The average American cell phone bill is $70 for a single user, according to JD Power. That adds up to $840 per year, which is basically the same as buying a used car. But by taking a few simple steps, you can lower your phone bill significantly.
Cell phone plans are bound to be a part of your monthly budget. It is an essential addition, thus, the least that can be done is to try your best to reduce the cost. But have no worries, we are here to help! With all the tips mentioned here, you will find yourself saving money in no time.
Unlimited cell phone plans can be expensive. Just pay for what you use.
Choose your carrier wisely. There are a number of non-traditional wireless mobile phone carriers that have started emerging over time. You have more freedom than ever before to select a carrier and a cell phone plan that fits your individual needs. You no longer need to worry about getting stuck with an expensive multi-year contract.
The better you understand your needs, the more equipped you are to select a plan that is suitable for you. Unlimited Plans sound very handy, however, you might not be a big texter or talker. As a result, you might end up paying for minutes and texts that you don’t even need. It would be cost-effective to pick a plan that matches your specific needs. The best part is that there are carriers like US Mobile that will let you top up without overage fees.
If data tends to be the biggest cost on your phone bill, here are a few hacks to lower your data usage:
- Turn off cellular data for all apps that you don’t need regular updates from.
Once you do that, the apps will only update and use data when you’re connected to Wi-Fi.
- There are applications out there (such as Onavo Extend) that can make your data usage around 5 times more efficient than its current state by compressing it.
It can look out for the data costs running in the background, and strips out all of the extra data that is being used. The downside, however, is that the company will be aware of the data you’re accessing. It all depends on if that is a price you’re willing to pay.
- You can utilize offline features.
Some applications have offline features that allow you to use the application when you aren’t using the internet. For instance, you can download YouTube videos on Wi-Fi, and then watch them later whenever you like!
- Disable display ads for your browser.
Display ads auto-play videos that stream to your phone, so if you have a browser that helps you disable these ads, you save plenty of data.
- Download podcasts and playlists ahead of time to save data.
- Disable Background App Refresh
Since apps often update in the background when you are not using them, and this of course uses data.
- Use Wi-Fi hotspots where available.
- Turn off your phone while asleep.
It is likely that throughout the night, data will be used on the phone, especially if applications are running. You could save a lot of data over time by trying out this hack.
Buy a no-contract cell phone plan.
Cell phone companies make a lot of money. One of the ways they are successful is by having their phones contracted. In order to buy a phone from a big cell phone company, you will need to sign a two or three-year contract to use their network. If you want to cancel before the contract period is over, you will have no choice but to sign a hefty cancellation charge.
To avoid this trap, you can simply purchase a no-contract, gently used phone. These are “unlocked” phones that can be used with any carrier at all. This way, you won’t be dependent on expensive plans offered by big carriers, and you’ll have the option of switching carriers whenever you like!
Optimize your cell phone plan in real-time
Optimizing your plan may sound too good to be true but if your plan allows it, downgrade your plan; if you’re entering a month/week you know you won’t be using your phone as much as usual. If you can optimize your plan based on how much talk, text, and data you’re planning on using the next month, you will save a lot of money by not wasting it on a service you don’t use/need.
US Mobile has a real-time dashboard where you can easily change your plan for your desktop, phone or tablet. If you know you’re not going to use your phone at all, they also allow you to keep your number as long as you pay the $2 monthly service fee.
It also has a feature called Usage Analytics that can give you a breakdown of your daily, weekly, and monthly usage habits. By looking at this information, you can understand the patterns of your usage and make informed decisions about the plans that are the most suitable for your needs. Through Usage Analytics, you can figure out the best use of your money and spend it on the precise plan you need.
Sign up for a smaller carrier
Everyone wants to go for the big names, as it is understood that the service they offer is highly satisfactory. However, they are not the only options out there. There are numerous smaller carriers in the market that offer similar quality at a significantly lesser cost.
US Mobile is a great option to consider here, as the Unlimited All plan it offers is available for $40 a month. In contrast, Sprint (one of the big carriers) has an Unlimited All that goes up to $100 a month.
Time to switch to applications
Most people pay for texting plans these days, but the question is – do we even need one? With the emergence of various applications such as WhatsApp, Kakao Talk, and GroupMe, etc., you can send messages to others for free. Thus, you will just need a data plan to stay in touch with friends and family.
Some of these applications also allow you to make calls for free, whether it is through WiFi or data. It might take a bit of convincing to get the people you know onboard, but who can argue when the financial benefits to this step are as clear as day?
Move to a family plan
A lot of carriers are providing family plans which can help you save up a significant amount of money over time. Through a family plan, you can receive discounts on plans that would have been more expensive if they were on an individual account. You can create family plans with both friends and family. It won’t be hard to get people on board as at the end of the day, it is a win-win for everybody!
US Mobile also offers a family plan worth strongly considering. They offer the first Unlimited All Plan for $40, the second for $30, and the third and fourth for just $20!
Always check for discounts
If you are employed at a big company, it might be worth checking for offers on discounted phone plans for employees. There are a number of big companies that offer such discounts that can lead to a significant amount of savings.
There are also come providers such as T-Mobile that provide discounts for first responders, veterans, active-duty military, and senior citizens. You can always do a bit of research or ask what discounts are available to see if any options are applicable in your case. You will also need to verify your status with perhaps a pay stub or an email address in order to keep your discount active. You never know, you might end up saving more money than you had previously imagined.
Opt for autopay
A lot of carriers out there tend to add a discount to your bill if you opt for automatic payments. For instance, T-Mobile offers a $5 discount per line on AutoPay. Over time, that can lead to a decent amount of savings. With a few carriers such as Verizon, you cannot use a credit card, but will instead need to link a debit card or a checking account.
Think twice about insurance
Insurance is paid for due to the possibility of something going wrong with your phone, however, what are the odds of something unfortunate truly happening? Instead of making payment for insurance each month, it might be worth investing in a sturdy and durable case, or using various applications such as “Find My Device”.
Moreover, for each claim that you file, you need to pay a deductible, and there is a limit to the number of claims that can be filed per year too. Usually, the number of claims that can be made each year is limited to either two or three. Considering these aspects, the financial benefits of not having insurance outweigh those of opting for it.
If you’ve made it this far, you’ve hopefully realized how easy it is to save on your cell phone bill. US Mobile offers cell phone plans with talk text and data from $9 and it’s fully customizable based on your needs. If you’re an average user you end up paying $15 instead of $70 per month, which means a yearly saving of $660. Moreover, with Usage Analytics, you can ensure to pick the most suitable plan for your needs.
Nice Post. Thanks for sharing!
It’s good to know that there is more freedom than ever before when selecting a carrier. My parents don’t need expensive mobile phone plans. A nice home phone would work because they could easily get it from anywhere in their house, which is where they spend a majority of their time.