You are probably reading this piece on your mobile smartphone. Or you read your last email on it; or took a photo of something that caught your interest with it. That is the kind of life we live right now, where smartphones become indispensable for us to navigate the world.
They don’t come for free though. You get billed. If you are one of the people who find their bills too high or would prefer to shave off some pounds, this article is for you.
Type of billing
A question you must answer at the beginning of your smartphone journey is whether to go for a monthly fee plan or pay-as-you-go plan. It is still worth asking if you want to save on your mobile phone bills. The former means you pay a set fee for a range of services while the later means you pay for the exact services you consume.
Your pattern of phone use determines which is best for you. If you use sparingly, then you should go for pay-as-you-go. For heavy users, they should stick with a monthly fee. If you fall somewhere in the middle, you need to evaluate.
Type of phone purchase
Another decision to make is whether to buy your phone outright or on a contract. When you get your phone through a carrier on contract, you are locked in for a period of time and make monthly payments for the costs of the phone and the mobile services you use. You are also exposed to a fine if you want to end your contract before it runs out. You save by paying for your device outright. This might mean you get a slightly older model but these days, you won’t notice much difference.
Shop around for the best mobile plans
Even mobile phone services providers have to compete with one another for your business, so they offer different mobile plans to attract you. Look around and compare. Estimate your monthly usage and then choose the tariff or contract that saves you the most. Regularly check for new tariffs or discounts. Make sure you don’t pay for what you don’t use.
Another trick is to wait until your contract is almost ending. Your supplier will be desperate to keep you so you might be able to haggle your way to a cheaper deal. Give them a call and ask for the best available plans. Chip in that you might be switching providers. There is a whole department dedicated to retaining you so be sure they will put their best effort to it.
Keep track of what your phone does or is used for
Smartphones these days are so powerful that they may be doing a lot in the background without you noticing. Apps are often culprits to clandestine data zapping so make sure you know what is going on. Check background running apps and stop those you don’t need.
Also, don’t let kids have a free run of your device. They will likely run up your phone bill by installing games or downloading or streaming videos. Give them toys instead.
Hop on Wifi as much as you can
If you have access to Wifi, use it as much as possible to limit your cellular data use and stay under your contract limit. You can set your smartphone to auto connect when in the range of your home or work Wifi. Schedule downloads and streaming to when you are on Wifi.
Watch out for the numbers you call
Not all phone numbers are born equal. Some numbers are more expensive to call: e.g. numbers starting with 0871, 0872, 0873, 118 and 09. Short code SMS services too cost more.
Bear in mind that ‘Unlimited’ plans are not completely unlimited
This crucial piece of info often comes in the fine print of your contract. Unlimited plans usually have caps or speed restriction or fair usage policy. Exceeding the allowance can incur extra payment.
You probably don’t need that insurance
If you read the fine print, you would probably discover the policies only cover specific cases and may not cover the damage your phone is likely to get. Yet you are charged a monthly premium for it. If you must insure, you can try self-insure, which simply means you saving up enough money, perhaps monthly, to buy another one if your current phone breaks. If you don’t end up breaking your phone, the money remains yours.
Struggling with your bills?
It happens even to the best of us so no worries. Take proactive steps. Contact your carrier and inform them. They can help by changing your billing date, placing you on a different tariff or waiving late payment penalties.
Recent Comments