Are you spending too much money on your phone bill? With top-tier brand new phones costing way over £1000, some of us are spending more than £60 per month in phone bills. If you’re a parent also paying for a child’s phone plan, monthly bills can get particularly expensive.
Fortunately, there are many savvy ways to save money on a mobile phone. Below are just a few handy tips to spend less.
Don’t buy the latest flagship model
The most obvious way to save money is to not always opt for the newest phone. When a new iPhone or Samsung model is announced, last year’s handset model often drops in price by 10% to 30% within the next few months. If you don’t need all the latest specs (and let’s face it – the differences between each new model now are subtle), you can save a lot of money by choosing an older model.
Explore used and refurbished phones
Many people sell used phones that are still in great condition. Some mobile repair shops will even refurbish and esell old phones to make them look and feel brand new. These pre-owned models are typically much cheaper than an unused phone. When looking into used phones for sale, try to look out for certified sellers – you can then be more sure the quality of each phone will be high. Many of these sellers also offer a 100% guarantee.
Choose a SIM-only deal
If you’ve reached the end of your contract and your current phone still works fine, consider choosing a SIM-only deal. This saves you having to take out financing on a new phone, allowing you to just pay for the SIM. An advantage of SIM-only deals is that you can choose shorter contracts of 12 months or even 30 days if you don’t want to commit. Some of these SIM-only plans also offer cheaper and better data and roaming than a phone-and-SIM bundle.
Consider which contract features you actually need
A lot of people pay extra for features like unlimited data, but actually use very little data each month. Capping your data might help you to save a few quid each month. Similarly, there’s not much in paying extra for free travel roaming plans if you don’t go abroad much. You can also save money by skipping extra costs like insurance (if you’ve got a home insurance plan, your phone might already be covered). Compare different contracts to see how much you can save.
Explore options like social tariffs
Did you know that it’s possible to access cheaper phone plans from some providers if you’re on Universal Credit or Pension Credit? Such plans can be as little as £10 per month with unlimited calls and texts. Most people who are eligible do not take advantage of these plans because they are not heavily advertised, but by searching for ‘social phone tariffs’ online you’re likely to find a few results. It’s worth checking whether you are eligible to get a discounted phone rate.