(NC) -- It starts during travel, and then it increases after the trip when you open the phone bill to find your mobile provider has buried you in roaming charges.

While away, you may not have realized that you were being charged for sending texts, looking up your location online, or calling back home. Your phone can be a great resource on vacation, but being scared of high phone bills can be disheartening.

Did you know that one in four Canadians suffer from phone bill phobia? You can save yourself the headache however, by following these three simple steps:

1. Invest in an affordable roaming plan – Many mobile providers offer solutions to help banish phone bill phobia. That way you can keep up with all the latest news, updates and services wherever you are. WIND Mobile, for example, offers unlimited data, talk and text across the United States for only $15/month.

2. Turn your phone onto airplane mode – That way you can still play music or offline games without incurring extra costs.

3. Stick to Wi-Fi – Grab a coffee and relax in a cafe or take a seat in the hotel lobby for an easy way to get a quick fix of data while you travel.

Nowadays, sharing your vacation while it happens has never been more popular. But remember to be smart with your smartphone while you're away. More tips on this topic can be found at www.windmobile.ca/usunlimited.

www.newscanada.com