Our mobile phones sometimes feel like our connection to the world! These small devices have everything from our emails, messages, social media, calendars, banking and even our health and fitness apps all at our fingertips.
However, with the cost of living constantly rising, so have our mobile phone contracts.
You may have noticed in the last few months that you’ve had a notification that your contract price is rising. Obviously, none of us are about to cancel our contract, so instead, we need to shop around to find the best deals.
This will mean you're able to stay connected with the rest of the outside world, without breaking the bank. Find out more below.
Check Out Sim Only Deals First
We all have that friend who pulls out their mobile phone from their pocket to check a message and their phone screen is essentially smashed to smithereens, if you’re looking at your phone reading this now through a cracked screen… you’re that friend!
However, if you’re not a phone dropper, and your phone is still in pristine condition, then rather than renewing your contract and getting tied into another 18/24 months, why not shop around with providers like Three for sim-only deals?
As you’re not repaying the cost of a new smartphone, sim-only solutions are frequently more affordable rather than a long-term contract agreement. You will also find that credit checks for a sim-only deal are also less stringent than if you were applying for a regular contract.
Use a Price Comparison Site
Obviously, we all want to find a cheaper phone tariff.
However, if like the rest of us you simply just don’t have the time, or patience, to go from network provider to network provider searching for the best deal, then a price comparison site is definitely the first place you should go.
Price comparison sites like Which have already done the hard work for you when it comes to mobile contract comparison and have trawled the internet for the cheapest deals from numerous retailers and network providers.
It’s worth having an idea in mind of what your package needs to include e.g. data, minutes, texts etc so that the price comparison site can do the hard work for you!
Don’t Get Caught Out with Data Roaming Charges
Now that we’re finally looking like we are returning to normal following Covid, we’re all desperate to go abroad again for our summer holidays.
BUT did you know that data roaming charges have now been re-introduced by most network providers following our exit from the EU? That’s right!
Three, EE and Vodafone have already re-introduced their new data roaming charges. EE is charging around £2 a day, and Three are also charging around £2 a day and £5 a day anywhere outside of the EU!
So before you jump on that plane for your next holiday, make sure you’ve checked your current package as to what is, and is not included. If you are a frequent flyer it’s worth shopping around, or changing your tariff before you open Instagram to upload that picture of you and your friends on the beach in Ibiza!
Decide Whether You Really Need the Latest Model
How many of us upgrade our phones at the end of our contracts, when actually our current phone is more than sufficient?
Like most of us, as soon as our contract is nearing the end we get back on to our network providers such as O2 to secure the latest phone. When in reality, and particularly with iPhones, they are more or less all the same and do exactly the same as your previous one.
So is it really necessary? You’re likely to find that with every upgrade your phone tariff is increasing, so stick with your phone if it’s still working and stay on a lower tariff.
Make Sure You Purchase Enough Allowance
Are you a talker or a texter? This is definitely a question you should be asking yourself before you sign up to any tariff.
Obviously, a lot of tariffs are for unlimited calls and texts or one or the other. However you will be paying a bit more in your tariff for unlimited allowances so it may be worth checking the different deals available to suit your needs.
If you don’t have Wi-Fi at home or work, then you may be looking at a bigger data allowance. Whereas if you have accessible Wi-Fi daily then you probably don’t need as much data. You can speak to your current contract provider such as EE to find out how much of your allowance you've used over the last year to give you a better indication of what you actually require.
& Make Sure You’re Not Overpaying for What You Need
With ever-increasing costs, it’s important to select a mobile phone deal that has the right amount of minutes and calls and data. Providers such as Giff Gaff always have lots of new deals and tariffs to choose from.
A great tip to make sure you’re never going to go over your allowance is to contact your network provider and place a cap on your usage. This will ensure that even if you do run out of data or minutes you’ll never get a surprise bill.
In most cases, you can actually get a notification from your network provider when you are approaching your limit. It’s always worth checking when your current contract is due to end to see what other tariffs and deals you’re eligible for before renewing to save yourself some extra pennies and to ensure you’re not overpaying for what you actually need.
Don’t Want to Switch? Haggle!
One of the best ways to lower your tariff if you don’t want to switch is to contact your network provider and tell them that you’re thinking of leaving as you’ve sourced a cheaper tariff with the same allowances elsewhere.
If you’ve been a loyal customer, you’re likely to find that your network provider will want to retain your custom and is likely to match a cheaper tariff.
It is worth comparing prices and doing your research before you make that call, we recommend checking out the deals you can get on Tesco Mobile too, you could be saving hundreds of pounds per year on your mobile phone just from doing a bit of research and having a haggle! After all, you have nothing to lose and if they won’t match it then you can take your custom elsewhere!
