Saving: Cell phone damage and battery life

Today we're talking cell phone savings.

First - what to do if your phone gets damaged and your warranty has run out?

Daily Finance says if you paid for it with a card, you could be covered for an additional year on top of the manufacturer's warranty.

If you purchased it on Amazon.com, try reaching out to their customer service department.

Worst case scenario, you can actually sell some damaged electronics for cash on ebay.

Now, to getting the most out of your phone's battery life...

Nothing says misery like being out and about, away from a power source, and your phone goes dead.

Lots of companies are tapping into that fear, producing products for portable power.

How about a leather purse that comes with its own charger?

One bag we found for $175 had a sewn-in battery. But the pocket couldn't zip properly because of the cord sticking out.

Some other clutches come with a removable charger, so you could put it into another bag.

That led Consumer Reports ShopSmart Editor, Lisa Freeman, to ask, "Why not just buy a little portable charger that you can put in a bag that you already own?"

Indeed.

There are tons of portable chargers on the market. How do you pick one?

"When you shop, look for milliamps per hour, or mAh. And keep in mind that the average smart phone battery holds about 2200 to 3000 mAh," Freeman explained.

For $20 the sleek Anker Astro Mini has 3,200 mAh - more than enough to fully charge your phone. It works with both Apple and Android devices and fits into any bag or pocket.

For true techies who need to power up several gadgets on the go, there's the TYLT Energi Backpack for $200. The battery holds over 10,000 mAh and has three ports - two for phones, one for charging a tablet. The cables run to plush-lined compartments that keeps everything protected, including your laptop.

Another option to help your phone stay powered up is to buy a charging case from companies such as Mophie and PhoneSuit.

Consumer Reports' tests show they can nearly double a phone's battery life.