Martin Lewis’s MoneySavingExpert has issued advice to everybody who currently pays more than £5 per month for their phone.
With the cost of living crisis continuing to worsen, households across Scotland and the UK have been looking for ways to cut back on bills and expenses. MoneySavingExpert.com has been sharing tricks to help, and their latest tip could save you a lot of money.
According to the finance website, there are approximately nine million people in the UK who pay for their phone through a monthly contract. It also found that the majority are currently paying too much — in some cases £100s a year.
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It continued: “This is especially pertinent as mobile tariffs, via cheap Sims (switching the chip in your phone that dictates your data, calls & texts allowance) is one of the rare areas where cheap deals are getting cheaper.”
MoneySavingExpert has put together a checklist to find out if you are paying too much for your phone. Here is everything you need to know.
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In contract and still paying off a handset?
If you are currently paying for your phone through a contract and are still paying off the cost of the phone, you will be charged more a month. However, MoneySavingExpert has warned that some providers will “disgracefully” continue to charge you the same amount each month even after you pay off the cost of the handset unless you chase them up about it.
If you’re out of contract, and aren’t a data-fiend, slash your cost.
For those who have finished paying off the cost of their phone, but do not feel the need to get a new one on a new contract, MoneySavingExpert has advised you could save money simply by switching Sim. You can keep your same number by speaking to your current network provider and could save a lot of cash in the long-run.
Big data user? Check if you’re paying more than £12/month.
According to MoneySavingExpert, the majority of phone users use less than 3GB of data per month, with only 8 per cent using more than 10GB. For people who use more than this, for example those who watch a lot of videos, it has recommended a Three deal that costs just £15 a month and comes with 100GB of data.
Not willing to switch because you want to stay on the same signal? There is a way…
For those who are worried about switching network at the risk of getting a worse signal on their phone, MoneySavingExpert has advised that “there are only four networks in the UK: Vodafone, Three, EE and O2″. It continues: All the others are virtual or piggyback providers, meaning they use one of those four networks’ signals. So you can keep your signal but often find a far cheaper deal.”
Paying more because you roam?
People who take and use their phone abroad a lot over the summer will likely find themselves with hefty roaming bills. This is especially true if you travel outside of the EU. In this case, MoneySavingExpert recommends a specialised roaming plan.
More information can be found here.
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