Mobile phones are pretty much a necessity these days. We often use them for a lot more than just calls as well. But they come at a cost, and often a big one. Here are a few ways you can cut back on your bill.
Consider a SIM only deal
If you have a phone that you're happy with then you could opt for a SIM only deal. A SIM only deal means that you're just paying for the SIM card alone. All you'd need to do is decide on which plan best suits your needs in terms of data, calls and texts.
Another great reason to get a SIM only deal is that a lot these contracts tie you into the deal for just one month. So, if you find a better deal the next month you could swap providers easily.
You can get SIM only deals from as cheap as £6 per month with companies such as Plusnet. This deal would entitle you to unlimited texts, unlimited minutes and 3GB of data.
If 3GB of data isn’t enough, then there are other options with different providers available. You might want to get more data each month or more minutes. It depends on what you use your phone for. If you're someone who often finds they need to top up their data, then you should shop for a deal that has a bigger allowance. Try using a price comparison website such as Uswitch to find the best deal to suit your needs.
Limit your data use
You should try to have your Wi-Fi on whenever possible. Most public places have their own free Wi-Fi that you can connect to. By being savvier with your Wi-Fi usage you can save a lot on data.
Sometimes your phone is using your data when you aren’t even aware of it by updating and refreshing applications in the background. Make sure you go to settings and disable this feature.
Another thing you could try is downloading your music rather than streaming it live. That way, when you’re playing music outside of a Wi-Fi zone, your phone won’t be eating up your data.
Only get the add-ons you need
Add-ons are usually needed when a person runs out of minutes or data. Or if they want to make an international call.
One-off add-ons are great for emergency situations. However, if you do decide to use add-ons, always remember to cancel them for the following month otherwise your provider is likely to continue charging you for them.
Add a data cap
Luckily these days most mobile phone companies give you the option of a data cap. A data cap is a good idea if you regularly go over the data limit included in your plan. Without a cap you could easily rack up quite a hefty bill.
Each company offers different options. EE for example allows you to set a cap between £0 and £50 whereas Tesco mobile allows you to set a cap between £0 and £100. Check 4g.co.uk for an overview on which providers offer spending caps.
Avoid calls to certain numbers
Most telephone numbers are free to call from your mobile phone. They’re usually included in the minutes you're entitled to as part of your mobile phone plan. However, there are some telephone numbers that can end up costing you a lot of money, so it’s best to avoid these.
For example, telephone numbers beginning with 070 can cost you up to £2.50 per minute. Premium rate numbers such as 09 numbers can cost you up to £3.60 per minute from your mobile phone.
If you want to learn more about which telephone numbers are free and which telephone numbers to avoid then take a look here.
Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure that content is correct at the time of publication. Please note that information published on this website does not constitute financial advice, and we aren’t responsible for the content of any external sites.
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