Cell Phone Bill Savings

Every day at work I see cell phone bills that are higher than they need to be, allot of them over due and close to disconnection.  Here are a few tips that I have learned over the years to lower your cell phone bill.

RESPECT YOUR RATE PLAN

Your rate plan is probably the most important part of your cell phone bill and going over your minutes can cost you alot of money.  Most plans charge $0.40 for every minute you go over.  This adds up quickly to hundreds of dollars if you’re not careful.  Know your usage and keep an eye on your minutes.  Most companies now have free text messages that will tell you how many minutes you have left.  Know your account’s “bill cycle” date. That is, the date your bill cuts and your minutes reset back to the full amount for your plan.  If you find you are always going over your minutes, up your plan to the next level.  Conversely, if you find you never use all of your minutes, lower the plan if possible. If you do change your plan, make it effective on your bill cycle date.  This will prevent pro-rated charges for a partial month.

TEXT MESSAGING

Text messaging has become more and more popular over the years, especially for kids and they can be addictive.  My suggestion is get a text messaging plan if you use them at all.  My company has a 200 messaging plan for $5.00.  This allows me 200 messages without worrying about getting charged $0.15 for every text message sent AND received or $0.25 for every Picture Message.  If you do not want to use messaging, call your provider and put a block on your line for those services.  This will prevent any “spam” messages or people sending you text messages, each of which you get charged for, even if you don’t want them.

DATA (WEB SURFING)

Cell phone companies are targeting this service to increase revenue.  It is a huge money maker for them and they push it on all cell phones.  Pay Per Use is generally put on a new account by default.  This costs a minimum of $0.025 per kilobyte.  This can cost you $1.00 or more for every web page you look at.  Unless you are some kind of “Super Geek” like Chris Pirillo, stick to your home internet service and block the service on your cell phone.  If you do use the data service, be sure to get an unlimited package for a flat rate.  Keep in mind the iPhone requires an unlimited data plan, you have no choice there.

BUSINESS EXPENCE?

If you have your own business, or use your cell phone regularly for your job, look into claiming it on your taxes.  You can put money back in your pocket at the end of the year.  Plus, you can get extra discounts on cell phone devices if you are listed as a small business account.

ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE

This one is little known and rarely used by customers.  Think your paying too much for your cell phone?  Call the company and tell them you would like to cancel your account.  You will be transferred to a “Customer Relations” team (We call it the “Save Team” at work).  There you will be offered plans and services not advertised.  The cell phone business is very competitive and companies want to keep your business, sometimes even at a loss of revenue.  If you don’t think what they offer is fair, negotiate.  You will be surprised at what a company is willing to give you to keep you as a customer.  This works especially well if your contract is up.

ROAMING

This is another area where cell phone companies make a killing in revenue.  If you are planning to go overseas, call your provider a week or so before hand and ask to have your phone “unlocked”.  Most companies will do this as long as you have had an active account for 6 months and are going to travel overseas.  This will allow you to purchase a local SIM card in the country you are visiting and save allot of money.  International roaming charges are very high and even a few minutes use can run into big money.  By law, a company must give you the unlock code for any reason if you have fulfilled your contract.  Keep in mind this rule excludes the iPhone.

As you can see, by simply applying yourself a little bit, you can literally save a few hundred dollars per year in regards to your cell phone use. Sure, it’s a cool little gadget, but at the end of the day, your cell phone will not put food on your table and pay your rising gas expenses! Prioritize & manage your cell phone necessities and make it a habit to not spend more than you should. You’ll be happy you did at the end of the year.