Photos and Data Usage - Google+ and Picasa

[MissyBrown]

I find my monthly bill for communications is significant and I want to reduce it, if feasible. I think I have several services backing up my data and photos are a big part of this. I don't understand the Google products in relation my data and photos and to each other like Google+ and Picasa.

Photo taken on my cell phone - I use an Samsung Android cell phone that works with Google products.

• Uploading photos. When I take photos they are uploaded automatically and quickly to my Google+ account.

1. Does this photo upload use my Verizon Wireless data plan?
2. Or does that depend how I am connected to the Internet - if I am on WiFi or on the phone's mobile connection. Can I control where/how/when it uploads?
3. Is it possible to stop the automatic upload? Or is that not recommended.

• Google+ Photo

1. Has it replaced Picasa?
2. How does it function?
3. How many photos will it store for free?
4. Do I need to back up my photos to another service like Mozy?
5. Sharing. Huge mystery to me.
6. I created an album and I shared it with myself, my husband and 3 kids. Next day, someone else commented on the photos. Huh?
7. I wanted this album to go to myself so I could forward it via Gmail. I don't see how to do this.

• Clearing out the excess photos

1. Am I correct to think that clearing out unwanted photos will reduce my data storage cost on every service that does my backups?
2. If I delete photos on my cell phone will they automatically be deleted from Google+ Photos?
3. Or do I have to purge them in both places?
4. Trash - If you assemble an album and then remove some photos from it, they go into the Trash. It automatically empties in 60 days, so will it delete the original or just a copy that was in the album?