5 steps to a CHEAPER MOBILE DEAL

Almost half of us waste nearly £100 a year* by staying on a mobile phone contract after it has ended. Here’s how to get the best deal on your next plan...

1 SHOP AROUND

Ask your current provider for the best deal it can offer you, then, using a comparison site such as uswitch, compare this with plans from other networks (you may be able to haggle). Don’t forget to check if your broadband provider offers a discount on mobile deals.

2 ONLY PAY FOR WHAT YOU NEED

New stats from regulator Ofcom show that 60% of people use less than 1GB of data each month. Check the minutes, texts and data you use on your network provider’s app (you can check the end date of your current contract here, too). If the data usage seems low, it could be due to time spent at home during the pandemic. Use the guide at goodhousekeeping. com/uk/consumer-advice/ new-smartphone-contract to work out your ‘normal’ usage.

3 BUY THE PHONE OUTRIGHT

Tally up the monthly payments you’ll make over the term of a contract that includes

both a handset and phone service, then compare this with the cost of the same phone on an equivalent Sim-only deal. The contract option will usually cost more. Trade in your existing phone when you buy a new one and use cashback sites to get further savings.

4 SWITCH TO SIM-ONLY

According to uswitch, you could save up to £28 a month by switching to a Sim-only deal. If you switch to a Sim-only deal from another provider, you’ll need to remove the old SIM in your phone and switch it for a new one.

If you want to keep your phone number, text ‘PAC’ to 65075 to get a porting authorisation code to pass on to the new network.

5 STAY STRONG

Don’t be pressured into taking a deal. If you’re unsure, always walk away or hang up and think about it.