10 Tips To Lower Your Mobile Phone Bill
We take a look at the best 10 tips to lower your mobile phone bill that you can try, to help you reduce your monthly payments. With household expenses continuing to skyrocket, it is increasingly important to find ways to save. There are a few straightforward strategies for cutting your mobile phone bill.
From reviewing your data usage to selecting a virtual provider, there are plenty of ways you can save on mobile and landline bills. Here are the Best 10 Tips To Lower Your Mobile Phone Bills.
Here are some more useful pointers for reducing your mobile phone expenses…
Lower Your Mobile Phone Bill – Ditch the Unused Extras
Your best bet for cutting down your mobile bill is removing unnecessary extras like unlimited data, emergency roadside assistance and such.
There are some things you may be paying for that you don’t actually use, such as data, texts and calls. It’s easy to get into the habit of buying more than you need – particularly when it comes to data, which can add up.
Slimming down your phone contract to its core can save you considerable money. Checking and comparing tariffs available through various providers against those available on comparison websites may reveal any unnecessary charges that should be reduced. Contact them if this occurs to discuss ways they could do this.
As networks raise their prices each spring, you have options available to you if their contract price increase goes into effect. One solution may be switching to a pre-pay tariff which tends to be cheaper for light users and provides control over how much data and call minutes they use.
Ofcom offers a mobile and broadband availability checker which will let you easily check which networks offer strong signals before signing up with any provider – especially important if travelling frequently.
Lower Your Mobile Phone Bill – Trim Down Your Data Usage
An excessive usage of mobile data is often the cause of sky-high phone bills. By tracking how much data you use and switching to a suitable plan, you can reduce costs greatly and save money in the process.
Services such as Netflix or Spotify allow users to preload content ahead of time for consumption on-the-go, without using up too much of your data usage.
While cutting down on extras and switching to a cheaper tariff is one way to cut costs, calling your network directly can also be effective in getting better offers. Most mobile providers have dedicated customer service departments that focus on keeping customers and will work with you to find a package that meets your needs.
Lower Your Mobile Phone Bill – Explore Affordable Mobile Plans
No matter if you’re on contract or PAYG, there are affordable mobile plans that can help reduce your phone bill. If you can commit to a SIM-only deal without an older phone then it would be worthwhile exploring what each network (EE, Three, Vodafone, UW, Virgin and O2) has on offer.
Tesco also offers inexpensive mobile phones through an agreement with the O2 network, and newcomer Giffgaff provides rolling contracts at attractive rates.
Ofcom gives more information on comparison sites
Selecting the most appropriate plan becomes simpler when you understand your own personal needs. For example, if you talk on the phone often but rarely use data, perhaps a SIM-only plan with fewer minutes and unlimited texts could be beneficial.
Also, consider checking a coverage map so you know you have adequate service in your area so your phone always functions optimally while out and about.
And if you’re struggling to pay your phone bills, here’s what to do!
Lower Your Mobile Phone Bill – Take Advantage of Wi-Fi
One effective strategy to lower your mobile phone bill is limiting data use to Wi-Fi networks. Many cafes, restaurants and stores provide free WiFi service for customers – taking advantage of these hotspots would allow you to reduce your mobile data costs significantly.
Alternatively, ask your provider to set a monthly data spend cap so you’ll know when you are nearing reaching it and can avoid excess charges. This way, they will notify you as you near it and you can avoid exceeding it and paying extra.
How to SAVE Money on your Mobile Phone Bill – Video
Pre-pay plans provide fixed packs of calls, text messages, and data at a monthly fee for low-data users. These plans tend to be cheaper if this applies to you and also give peace of mind should your provider increase prices mid-contract.
If you’re shopping around for new providers, use a price comparison website and record all available options with your usage. Perhaps your current network can match them, though switching may incur a cancellation fee with your old provider!
Lower Your Mobile Phone Bill – Cut Down on Text Messages
If your smartphone plan is expensive, it might be worthwhile negotiating with your network provider to see if they can match a more affordable deal or switch services altogether to see if that helps save money. Many people overpay due to not understanding exactly what’s included on their bill – meaning you could end up paying for call minutes and data you never use!
Millions of households are finding it increasingly difficult to afford their mobile phone bill. We advise contacting your current network to see if there are any exit fees to pay if you decide to switch before a pricing increases; And informing them if you miss a payment; as this may help avoid incurring debt-collection fees.
Lower Your Mobile Phone Bill – Opt for SIM-Only Deals
If your contract with your handset is soon coming to an end and you want a change, why not switch to a SIM-only deal instead of upgrading with a new phone? SIM-only deals offer packages of minutes, texts and data and tend to be much cheaper.
Starting to negotiate your contract renewal cost a few months early can increase your chances of success, providing better pricing for phone plans or services such as cheaper phone insurance or extra data.
You want to make sure you do research on competitors and ask about possible perks, like more affordable phone insurance or extra data storage capacity.
EE, O2, Vodafone and Three are the three most widely used UK networks; however, smaller providers like iD Mobile, UW and Tesco provide great SIM-only deals with up to unlimited data for one or two-year contracts. Use Ofcom’s Mobile Network Coverage Checker to ensure that your provider offers good coverage in your area.
Pre-pay tariffs offer another viable solution. They cost upfront for a bundle of calls, texts, and data each month and may be more cost-effective for low-data users than regular contracts.
Pre-pay plans are particularly good for regular travellers using their phones in other countries – for instance, iD Mobile offers an EU roaming plan which won’t incur extra charges when travelling to America or Australia.
Lower Your Mobile Phone Bill – Monitor and Control Roaming Charges
Keep a close watch on roaming charges as they can quickly add up and add to your bill. Many mobile providers offer “roam like at home” policies, allowing travellers to use domestic call minutes and texts when abroad at domestic prices; however, some companies restrict how much data can be used when roaming and may charge additional fees for exceeding spend caps.
Wi-Fi calling and messaging apps like WhatsApp, Messenger and Skype can help you save on international call charges while travelling abroad. In addition to video calls, these applications also support audio calls – making them a convenient alternative to traditional telephone lines.
Lower Your Mobile Phone Bill – Limit App Subscriptions
When considering phone contracts, pay attention to the data allowance provided in each deal. Going over your allotment regularly can quickly drive up the bill. Many providers now provide spend cap services that automatically stop data or minutes being used once you hit certain levels.
This service can especially come in handy for children using in-app purchases from games – plus giving you peace of mind.
Lower Your Mobile Phone Bill – Embrace VoIP and Messaging Apps
If you still use a traditional mobile phone, upgrade to one with VoIP technology. This service uses your internet connection to make calls and provides HD sound quality – saving money on international rates as a result.
VoIP phone systems are available on both desktop and mobile phones and setup is straightforward: all that’s necessary is a phone adapter, broadband internet connectivity and monthly or annual subscription payment to the provider of your choice. Or download their apps.
Lower Your Mobile Phone Bill – Negotiate with Your Provider
Saving money through phone bill negotiations can be quite easy. Haggling with your provider should be simpler than you expect – the easiest way is usually advising them that you may switch. They will usually then transfer you directly to their retention department, which may offer deals and discounts in order to retain you as their customer.
Call around and compare prices – there are numerous accredited price comparison websites such as Ofcom that will assist with this task.
At the end of your contract, it’s advisable to negotiate better offers from providers – and identify any unnecessary charges such as premium rates for calling numbers like 09, 0871 and 118 that might incur charges that add up over time.
Be wary of data roaming costs as well. Since Brexit, EE, Vodafone and Three have all introduced additional charges for using data abroad; be sure to read your contract’s fine print before travelling abroad.
If your provider cannot reach an agreement on your terms it might be wiser to switch networks – text-to-switch services make switching easier than ever!
Conclusion – Save Big on Your Mobile Phone Bill
With living costs skyrocketing and many families feeling financially stretched, finding ways to cut bills should be top of mind. A major outgoing for most households is the mobile phone bill; making changes can help your income stretch further.
Many are surprised when their mobile phone bill becomes unusually high for several reasons, such as overage charges or paying for calls or texts they never use, regularly overstepping their data limit and incurring substantial additional charges, or in-app purchases that charge their bill once their free trial period has ended.
It’s worth going over your bill carefully, armed with the tips discussed here, to identify how you can cut your phone charges down as much as possible.
If you feel you are overpaying for your mobile phone contract, negotiate with your network provider. Some people have seen their bills reduced by nearly half just by calling up and explaining that they know they are overpaying.
