Cellphones play a major role in today’s society. From keeping in touch with family and friends to making sure your on top of your work, cellphones ensure that you have a bit more control over your life. For many, the cellphone is a necessity, but the cellphone bill or phone itself can cost so much money that it isn’t right for the household budget. There are a few ways to make your cellphone usage worthwhile, so you don’t have to feel like you must get rid of your cellphone in order to be financially secure. If you can manage a few simple techniques then you can really make your cellphone bill a lucrative and inexpensive aspect to your monthly bills.
1. No Smartphones
Although smartphones are the coolest thing on the market right now they can really boost up the amount of money you spend per month on your bill. Most phone companies charge you extra for a smart phone fee and require you to use a data plan even if you don’t really want to, which could add up to $50 per phone to your bill. Not to mention, smartphones are expensive to purchase initially and if you don’t pay the monthly insurance fee you might also end up spending a whole lot more to replace or repair the device if it breaks. Rather than investing a huge amount of money for a phone that might not last you long, you might want to consider working with an older model that doesn’t require the extra fees. Typically these phones can still provide you access to the internet without forcing you go overboard on bill additions.
2. Consider Location
Before you purchase a phone plan you should consider the area you’re in and potential areas you might go. Many cellphone providers will offer you a certain coverage areas, but some just don’t cover everywhere you may go. So, you might want to look at the plans prior to actually purchasing one. Another way to get a good perspective of a potential company’s coverage is to ask friends and neighbors what company they use. This will allow you to know how your phone is going to work at home as well as out in the town. Knowing what your area coverage is will help you avoid roaming charges which could really mess up your budget. You should also consider the places that you visit often. For instance, if you spend a lot of time with relatives that live further away then you will certainly want your phone to work while visiting. If you go out of town for work a lot then you should also check out how the phone company covers a lot of your more than frequent destinations. Many people who travel abroad also have issues with roaming charges when they try to use their phone overseas. Many companies offer sister networks that allow you to switch your phone without having to worry about any extra fees, which will really do you a huge favor in regards to your bill. If you’re unsure about coverage then talk to the company about local and abroad coverage to help make your decision easier.
3. Know Your Usage
A lot of people are actually spending way too much on their cellphone bill because they think they use the phone more than they actually do. There is no reason to have unlimited everything unless you’re actually going to use what the company expects you too. Most people today communicate through text in order to get the message across quickly. This is great for cellphone companies because texts are actually very cheap for them to send and it also means people are using a lot less minutes, even though they’re being charged for unlimited use. You should always keep an eye on your bill to see what you’re really using. If you aren’t using more than a few minutes then downgrade your plan to help save some money. The same goes for text messages, as some people never use them. Data plans are also a huge portion of the bill. If you’re only using a small percentage then you can knock down the amount your using to help put more money in your pocket.
4. Turn Off Cellular
Many people constantly have their cellphone with the cellular data active. This can be one of the worst ways to save money on your cellphone. Many of today’s modern phones actually connect to Wi-Fi connections so you don’t have to waste your cellular data while you’re browsing on your phone. Loading simple webpages on the phone can really bog down your connection and run up your data, so it is best to put it on hold until you’re near a connection. The good news is there are so many different Wi-Fi connections around most cities and towns that you won’t have to go far to surf the web. In fact, most local restaurants, libraries and schools have Wi-Fi that is free to the public. So, if you can remember to turn cellular off until you absolutely need it, then you can really save a whole lot of money on your cellphone bill each month.
5. Avoid LTE/4G
There is a huge hype of LTE/4G these days, but it doesn’t mean these phones are a must have for today’s market. In fact, you might want to put a halt on buying any phone with LTE/4G. Most cellular companies don’t have enough broadband available to suit everyone with one of these phones. In fact, most areas don’t even have the connection, so you won’t be able to use the stronger connection often. The thing with LTE/4G is it causes you to roam if you leave it on, which means more charges for you at the end of the month. So, instead of dealing with massive roam charges it might just be easier to rock your 3G connection and deal with the slower connection. Eventually, 4G will be more accessible, but owning an LTE/4G phone at the moment might end up costing you more than the phone is worth.
6. Utilize Apps
If you plan on having an expensive phone then make sure to utilize it for your own gain. Apps are one of the best aspects of smartphones and many are actually used to provide you with ways to save a whole lot of money on everyday items. One great form of app to have is one that tells you where the cheapest gas in town is. This will help save you money, which will make you cellphone bill a lot less of a burden. Another amazing form of app is one that provides you with coupons. This will allow you to pull up coupons in the store without having to carry around pieces of paper or spend hours of time clipping out coupons. If you want to downgrade you phone plan then you might want to consider downloading apps that allow you to text, call, or video chat with friends and family for free. These apps can really take a lot off of your bill, but they do take the internet so make sure you have enough coverage for them.
7. Lose the Extras
When it comes to cellphones there is a whole lot of extras that can really make your bill skyrocket. One extra that has a lot of people losing out on money is the road side assistance clause. This monthly add on covers a lot of the same principles that most auto insurance does, so there is really no reason to get it through your phone. You might also want to skip out on cellphone insurance, especially if you plan on upgrading your phone every year. By the time you pay insurance every month for the phone you could actually save up enough money to buy two new replacement phones. A lot of people also spend quite a bit of money on games that have free alternative versions. Make sure you shop around before you buy anything because chances are there’s a cheaper way to make the purchase. You might also want to skip out on having a lot of different ringtones. They not only charge you money, but also take up valuable space in your phone.
8. Skip Newest Model
Phone companies love to come out with new shinier and more expensive models for people to buy. Although the new models are incredibly tempting, you might want to refrain from getting the newer model for quite some time. Sometimes the newest model isn’t the most secure and might have some bugs that need to be worked out. A lot of the times these models don’t offer you a whole lot more than the previous model so you might not want to spend the extra money for something that the older and cheaper model can satisfy. If you’re trying out a new brand of phone then you certainly should buy one of the older and cheaper models. This will allow you to get a feel of how the phone’s software works so you can decide if the phone is right for you. When the phone you want goes on sale then you might decide to upgrade then, but you really don’t want to pay more than the phone is worth if you don’t have to.
9. Consider Financial Needs
One major thing to consider when shopping for a phone plan is whether or not you should go with a prepaid plan. Usually if you’re looking to add the entire family onto one plan or if you enjoy upgrading your phone each year then you might want to keep up with your contract plan. Of course, if you’re keeping a tight budget then a prepaid phone might work best for you. This will allow you to choose what you need each month, so you don’t have to pay more than you need. It will also allow you to skip a month or so of phone coverage if you don’t have the money to keep it. A contract plan would add a lot of fees to this, so it you think you’re not going to have the money every month for the next two years then you might want to opt out for the prepaid deal.
10. Go With the Crowd
Although it might not always be frugal to follow the crowd when shopping when it comes to the cellphone bill it can actually be one of the wisest things you can do. If you’re looking for a cellphone plan then it might smart to ask the friends and family that you talk to the most what plans they use. Most cellphone companies actually allow you to talk to other members for free, so the more people on your plan the lower your cellphone bill might be. Another great thing about knowing people on the same plan is many companies actually offer a referral bonus. Thus, if a friend invites you to sign on with their company they’ll get a little reward and so will you. The same process can be repeated for as many friends and family as you can get to sign up. This will not only give you more people to talk to at no additional cost, or minute deduction, but it will help provide you with money to put towards your bill every now and then.
Cellphones shouldn’t be one of the purchases we regret buying. Instead, they should be enjoyed and used to help improve everyday life. With these few tips you should be able to shave more money off your bill so you can enjoy life a little more. So, keep in touch with family, surf the net and use technology to give your day some fun and excitement without stressing about the monthly charge.
