Cash advice

A new smartphone can set you back hundreds of pounds. So, before you splash out, or settle for a cheaper alternative, see our top tips to help you get the smartphone you want for less…

1 TRADE IN YOUR OLD HANDSET Go in store and trade in your old phone against the cost of a new one. The handset’s age and make will affect how much you’ll get. For example, an unlocked iPhone 7 Plus 32GB will bag you £150 from Carphone Warehouse or Apple, while a Samsung Galaxy S7 64GB is worth £75 from Carphone Warehouse (Apple will only trade in their own devices).

2 EBAY Selling your phone on eBay could net you even more cash. At the time of writing, we found the iPhone 7 Plus 32GB for £210. Just make sure you back up your device and do a factory reset before selling! It’s also worth noting that eBay take a cut of the overall selling and postage fees.

3 CASHBACK SITES Cashback sites, such as TopCashback and Quidco, have been known to have some great deals on mobile phones, which could see you claw back as much as £100 on your smartphone purchase, so it’s worth checking to see what deals are available. Deals change regularly on these sites, but they are great for making savings on online purchases.

4 SHOP AROUND It’s worth doing your research by shopping around for the best price. If you see a phone cheaper elsewhere, some retailers will price match, so it’s worth asking – but there may be some conditions that you should be aware of. For example, Carphone Warehouse will drop the price if you find a cheaper deal with EE, O2 or Vodafone (not Three) – and it must be a pay monthly contract, rather than a sim-free one.

5 RECYCLE Mazuma and Envirofone are among the plethora of websites that let you recycle your old phone for a cash bonus. You’ll need to post your handset, but in some cases you’ll make more money than taking it into a store. Mazuma offered us £185 for an iPhone 7 Plus 32GB, while Envirofone offered us £175.