Cell phones are an essential part of our daily lives, but their monthly cost can be prohibitively expensive at times. Your cell phone bill, like many other expenses, can accumulate over time without your knowledge, and you may end up overpaying each month.
According to CNBC, In America, the average phone bill costs users $127 per month. This means that if you switch to more affordable alternatives, you can save a lot of money each month.
If you’re wondering how to lower your cell phone, here is our list of ways you can save money on phone bills and save a few bucks.
Examine Your Bill
If you don’t review your cell phone bill regularly, you could be missing out on significant savings opportunities. Most of the time, your monthly bill should be roughly the same. If you notice a discrepancy, check your bill (which is easily accessible online) to see if there is an additional charge. Even if you don’t notice any differences, you can still take a look to see if you can cut any unnecessary expenses from your bill.
Do you require unrestricted data, talk, and/or text? Or how about improved voicemail? All it takes is a look at your cell phone bill to see where you can save hundreds of dollars per year. You might even be able to cancel or downgrade certain services without calling customer service.
Go Unlimited With Text Messaging
Just like phone calls, a lot of people including me, exceed their monthly text messages allotment. For example, the cheapest text messaging bundle by Verizon is $5/month which is very reasonable, but you get only 250 text messages. On the other hand, another bundle, which costs $20/month, offers 5,000 texts and unlimited Verizon to Verizon texting. Moreover, text messaging packages are cheaper compared to voice plans.
Cut Down Additional Services
Take a look at your previous bills to know if you have been paying for extra services such as navigator, parental control, or mobile insurance. I believe these services are of no good use and on top of that, they cost a lot. For instance, Maps, navigator, and mobile TV are all accessible through the internet now, then why pay extra for services like these? Better unsubscribe from these additional services and you can easily save around $20 to $30 per month.
Don’t Use Mobile Data
Are you one of those who regularly check their Facebook on their smartphone to get new updates? You know, data charges apply each time you access the internet on your mobile phone.
Every carrier offers internet data plans which start from as low as $15 to $20 per month, but why use one when you can access the internet through Wi-Fi? Using Wi-Fi to access the web on smartphones can help you save more than $20 per month. At a workplace or any restaurant, you usually find an open Wi-Fi hotspot that can be used by the general public, so we would recommend using Wi-Fi wherever possible.
Shrink Data Usage
Heard about an app called Onavo Extend? This amazing application can compress the data usage of every website you access on your phone, thereby reducing your overall monthly bill. Onavo runs in the background, and when you access any webpage, it is first routed to the company’s server where all the extra stuff is cropped and then opened on your phone. You can surely save around $15 or more monthly by using Onavo.
Use More Web Based Apps
If you are using your carrier’s data plan then why not put it to good use? For making calls, switch from regular calling to VoIP, as it is guaranteed to save you a lot.
Applications such as Skype, Google Voice, and Viber give you the freedom of making unlimited calls to your contacts which is a great alternative to regular voice plans. The voice quality on VoIP may not be that impressive; nevertheless, you could be saving more than $40 per month, which is amazing. Even texting is now free through apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Nimbuzz, so ditch your standard texting bundles and make use of your data plan to the fullest. Moreover, you can save even more by using these applications on Wi-Fi rather than on mobile data.
Switch to Affordable Alternatives
Below are the plans for one line per month. You can pick the one suitable for your needs:
1: Verizon:
| 5G Get More $90/month |
5G Play More $80 month |
5G Do More $80/month |
5G Start $70/month |
|---|---|---|---|
| • 5G Nationwide available in 2,700+ cities. • Unlimited high-speed data that doesn’t slow down. • High-definition 720p video streaming. • 50 GB premium mobile hotspot data. |
• 5G Ultra Wideband. • 5G Nationwide available in 2,700+ cities. • 50GB Premium Network access and unlimited data. • High-definition 720p video • 25GB Premium mobile hotspot data and unlimited low-speed data. |
• 5G Ultra Wideband. • Unlimited access to a 5G Nationwide network in 2700+ cities. • 50GB of Premium Data and unlimited data with high-definition 720p video streaming. • 25GB premium mobile hotspot data and low-speed unlimited data. |
• Unlimited access to a 5G Nationwide network in 2700+ cities. • Unlimited data • 5GB premium mobile hotspot data and unlimited low-speed data. |
2: AT&T:
| Unlimited Premium Plan $85/month |
Unlimited Extra Plan: $75/month |
Unlimited Starter Plan $65/month |
|---|---|---|
| • High-speed data with unlimited talk and text. • 5G Access. • Text outside the U.S. to 200plus countries. • 50GB Hotspot. • Unlimited talk, text, and data in and between Mexico & Canada. • 4K UHD streaming available. • Bonus offer: With its Signature Program, you can save up to $10/month. |
• Use 50GB of Premium Data in addition to unlimited talk, text, and data. • 5G Access. • 15GB Hotspot • Unlimited talk, text, and data in and between Mexico & Canada. • Text outside the U.S. to 200plus countries. • Standard-definition streaming. |
• Unlimited talk, text & data. • 3GB Hotspot. • Unlimited talk, text, and data in and between Mexico & Canada. • Unlimited texting from the U.S. to 200+ countries. • Standard-definition streaming. |
3: T-mobile:
| Essentials $60/month Plan | Magenta $70/month Plan | Magenta Max $85/month Plan |
|---|---|---|
| • 50GB Premium Data. • 3G Hotspot. • The high-speed hotspot is optional. • Unlimited Talk and Text. • Unlimited 5G and 4G with 50GB of Premium Data. • No annual service contract. • Wi-Fi calling. • 5G access with no additional cost. • Tax exclusive Paramount for one year. • DVD quality 480p video streaming. |
• 100GB Premium Data. • 5GB high-speed mobile hotspot data and an additional 5GB with 3G speed. • Unlimited talk and text. • Unlimited 5G and 4G high-speed data with 100Gb premium data. • No annual service contract. • Wi-Fi calling. • 5G access with zero additional cost. • Apple TV for 6 months, Paramount for one year. • DVD quality video streaming. • Up to 4K Ultra HD video is available with MAXUp Data. |
• Unlimited premium data. • 40GB high-speed mobile hotspot and unlimited 3G mobile hotspot data after consuming 40GB. • Unlimited Talk and Text. • Unlimited 5G and 4G premium data. • No annual service contract. • Wi-Fi calling. • 5G access with zero additional cost. • Netflix, Apple TV, Paramount+ for one year. • 4K Ultra HD video streaming. |
Enroll In Auto Pay
Many cell phone service providers provide a variety of bill payment options. Each month, you can manually pay your bill by logging into your account and entering all of the necessary information. You can also set up automatic payments, also known as autopay, which is a more convenient way to pay your monthly bill.
You link a credit or debit card or bank account to your cell phone account with autopay, and your bill is automatically paid on a set date each month. It’s a lot easier than logging in every month to manually pay your bill. The real deal, however, is that most cell phone companies offer a discount if you enroll in auto-pay.
Autopay is one of many simple ways to save money on your bills. If you aren’t already utilizing this strategy, you should start right away.
Get Cashback Rewards On Your Cell Phone Bills
Isn’t it great to pay the bills and get some money in return? The best cashback credit cards provide valuable rewards when you use them to make purchases. Some cards, such as the Chase Ink Business Cash, even offer bonus rewards when you pay your phone bills with them.
There you go! With the above-mentioned ways, we can assure you peace of mind on how to lower cell phone bills for this year.
