A small but relatively steady expense you incur every month is your cell phone bill, which can at times even give you a rude shock. And the higher your phone charges are, the more surcharge and taxes you have to pay. Here are a few tips on how to cut down your cell phone expenses:
Go through your bill
Checking your bill is crucial as it will give you an idea of where you can cut down costs. For instance, if you are on a talk plan of 400 minutes, after going through your bill, you may realize that you are in fact overshooting your current limit by talking on your phone for 500 minutes, leading to extra charges. You may want to either switch your plan to something more suitable in this case or cut down on your usage to save money.
Flat fees
As most cell phones are web enabled these days, you can enjoy browsing the internet on your phone. The only problem is that you are likely to lose track of your usage, and run up an exorbitant bill. One way to prevent this is by choosing an unlimited plan at a flat rate.
Check with your carrier for new plans
You can call your cell phone company and change your plan to one that gives you enough talk time at a reasonable rate. Cell phone plans change from time to time. Your carrier may offer newer and cheaper plans that may be more suitable for your requirements.
Prepaid plans
One of the best ways to rein in cell phone expenditure is by consciously limiting it. If you opt for a prepaid plan, you will find that you have only a limited amount of talk time beyond which you will need to recharge your phone. This is especially suitable for people who do not spend a lot of time talking on cell phones. The biggest advantage of prepaid plans is that you don’t need a contract. Several companies offer unlimited talk time and texting for under $50 per month, and that too without a contract.
Employee discounts
Check whether your company offers any corporate plans or discounts. You can also ask your service provider if there are any special offers for employees of the company you work for. This can save you up to 20% per month.
If you cannot do without ring tones or caller tunes, use them, but remember that there is an additional charge on them. You should however remember that you can actually direct that money towards adding more minutes to your talk plan.
Prepaid is a great way to cut down on your cell phone bills. I switched to Tracfone where I got a great phone for about $10. My service averages less than $7 a month when I buy a $20 airtime card, which provides 60 minutes of airtime and three months of service. Plus, Tracfone gives me the safety and security of a wireless phone without the problems of a contract and monthly fees.
Prepaid is totally the way to go if you want savings and flexibilty. I recently joined up with Net10 and the savings are huge – no more contract fees or hidden charges for me. They have a variety of plans and minutes so if you are a moderate or big talker, you can still save – I’m keeping more than $70 in my pocket thanks to Net10. I haven’t found a company that can beat their .10 a mintue and .03 a text slogan – Net10 is just that good.
I was getting charged up the wazoo every month with fees and extra things I had no idea were possible. I decided to take charge of my own cell phone bill and went prepaid. I made the switch to Net10, with no contract.
I saved about $50 a month just by switching to Net10. They offer service for only 10 cents a minute. All with great coverage nationwide.