A BIG Thank You to CreditRepair.com for sponsoring today’s post: How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill.
Are you wondering how to save money on your cell phone bill? It’s easier than you think!
When it comes to monthly bills, the cell phone bill can easily creep up and become one of your larger bills. With costly plans, hidden fees, and data overage charges, it’s easy to see how it can spiral out of control. But don’t worry… these 15 tips and tricks will help you start saving money on your cell phone plan in no time!
From scoring the best deal on a new phone to lowering the cost of your plan, you can get this bill under control!
So go on and check out these simple tips, and learn how to save money on your cell phone bill…
Related: Smarter Ways to Charge Your Phone and Tablet!
How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill
#1: Buy Your Phone Outright, and Skip the Monthly Payment Plans
When it comes to getting your new phone, you have two main options… purchase a phone, or pay your provider on a monthly installment payment plan.
If you’re able to swing it, consider paying cash for your phone and completely skipping the monthly payment plans altogether. That’s what I have done for the past 4 years, and I love the freedom from another monthly bill it provides. You may also be able to get a better deal, too!
Simply set up a line item in your budget to put aside a certain amount of money each month towards your next phone, and before you know it, you’ll have a nice stash of cash for that new phone you’ve been wanting!
#2: Sell Your Old Phone for Cash
I’ve actually sold my old phone the past two times I upgraded my phone.
Even though the phones I sold were old and outdated, I received $300 cash from Verizon once, and $200 cash from the Apple Store the next time! After selling your old phone, you can then apply that cash towards the cost of your new phone, or towards the accessories you’ll need {phone case, extra charging cords, etc}.
Before you leave home, just call around or check online to see how much you can get for your make and model of phone. This will help you make sure you’re selling it for the most money possible.
#3: If You Opt for a Monthly Plan, Clean Up Your Credit to Get the Best Deal!
Did you know your credit score can actually affect your ability to get a new cell phone plan?
Cell phone providers will typically check your credit if you want to finance a new phone. The credit check will basically determine whether or not you qualify for financing, and what terms you’ll receive. So having a good handle on your credit is imperative.
You can actually get a free copy of your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com. Once you’ve received a copy of your credit report, review the report to make sure there are no errors in your credit history or personal information. Also check to see if there are any negative items being reported.
Did you find any problems or incorrect information on your credit report? Don’t worry, this is common and there are some really helpful tools available from CreditRepair.com to help clean up your credit score!
They will help make sure items in your credit report are substantiated, relevant, accurate and reported fairly. If items in your credit history are incorrect, they will work hard to get them corrected and to defend your financial reputation!
To learn more, go check out CreditRepair.com.
#4: Negotiate Your Rate
When asking your provider about rates and plans, don’t be afraid to negotiate.
My husband has done this several times, and it has helped us get a significantly better deal. There are often variations of plans your provider might not be mentioning, so just keep asking what they can do to get you a better deal. You’ll be surprised at how much money you can save this way. Just remember… it never hurts to ask!
#5: Take Advantage of the Family Plan!
If you’ve got kids that have phones as well, be sure to explore you provider’s family plan options!
Rather than everyone having their own plan, it is often less expensive to add additional lines to your plan. We were considering prepaid phones for our kids when they were younger. However, with our provider’s discounted family plan, they were able to get nicer phones with unlimited texting for the same price!
#6: Sign up for Autopay
Did you know that you might also be eligible for an autopay discount?
Most providers offer a discount when you sign up to have your bill on autopay each month! Just give your provider a call to see if that’s an option. It may be another easy way to trim your bill down.
#7: Switch to a No-Contract Plan
To keep maximum flexibility, consider switching to a no-contract plan.
When I recently bought my phone from the Apple Store, they sold me an unlocked phone with an interchangeable SIM card. Since I paid cash and am in a no-contract plan, that means if a better deal from a different provider comes along, I can switch at any time!
I’m not tied down with a contract, and I’ve got the key that came with my phone to change out my own SIM card!
#8: Make Sure Your Address is Up-to-Date
Due to different local tax rates, your cell phone bill may vary slightly depending on where you live.
So if you’ve recently moved to a new address, you might be eligible for a better rate! Make sure to keep the address on your account up to date.
#9: Skip the Insurance
Another simple way to save money on your cell phone bill is by skipping the insurance altogether.
Now you’ll need to determine whether or not this is the right choice for you. However, I personally have never used the insurance when I’ve paid for it. Now, I just skip the insurance and set aside extra money each month to ‘self-insure’ my phone.
If an accident happens, it’s not a problem… I’ve already got money set aside to cover it. If no accidents happen, even better yet! Now I’ve got a nice chunk of cash set aside that can be applied to the cost of my future phone!
#10: See if Your Employer Offers a Discount
Employee discounts are always a nice perk… especially when it comes to cell phone bills!
Spending just a few minutes looking into potential employee discounts could save you a nice bundle of money!
Check with your cell phone provider to see if your employer offers a corporate discount to employees. If they don’t you can also check with your boss.
For example, I used to work as a contract employee for my local hospital, and used my cell phone all day long to make company calls. I asked my manager if they could chip in to pay for the monthly bill, and she gladly said yes! From then on, at the end of each month I got reimbursed for my cell phone bill! It really does pay to ask.
#11: Take Advantage of a Military Discount
Are you in the military? Or are you a veteran?
Did you know that several service providers offer discounts on phones and monthly plans to active duty military and veterans? Just call your provider and ask if they offer a military discount. You can also check this list of current Military Discounts to see if your cell provider is listed.
#12: Turn off Background App Refresh
Don’t forget to turn off your background app refresh using cellular data.
Under ‘Settings’ on your phone, make sure that Background App Refresh is set to only refresh with Wi-Fi. When it’s set to refresh with Cellular Data, it’s an easy way to rack up your data charges. Don’t let this sneaky charge catch you by surprise!
#13: Skip the Data, and Use Wi-Fi
Seriously… it’s easier than you think!
Our provider doesn’t have affordable unlimited data plans, so our family of 4 shares a 1 gig data plan. That’s crazy, right? But guess what… even with 2 teenagers, we never go over. We use only wi-fi at home, and only wi-fi when we’re out and about.
Less data charges = more cash in our pockets!
#14: Turn Off Visual Voicemail & Other Features You Don’t Use
Now if there are features on your phone that you just don’t need or use, have your provider turn them off. For example, I never use visual voicemail, so by turning it off I can save an extra $2.99/month! Pay close attention to your bill the next time it comes, and see if there are any little charges on there you might be able to cancel going forward.
#15: Protect Your Phone and Make It Last Longer
Another easy way to save money on your phone, is simply by making it last longer. Rather than upgrading your phone every year or two, see if you can make it last 3 or 4 years instead! I just upgraded mine after 3.5 years, and I honestly could have gone longer. However, the higher buy back rate for my current phone was motivation to move forward with an upgrade. Whatever you do, you’ll want to take great care of your phone and see just how long you can reasonably make it last.
See? That wasn’t so hard at all! I hope you’ve enjoyed these simple tips and tricks for how to save money on your cell phone bill! Saving money is always a good idea, and smaller cell phone bills mean more money for the things you really care about!
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