Breaking strings is one of the most frustrating aspects of playing guitar. A broken string can bring a great gig to a grinding halt, ruin an otherwise productive practice period or slow down an expensive recording session. Strings, while not terribly expensive, can still put a strain on your wallet if you have to buy a new set every week or so. Although they may break for any number of different reasons, a few useful tips can help you prolong the life of your guitar strings.
Wipe your strings down with a clean rag after you finish playing your guitar as fingers excrete oils that can damage guitar strings. Wiping them down after each playing session removes some of these oils, thus extending the life of your strings.
Put thicker strings on your guitar. This trick works particularly well if you have a heavy-handed picking style. While thicker strings are harder to break, be aware that they also change the feel of your instrument.