Cut Your Mobile Phone Bill
The TotalCreditCrunch Guide To Saving £££s On Your Mobile Bill.
It wasn't too long ago that mobile phones were something of a rarity. Now, in today's climate, they are almost a necessity. The availability of cheap handsets and contracts has made mobile phones accessible to the masses.
Although the cost of owning and running a mobile phone has drastically reduced over recent years, the average person's bill in the UK is in excess of £200 a year (source - moneysupermarket.co.uk).
There are plenty of measures you can take to cut the cost of owning a mobile phone. Try the following steps and see how much you could save:
- Bin Your Insurance. When taking out a contract, mobile phone insurance is almost force-fed down the customer's throats. Although it may only cost a few pounds per month, this adds up to a considerable amount per year, often outweighing the cost of replacing the handset. It may be worth checking to see if you have mobile phone insurance bundled with your bank account, or as part of another insurance policy you hold. Whatever the case, make sure that you report the loss of a mobile phone to the police and your network operator to avoid being liable for any excessive bills.
- Is A Contract Best For You? If you're not making the most of your contract, you may find yourself paying out for inclusive minutes and/or texts that you aren't using. In this case, Pay As You Talk may be a viable alternative. Another benefit of Pay As You Talk is that it gives you the ability to budget what you spend.
- Save On Freephone Numbers. Using a mobile to call a Freephone, or so-called 'Local Call' number (such as those beginning with 0870 or 0845) can cost a fortune. Instead, use www.saynoto0870.com to look up a landline equivalent, which you can call for free on most contracts.
- Make The Most Of Your Contract. If you're on a contract, it is worth taking the time to check whether or not you are using all your free minutes and texts. If you're not using all of your entitlement, contact your network operator and have them change your contract to something more suitable, which could save you a packet. This also applies if you regularly exceed your free minutes and texts.
- Threaten To Switch Providers. If you contact your network operator and tell them that you wish to change to another network, in the majority of cases they will bend over backwards to keep you, by offering you a better deal. Give them a call and ask for your 'PAC Code' (allows you to take your phone number to another network) and see what they can offer you.
- Don't Waste Money On Ringtones. Downloading items such as ringtones, wallpapers and games can cost in excess of £3.50 a time. This is a complete waste of money! Don't do it! Its quite simple to make your own ringtones on your computer and transfer them to your phone for free. There is a tutorial on how to do it here.
- Turn Your Old Phone Into Cash. When you take out a new contract, what do you do with your old handset? Shove it in a drawer? Shove it in a cupboard? Shove it under your bed? Well why not try one of the following sites, and turn it into hard cash! Also, some companies will offer you money for your old phone when you take out a new contract. It's worth enquiring.
- Do You Need A Flashy Phone? Do you really need a top model phone? Do you use all of its capabilities, such as WiFi, GPS, UMTS... etc? It is possible to get a handset for as little as £5, so if you only need a phone for calls and texts, think how much money you could save!