy man at the train station… these things can all be avoided if you act sensibly with your mobile.

4) Turn off data roaming abroad - Most phones nowadays allow you to access the Internet without the use of a computer using 3G or EDGE connectivity. The roaming option on your settings determines whether the phone is permanently connected to the mobile network or not, which can rack up an absolutely huge bill! Do yourself a favour and turn mobile Internet off altogether and stick with the hotel's free Wi-Fi.

5) Go SIM-only - If you're happy with the handset you've got, you may want to consider SIM-only contracts when it's time to upgrade. Providers will simply issue you a new SIM-card, ready to be installed on your existing phone, giving you all of the minutes and texts you desire at a fraction of the price! Ordinary contracts are expensive because you're partly paying for the handset alongside your allowance.

6) Get Skype - Skype is a brilliant computer program that is completely free to download and lets you make Skype-to-Skype calls for absolutely nothing! All you need is a broadband Internet connection, webcam and microphone (most webcams have mics built-in) and you can video chat with your mates for as long as you want! Plus there's an app for it if you've got a smartphone!

7) App-ly yourself - If you've got a fancy-pants smartphone, such as an iPhone or BlackBerry, you can save paying for additional texts and minutes by having a look at the App Stores. Free apps such as Viber and LiveProfile allow you to make phone calls and send texts for free, as long as the recipient has the app installed as well. Plus there are tons of instant messengers out there. Alternatively, if you don't have the latest Apple gadget, head over to eSeMeS to send free texts to UK mobile numbers online.

8) Be patient - Just because a new phone model you've got your eye on has finally been released, don't rush out and sign up just yet. Often, prices fall after a couple of months so it's worth waiting for a little bit to avoid long, expensive contracts. Plus, there could still be some bugs that need to be fixed. Remember the iPhone 4's widely-reported signal issues at launch?

9) Use BillMonitor - This handy web-tool analyses your current contract usage and determines whether it's appropriate for you or not. Plus, it recommends tariffs that are better suited to your mobile habits. You can even customise the recommendations by choosing network, whether you want contract, pay-as-you-go or SIM-only and whether you're happy to keep your current handset. The process takes about half an hour to gather your results and all you have to do is grant it access to your online billing account.

10) Be aware of Wi-Fi hotspots - If you're one of those people who just can't go without Facebook for five minutes, make sure you know where your local Wi-Fi hotspots are. Cafés, coffee shops, restaurants, pubs and stores sometimes provide free Wi-Fi which can save you considerably on your mobile data usage. Some services do charge for Internet usage, such as The Cloud, so be careful what you sign up for. If you're a heavy user, however, it may be worth investigating the costs of these services as they may end up cheaper than the data plan you're currently on. Some contracts include free subscription to these services too.