Beat spiralling line rental prices with UK's cheapest home phone deal

With Christmas just around the corner money management is top of the household agenda, but despite the average consumer's efforts to keep an eye on the pennies it seems the only way is up for the annual line rental bill, with multiple price rises from various providers introduced in 2012 and more coming into effect from 2013.

Primus, in conjunction with broadbandchoices.co.uk, has launched the UK's cheapest line rental offer costing just £7.49 per month with no monthly package cost. The Primus Line Rental Saver deal, which is on a 12 month contract and offered exclusively through broadbandchoices.co.uk, can shave £82 from the annual home phone bill. The package does not include per minute call costs, making it ideal for households who make a low volume of landline phone calls or those who simply need line rental for their broadband connection.

Dominic Baliszewski, telecoms expert at broadbandchoices.co.uk commented: "There has been a disappointing spate of line rental price increases over the course of 2012 and unfortunately many consumers simply overlook this ‘forgotten bill' when reviewing their household spend.

"Line rental has become too costly to ignore, especially as most providers now require you to subscribe to this service in order to take out a broadband package with them. Primus is offering a low cost lifeline and since every penny counts, customers who are unhappy with the recent home phone price hikes can take action and switch. Anyone who hasn't changed home phone provider in a year or more may be surprised at the amount they can save - over £82 when switching to Primus."

In addition to Primus Line Rental Saver, the Primus Home Phone Saver package has also been launched exclusively through broadbandchoices.co.uk, costing just £8.69 per month and includes evening and weekend calls.

Homephonechoices.co.uk's top tips on cutting your phone bills:

1. Pay by direct debit - Nearly all providers discourage payment other than direct debit, meaning you could save up to £5 per month by switching to direct debit payments. If direct debit isn't an option for you then the Post Office accepts payment by various means with no additional charges.

2. Go for paperless billing - Some providers offer useful savings if you receive your statements online, not by post and you'll also be doing your bit for the environment.

3. Check the small print - If you're tied to a 12 or 18 month contract, you may be faced with exit fees if you want to switch before the contract term ends. Check any fees and switch to a better deal if it makes financial sense to move.

4. Pay upfront - Some providers will offer a considerable discount on your yearly line rental bill if you pay up front in one go. For example, BT's line rental saver offers an annual saving of over £40 per year compared to standard monthly payments.

5. Compare: Check your current package against the up to date deals through an Ofcom-accredited price comparison site.