SOME questions about phones are easy. Why are wrong numbers never engaged? Why don't phones have price meters?

The technology is there, but if we knew the real cost of calls, we wouldn't stay on for long. Add up line rental, home phone and mobile costs, and modern phone habits cost a FORTUNE.

Check out our Martin Lewis section for more money saving tips

Yet follow my dirty dozen tricks - a mix of clever moves, top deals and logic, and you can save £100s a year.

1. FREE BT line installation: At £122.50, the cost of line installation makes us yearn for paper cups and a ball of string. Yet until September 30 a hidden promo means you can grab FREE installation - even for second lines.

Call 0800 800 150 for the "new line free connection offer". Some call centre staff might not know about it, yet BT's top brass confirm it is kosher.

To qualify you must take an 18 months contract and make a minimum ten phone calls monthly, although inclusive free calls count.

2. DIAL a special code to slash costs: To halve many landline call costs without changing provider, set up an account with no-frills phone firms like www.18185.co.uk . Then dial its access code (18185) before the number you are calling.

It charges 4 to 5p PER CALL to daytime landlines, no matter how long you speak (BT charges 4.5p PER MIN) and 6p a min to mobiles weekdays.

This works on BT and other lines, although some call providers block access. If so, there are other special numbers to dial. Go to www.moneysavingexpert.com/callchecker .

3. TEXT UK and overseas for free online: If you're near a PC, forget your mobile - www.cbfsms.com gives you unlimited free UK texts. And instead of the possible 50p to text overseas, do it free to more than 30 countries via www.sendsmsnow.com . These texts don't appear from your mobile, so always sign them.

4. TEXT from mobiles for pennies: Texting is a con. For a pittance you can send and receive emails, videos, pictures and music through most modern mobiles' internet - but to send just 160 characters via old-fashioned SMS can cost 10p.

Yet canny software providers let you text via your mobile's web access for fractions of pennies. Full guide at www.moneysavingexpert.com/freetexts .

5. CALL 0800s free from mobiles: Freephone calls are NOT free from mobiles, costing up to 40p a minute.

Go to www.0800buster.com , which gives you a normal 01293-type number. Save that, then dial it to access its system within your free minutes, followed by the 0800 number at no extra cost.

6. FREE PC to PC worldwide chat: This is known as Voip. You can speak anywhere worldwide via computers if you and your friend have net access. Download www.skype.com or www.sipgate.co.uk , create a user name, plug a headset/mic in and within seconds you're there.

7. BEWARE the Skype hype: While Skype is great it makes money tempting you to make calls from your PC to phones. These are paid-for, and there are cheaper ways to do it . . .

8. CALL abroad from phones for pennies: Calling China for 30 minutes on Virgin's standard tariff is £33 - Spain via BT's is £7. Yet you can make these calls for under 30p. Use a no-frills access phone number, dial it for a pennyish-per-minute phone bill charge, and the call remainder is free. Find the cheapest number for all countries at www.moneysavingexpert.com/callchecker

9. FREE 118 enquiries: Those moustachioed fools cost 98p for a minute's call. Instead, if you're prepared to listen to ads, register on sister site 118.com, then call 0800118 3733 for free enquiries. If not, ad-free 118226 allows two enquiries for 23.5p.

10. FREE calls abroad from home phones: Register at www.jajah.com , and type in the numbers you want to call from and to. Your landline rings, then it calls your destinations free for most Western countries.

11. SAY no to 0870 and more: Though BT and Talk Talk now offer 0870 calls free, others don't and 0871s and 0845s can still cost a lot. Use www.saynoto0870.com to find alternative cheaper numbers and www.moneysavingexpert.com/saynoto0870 to cut call costs.

12. HANG up and redial to keep calls free: If you have "unlimited" calls on your home phone, the problem is they're actually limited. Call for over an hour on BT and you're charged up to 4.5p a min.

So hang up before the time's up and redial to keep calls free.

MARTIN'S EXTRA TIPS

13. GO paperless: Many landline providers give discounts for opting to get bills via e-mail rather than post, e.g. BT's normal direct debit line rental is £12.50/mth but paperless billing drops it to £11.25/mth

14. WIFI cheap calls when overseas: If your phone is WiFi-enabled (so it can connect to local wireless internet) find a free connection then download a Skype or Sipgate application and use it to call home for pennies.

15. FREE PC-PC worldwide chat: You can speak anywhere worldwide via computers provided you and your friend have internet access. Known as 'Voip' you speak through the internet.

Simply download www.Skype.com or www.sipgate.co.uk , create a user name, plug a headset/mic in (easily picked up for a few pounds) and within seconds you're there.

Check out our Martin Lewis section for more money saving tips

Pick the right provider

THE daddy of all home phone tricks is to ensure you've the right PROVIDER to start with.

There are currently some CRACKING deals out there. BT's standard line £11.25 rental automatically gets you unlimited weekend calls - - yet agree to a year's contract and you'll get unlimited evening calls too.

Cheaper still, switch to PRIMUS HOME SAVER 2 for line rental and the same call package at £9.99 a month (£9.50 via a comparison site).

Or, get HOME PHONE and BROADBAND for the equivalent of £16.90 a month via a special cashback deal. Full details at www.moneysavingexpert.com/homephones .

TV Money Guru Martin Lewis, is the creator of the Consumer Revenge website www.MoneySavingExpert.com which is packed with info on how to get more money in your pocket.

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