9 tips to lower your mobile bill

Your mobile phone bill is one of those regular costs you can’t avoid paying - but it’s worth checking that you’re not paying more than you need to. If you like the thought of saving money and shelling out less each month, here are some top bill-busting tips.

Prepare to look for new deals, consider SIM only, do perks research and more…

1. Look for a new deal

It’s easier than ever to change your mobile provider. Networks are always looking to attract new customers, so there are lots of great introductory deals out there. Just be aware of any price increases that might happen after the honeymoon period.

Most mobile pay monthly phone contracts run for 12, 18 or 24 months. If that time has passed, you’re free to look for a better deal without facing early exit fees. And remember, when your contract ends you’ll have paid off the cost of your phone entirely – so it should be all yours. Which leads us nicely onto tip 3….

2. Think about going SIM only

If you’re happy with your mobile phone, then choosing a new SIM only deal will be cheaper than a pay monthly contract.

With a SIM only plan, you pay monthly for an allowance of calls, texts, and data. There's no phone included in the plan, so you don't have to pay it off over the course of your contract. All you have to do is choose a network and select the best SIM only deal that’s right for you - based on the amount of call minutes, texts, and data you need. You'll then get a new SIM card to put in your phone, and you can even keep your current phone number.

Further reading: SIM only or pay monthly

3. Consider pay as you go…

Not a big phone user? If you mainly just use it for connecting to the internet when you’re on Wi-Fi, it might make sense to get a pay as you go (PAYG) plan.

With PAYG you only pay for what you use, whether that’s talk time, texts, data, or a combo of all three. You’ll need to buy a pay as you go SIM card to get started. And you’ll have to pay for a fixed amount of credit too. Once that runs out, you can top up by buying more credit in-store or online. The cheapest pay as you go SIM cards are usually only about £5 each, so they’re a real bargain.

Further reading: Pay as you go or pay monthly

4. Choose a less-than-premium phone

We get it. The latest iPhones and flagship Samsung phones are seriously tempting. After all, they’re packed with the latest AI tech and amazing cameras. But remember you're paying premium prices for these premium phones.

Why not choose a mid-range phone instead? For example, Samsung Galaxy A-series phones have great cameras, and exactly the same features that flagship Galaxy S-phones were boasting about only a year or two ago. You could even go for a refurbished phone if you want to keep costs low.

5. Only pay for the allowances you need

Ask yourself exactly how much data, minutes and texts you really need. The best way of doing this is to check your actual monthly usage through your network provider’s app or online account. You can also use your phone settings to do this.

Some plans come with unlimited data, but these are usually the most expensive. So if you don’t need this, think about changing to a cheaper plan with a set amount of data. If you’re on a SIM only plan, you should be able to change your allowance levels quite easily.

6. Do some perks research

Some mobile phone providers offer added perks, so check whether or not these could save you money.

With the iD Mobile network, for example, unused data is automatically rolled over to the next month. So, you might find that you can keep costs low and choose one of the cheaper plans with a set amount of data.

If you’re a Voadfone pay monthly customer, VeryMe is their rewards program that offers you weekly discounts and giveaways tailored to your preferences. The rewards change over time, so you’ll always get cool stuff you’re interested in.

7. Put a cap on your spending

If you regularly go over your allowances and get charged extra, ask your provider to set a spending cap. This means you can only use data or minutes up to a certain amount before it stops you from using any more.

Bill Capping is a money-saving feature on all iD Mobile plans. It lets you limit your monthly spend to an amount that works for you. Simply set your cap in the iD Mobile app to limit additional charges, and adjust it anytime you want.

8. Know your roaming charges

If you’re planning on using your phone abroad, make sure you understand the charges for using mobile data.

Since Brexit, some networks have introduced new charges for using data in Europe. And if you want to travel beyond Europe, costs can quickly rack up – so check your network charges carefully to avoid any unexpected large bill.

It's also worth checking to see if there are any roaming 'add-ons' on your contract. If so, you could save some cash by removing them.

9. Re-consider your insurance

Finally, we recommend that you check out all the extras that might be included in your contract. You might not need them, and it could work out cheaper buying them separately.

What kind of extras are we talking about? Well, phone insurance could be a big one. Sure, it can cover you if your phone gets lost or damaged. But the monthly cost might be so high that it might not be worthwhile paying it – especially if your phone can be replaced fairly cheaply.