Savings You Can Phone In
Costs are going up and money is tight, so any ways to save money are going to be more than welcome.
One area it’s common to overspend is your mobile phone. You really shouldn’t be paying more than £8 or £10 a month, so if you’re currently charged £20, that’s at least £120 saved a year. And if your bill is even higher, the savings will be even bigger.
So how do you do this?
Here are my quick and simple ways to reduce your bills.
Ditch your existing network
Though there seem to be dozens of different mobile networks, there are actually only four different signals. These are provided by the big four of EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. All the others “piggyback” on one of those, meaning you can find the same signal and coverage (though 5G might not be included—we’ll come back to that).
So there’s no need to be scared that changing provider will mean you lose reception. This opens up a raft of (usually) cheaper alternatives.
Though third party comparison sites might still offer decent deals with the larger ones and you can always haggle with your existing network based on the prices you’ve found elsewhere.
You’ll also be able to easily bring your existing phone number with you. You simply text PAC to your old network on 65075. You’ll then be sent a code which you give to your new network, who will move your digits across.
Drop your data limit
Many of us use our phones as mini computers rather than for making calls. As a result networks tend to give you unlimited texts and minutes in your contract, and focus instead on upselling you on data. It’s common to see new tariffs default at 40GB or 50GB and go up to unlimited usage. But Ofgem research found that the average usage was just 2.3GB a month in 2021, much lower than most allowances. More than half didn’t even use 500MB, so there’s a good chance you’re in this group.
And that means you are overpaying massively. Dropping down to a smaller allowance will mean smaller bills, so it’s worth checking your actual consumption. You should be able to do this in your mobile account or the networks app.
You can find SIMS offering around 7GB or 8GB for under £8 a month. Cheap and more than enough data.
THERE’S NO NEED TO BE SCARED THAT CHANGING PROVIDER WILL MEAN YOU LOSE RECEPTION
Do you need 5G?
The fastest speeds come with 5G coverage, and it’s tempting to choose a network that offers this. But to take advantage you need two things. A 5G capable phone and for 5G to be set up in your area. If you don’t have both of these, then it’s worth shopping around for a cheaper 4G SIM.
Don’t update your handset
Going Sim-only is a sure fire way to cut costs. By keeping your existing phone for another year or two, you’ll reduce your monthly payments to just the calls, data and texts allowance. Just make sure that if you do stay with your network that the price changes to reflect this.
If you do need or want to upgrade, then try to buy it outright. Yes, this could prove costly, but using savings or 0% finance will help you avoid a hidden surcharge many networks add via contracts.
Turn off data abroad
As a result of leaving the EU, some of the networks have ditched free mobile roaming in Europe. This could lead to very expensive extra charges for using your phone on holiday, so make sure you check the costs levied by your provider when abroad. Some have introduced daily caps, but they’re not always valid outside Europe.
And even if you don’t actively use your phone when away, many apps are still using data in the background. One easy way to avoid these extras is to turn off data roaming before you leave the country.
You should also find out whether you’ll be charged to receive voicemail messages. If so, turn that off too before you depart.
Check you’re out of contract
These savings will come when you don’t have a contract. That allows you to change your plan or even your network. But if you are still in the midst of a contract that lasts 12, 18, 24 or more months, you’ll need to wait or face early cancellation charges. Put the date in the diary, and come back to this article to start cutting your bill. ■