With the amount of technology available through small handheld phone devices, it is not totally surprising that
cellular phone bills are a little pricey. But it is some of the not-so-fancy phones that are racking up high charges for consumers. Personal finance experts say consumers are constantly overspending on cellular service, with the average consumer spending $300 too much each year.
It is not always outrageous pricing by the carriers that are causing high bills. Sometimes with a little tweaking to your service, you can lower your own bill and still have the services you need. A lot of consumers fail to look at their plans regularly to determine what they need and what they don’t so they end up paying for everything month after month.
Here are some things to consider for lowering your cellular phone plan:
Reduce Services
As mentioned, if you are not reviewing what you have, you are likely paying for services you don’t even use (or know you have). Review what is being offered by your carrier and find a cheaper plan based on what you need. Carriers are always changing their plan specials and pricing so regularly look at what is being offered and if it makes sense for you.
Getting Your Data
If you are on a family plan, make sure you check out the unlimited package deals that are often much cheaper than if paying on an individual basis. You can get texting and data plans that are unlimited which can save you big money if you do a lot messaging.
Forget the Insurance
Unless you anticipate high loss or breakage rates (think: teens), it is not worth paying insurance each month. When you add the numbers, a new phone these days is generally cheaper than the sum total of your insurance payments so in this case it pays to cancel your insurance coverage.
Negotiate for a Better Deal
There is stiff competition these days among phone carriers and if you call you current provider and ask them to match or provide a better deal than their competitor, chances are good it will work to your advantage. Cell service providers do not want to lose the customers they have and they work hard to bring in new ones. If they can’t do better for you, it may be time to look elsewhere.
Shop Around
It used to be a lot harder to decipher cell phone plan talk but these days, you are probably pretty confident that you know what services you want. Jot down the must-haves and contact several companies to see who is offering the best deal.
Check Yourself
It can be easy to blame all the high costs on the carrier but if you are not using your phone conscientiously, the finger can be pointed at you too. If you do not have an unlimited calling, texting, or data plan, you need to monitor your own use and keep it to a minimum. Phone technology and online statements make it easy to know where you stand in your usage range. Do not download phone applications, songs, or other data. While initial charges may be small, the do add up fast.
