Tips to Cut Costs of Using a Cell Phone While Traveling to the UK

Whether you are a frequent traveler to the UK or you are going for a short vacation there, you will have to figure out how you are going to stay in touch with your family and friends back home. There are several reasons why you should try to stay as reachable as possible while you are abroad. However, there is no doubt about the fact that international calls are expensive to make and if you are not careful about the calls you are making and the way you are making them, you can be in big trouble when the phone bills arrive.So, while you are out on your trip to the UK, here are some tips you should follow to keep your bills to a minimum:Use Roaming Packages CarefullyIf you are on an international roaming package, you should be very careful about the calls you make. International roaming charges are remarkably high when it comes to making calls back home. So make sure you are only calling if there is something very important to talk about and have a clear idea of what you will be saying before you make the call.Switch Off Your VoicemailIf you are using your own network and you have voicemail service on, your bills can mount up without even you realizing. If you don't answer the phone and it goes to voicemail, you will be charged similarly as if the call was received and incoming roaming rates will apply to each voicemail. Moreover, some services also charge additionally if you want to listen to your voicemail messages.Buy a Local UK SIMIf you are really planning to get cheap rates while using your phone as much as you can, the best option for you is to get a UK sim card. With a UK card, all the local calls you need to make for reservations and emergencies will cost you remarkably less. Moreover, you can get affordable rates for international calls by selecting your package carefully.Rent a Local Cell PhoneAnother feasible option for heavy phone users is to get a UK cell phone rental for the duration of your trip. With a phone rental, you can get local calling rates while you don't have to buy anything. Once you are done with your trip and it's time to go back, you can return your UK cell phone rental back to the provider.Cut Back on Your Data RoamingWhether you are using your own cellular service or you are roaming around with a UK SIM, you should limit the use of 3G and data roaming on your phone. As an alternative, you can look for free Wi-Fi accessibility in the hotel you are staying or the places you visit to save money. Using data roaming while you have an international roaming package can be extremely expensive.Avoid Incoming CallsIf you are using international roaming services, you will be charged for incoming calls as well. Therefore, you should try and avoid getting calls on your cell phone. Leave an itinerary with your family so that they can contact you at the hotel you are staying at. Turn off the voicemail service as well. Tell your family that if you cannot be reached at the hotel, they can only call you on the cell phone in case of an emergency. If you have a rental phone or SIM, this problem can be avoided.So, if you don't want to come back to mounting phone bills, make sure you use your cell phone very carefully while you are holidaying in the UK.