Are you thinking of ditching your telephone land line to save some money on phone bills? Many people are toying with that idea. Since you probably already have a cell phone, how easy it would be to cut the cord.

Or maybe you're seriously considering a switch to low-cost Internet phone service, now offered by cable companies and independent providers, like Vonage.

Well, before you hand up that house phone for good, get the answers to two very important questions.

1. Will it be easy to call 911 in an emergency? 911 works best when your location pops up on a screen in front of your local operator. Not all cells and Internet phones have that capability yet.
2. If your electricity fails, how will you get your phone to work? Old plug-in-the-wall land line phones still work best in a blackout.

Bottom line: Look before you leap.

If you want to get smarter about everything-money, here’s what we want you to do: Sign up for our FREE email tip-letter, Smart Money Moves with the Dolans. It’s loaded with advice to make your life simpler and more rewarding—and it’s FREE. Click here.