Saving money on your monthly cell phone service is a simple process that can save you quite a few dollars every month. In these hard times, every penny counts. Follow these steps to ensure you get the plans and services you need, all while stretching your penny the farthest.
Buy prepaid
U.S. News recommends a prepaid option in some cases. Prepaid cell phones are sold just about everywhere, and can be purchased for as little as $5. Simply select the phone you like from one of the many carriers offering prepaid plans and purchase by the minute cards that you can quickly add to your phone balance. AT&T, Verizon, Virgin and TracPhone all offer great prices on phones and minutes. And some of them offer an unlimited calling package for one monthly price.
Get a basic phone
Sure the phones they are coming out with are really cool. Everyone has one, and it is almost a sin not to pull a flashy iPhone or Blackberry out. But let’s face it, these phones are expensive. Do you really need all of these features? Most phones offering web or Internet services charge an extra $10 a month for this service alone.You can do this at home or on your lap top! Downloading music can be as much as $3 per song, and purchasing all of the new apps can make an outrageous bill every month. Instead, consider a more basic phone with only the amenities you really want or need. There are still great phones that won’t set you back a lot of money.
Go unlimited
Boost Mobile offers a plan for $50 per month that offers unlimited minutes, text, and walkie talkie to anyone. Cricket offers various unlimited minute plans, as does AT&T, T-Mobile, and many others. These phone companies allow you to talk to anyone, on any network as long as you like for one low monthly price. These are great for people who love to chat away.
Family plans
Different cell phone users have varying usage needs according to PC World. For group arrangements, many companies such as T-Mobile offer plans with discounted rates for multiple people on the plan. You can also get unlimited calling to five people on any network. Combining services in to a family plan can save hundreds of dollars per month.
Stay within your plan’s limits
Sometimes those 200 or 300 anytime minutes can go pretty quickly, and additional minutes can cost as much as 40 cents. Limit your conversation during the hours your minutes will be used. If you send or receive several text messages, perhaps an unlimited text plan would work better for you and save you some cash.
By following these five simple steps, you will be on your way to saving money on your cell phone bill each and every month.