In the olden days, people had landlines and they were relatively cheap. Nowadays, we’re paying for minutes, text messages, mobile Internet access, usage fees and more. It’s easy to spend $1k or more per year to stay wired and wireless—and even easier to spend more than you can afford.

Stay in check by knowing how much is in your budget for a monthly phone service and sticking to it. And follow these simple tips for cutting back costs:

• Never spend more than you can afford on a phone service. If a cell or smartphone isn’t in the cards right now, save up and go for it in a year.
• Check your bill for features, minutes or texts you’re paying for and not using. Calling and adjusting your plan can save you plenty in the long run.
• Stay within your monthly minutes. This is a no-brainer. If in doubt, check your remaining minutes online or via text through your carrier.
• Make calls during non-peak hours. Under most carriers, this includes weekends, holidays and weekdays after 9pm.
• Consider bundling services together if you pay for a landline, cell, Internet and cable; or any two of these services. It could just save you.
• Watch for offers made to new customers and ask to be given the same deal.
• Ask if your school or employer has a cell plan discount for students or employees.
• Explore family calling plans where you can share minutes among family members you text or call often.

For more on staying on top of your finances by creating a budget, click here.

When I was a student at the University of CA, Santa Cruz, I’d flock to the campus bookstore with hundreds of other college kids on the first day of classes, throw every required book up on the counter (without glancing at the prices—they were required!) and pull out the plastic. I spent thousands on books during college, and it added to the mighty debt I faced when I graduated.

So save yourself a little grief (and some dollars in interest) by shopping smart for your textbooks. According to the New York Times online, students spend an average of $700 to $1,100 a year on textbooks. Here are a few tricks that could save you many thousands over the course of your college career:

1. Purchase electronic books. If you’re comfortable doing your work and reading on a laptop, this can mean saving yourself 50%.
2. Shop international editions. It’s an industry secret that they cost significantly less; you can search for them here.
3. Rent your books. It’s the latest trend in textbook savings, and it can save you half or more of the cover price. Check out chegg.com.
4. Bookshare with pals who share your major.
5. Download books with ads imbedded in the pages for huge savings at textbookmedia.com.
6. Buy used at your local bookstore or sites like eBay.com.

If saving thousands over a four-year period doesn’t seem like much compared to your whopping tuition, think again. Many students pay for their books with credit, which multiplies when you consider interest paid over time. College expenses can be overwhelming, but there are countless tricks for cutting back and getting that degree for less. For more financial tips geared toward college students, check out our money guides here.

After college, I was waiting tables by night, living the good life of a 20-something in the city by day. Cool roommate, cute dog and a little spending money to boot. Then one day, my dog ran into the street and was hit by a car. She needed a $2,000 surgery ASAP and I had zero savings. I did what most of us would do — I whipped that credit card out so fast I gave myself whiplash. (P.S. The surgery ended up costing a lot more than 2K).

Fast-forward a few weeks. The pup was healing, I was doing a good job forgetting my newfound debt and the car I’d had since high school broke down. The repairs were $1,700. Dude, thank goodness for credit, I thought. Years later, I’m still paying for those two emergencies. Hey — no one knows when crisis will strike and credit cards are great for a little added security. But it’s easy for one big charge to snowball into years of debt. Here’s how to avoid having it happen to you:

1. Start saving now with the goal of stashing away $1,500 – $2,000. One key to staying out of debt is creating a cushion for those “what-ifs.” Just save whatever you can each month until you hit your goal. You can find more great info. on saving here.
2. Use a low interest card if you do have an emergency your savings won’t cover. If you didn’t shop around for a good rate before, it’s not too late to do it now. Most card companies will give you a lower rate if you just call and ask.
3. Make a plan for paying off debts. If you have an emergency and you’ve got to charge it, plan out your payments from the get go. (Remember that making minimum payments can mean paying tons of interest and being in debt for years.) You can calculate how long it will take you to pay off your balance here.

Bottom line: financial trouble’s bound to hit every once in a while. Instead of considering a credit card your emergency fund, start stashing away a little cash. It’s just another way to keep your debt from getting out of control. For more on using credit wisely, go to What’sMyScore.org.

Do you have something you like to splurge on, even when it’s not the best idea? Whether it’s eating every meal out, picking up all the latest gadgets, or hitting the mall for shoe-buying sprees, your splurges could be costing you more than you think. Curbing the habit can help you build your savings and even tackle debt. Here are a few ways to do it:

1. Keep track of what you spend. Once you’ve recorded a few weeks or a month, highlight your luxuries (anything not totally necessary) to see where you’re spending the most.

2. Calculate what it’s costing you. That $4 almond latte you have every weekday may be just $4, but that adds up to a whopping $1,040 a year. To get a real sense of how much a splurge is costing you, calculate the cost for the next 12 months.

3. Prioritize your luxuries. Hey, we all need a treat sometimes. Instead of cutting out all of your luxuries, prioritize the ones you’ll enjoy this month. If you get that cool new sweater today, maybe the fancy dinner out can wait.

4. Tackle one bad habit a week. For most of us, going from spending maniac to mister frugal isn’t realistic. Instead of going whole hog, pick one habit to tackle at a time.

5. Give yourself alternatives. To get a habit change to stick, try replacing it with something else. Instead of a lunchtime shopping spree, take a lunchtime walk. If nightly dinners out are your weakness, start by cutting down to two or three a week.

6. Set long-term goals. Whether it’s a trip to Europe, a downpayment on a home or a $1,000 fund for emergencies, having a goal can help motivate you to change bad spending habits.

Just like breaking other bad habits, it isn’t easy to change a financial pattern. But making small changes is a great way to start. You might find that stashing away savings or paying down debt can bring you the biggest treat of all — financial peace of mind.

For more tips on budgeting and making smart financial decisions, visit our Budgeting section on PracticalMoneySkills.com.