Easy Ways to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill
by Don’t pay too much for your wireless service! Use these easy strategies to shrink your cell phone bill, whether it’s your primary phone or just an emergency back-up.
Are you overpaying for your cell phone service? Some figures show that as many as 8 out of 10 Americans pay too much for their wireless service–that’s a big number! But if you’re like many Americans, you’re probably reluctant to give up your mobile, or it may be your only phone. So, how can you save $$ and still stay mobile? Use these strategies to find a plan that will work for you–whether you primarily use a cell phone, home phone, or both.
Image by yisris via Flickr
>If your cell phone is your primary phone…
> Consider ditching the land line. If you rarely use your land line home phone, it may be time to disconnect for good, or pare down to the most basic package that meets your needs (for example, if you keep it only for local emergencies, ditch the pricey long-distance package).
> Shop around to make sure you’re getting most for your money. Consumers and financial editors alike love Billshrink.com, which helps you compare service providers based on your monthly usage habits to find out if you could save some dough by switching to a different wireless provider.
> Consider changing your usage plan. Do you routinely go over your monthly minutes/texting/data usage limits? It may make more financial sense to spring for an unlimited plan, to avoid costly fees for exceeding your limits. On the flip side, if you find that you’re typically using only a small chunk of your monthly minutes, consider downgrading to a cheaper plan or a rollover plan.
>Look into family plans. Grouping your family’s wireless phones under a family plan can end up saving you big bucks, so it’s worth doing a little research to find out what types of plans your carrier (or a competitor) offers and how these plans might suit your needs.
> If your land line is your primary phone…
> Consider what services you really need. If your cell phone is just a back-up, don’t feel pressured to pay for all the bells and whistles–unlimited data! Three-way calling!–that sound good but end up unused.
> Shop around, or consider switching to a prepaid phone. More consumers are ditching contract phones for prepaid mobiles, which require no contract or credit check and no monthly bills. Instead, you choose how much to spend by buying prepaid cards (in amounts like one, two, or three hours worth of air time) and loading them onto the phone with a special activation code. This is an especially good option for someone who keeps a cell phone on hand only as an emergency back-up when away from home, since monthly costs can be as low as $15.
Image via Wikipedia
>If you use your land line and your cell phone equally…
> Reevaluate your service plans. Do you really need unlimited minutes on your cell phone and an unlimited local/long-distance package on your land line? Consider what you use each phone for the most–maybe you make more long distance calls on your land line and more local (but shorter) calls on your cell. Then customize your options accordingly.
> Consider bundling your plans. If you really do use both phones equally, it’s worth finding out if your service provider offers a discount for bundling your home phone and cell phone service together. (Note: not all carriers offer both home and cell phone service, so this may require some research on your part.)
> Regardless of your usage…
> Skip the insurance. Some wireless service providers will try to sell you insurance for about $5 per month. It sounds like a good deal, but it’s fairly worthless, since you generally end up paying more into the plan than the plan will pay to cover the cost of a new phone. Most of the replacement costs will come out of your pocket anyway, so skip this option when you’re signing up for a new plan.
> Don’t be afraid to shop around. Especially if you’re dissatisfied with your current provider! Trying to choose from different providers and plans can be overwhelming at first, but it’s worth a little legwork to find one that suits your lifestyle and budget perfectly.
> Beware of the fine print. Many wireless service providers (and some home phone providers) will lock you into a contract, with a hefty fee imposed if you leave the provider early. So do your research and read all of the fine print carefully before you sign up for anything you may not want later on.
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Post CommentEmpressofIllusion
On January 23, 2011 at 1:02 am
Some pretty good tips mentioned here and I’m considering changing phone companies during 2011 so all of this is really helpful. I keep telling myself that this will be the year I change carriers and cut down my bills, and every year I give up because I just dont want to deal with breaking my contract – this year its finally up. I think, based on my needs, I’ll be going prepaid and get away from all this contract crap. I’ve already started checking out different companies and so far I’m really leaning toward Tracfone that I keep seeing at Walmart – its really cheap. The phones work with aircards and I like the idea of changing my minutes month to month and their cards and phones have this double minutes options where you get a 2nd set of minutes basically for free. Hopefully, Tracfone will be a better fit for me.
joan
On January 30, 2011 at 7:51 am
yes empressoflllusion, you better go check it out at walmart. tracfone really does give you a second set of minutes as you call it. i am with tracfone, and could not be happier about choosing prepaid for myself. with tracfone i save a lot of money, have reliable nationwide network coverage and paid no activation fees. on top of it all they offer long distance and overseas call at local rates. so far an unbeaten deal.i am on the individual plan, paying $29.99 a month, but i do know that tracfone simply has a phone and plan for anyone’s needs and pockets. real value for money
cockerspaniel
On January 30, 2011 at 10:28 am
i agree with joan, the easiest way to save money on a cell phone bill is for starters to go prepaid. if one is, like me, not a real heavy user, then tracfone is the way to go. i save plenty eversince i did the switch. with the great call rates and the double minutes for life, one simply can not go wrong. thumbs up for tracfone cellphone savings
linda
On January 31, 2011 at 10:59 am
i tend to agree with cockerspaniel and joan, tracfone is the cheapest plan, providing you are not a huge chatterbox. and if you, like me, have a family to share the family plan with, things are becoming extremly cheap for you.i am on the tracfone family plan and pay less than $30 a month. we go some real cheap phones for the kids, for $19.99 each, so if they break them it is not too expensive to replace them, they are their first cellphones, and with the prepaid tracfone plan it is nice and easy to monitor their spendings, and they have to get used to living with a budget. as joan mentioned, it seems tracfone has a plan to fit anyone’s desires, while saving big being on prepaid