Saving Money On Your Mobile

Saving Money On Your Mobile

There was a time when a mobile phone was a luxury. A status symbol owned only by the wealthy elite. But as the technology behind them became more advanced, mobiles became increasingly ubiquitous. As the market grew and flourished, manufacturers found themselves with far more to spend on research and development. As mobile technologies became more and more affordable, the humble phone evolved into an internet-ready hub. Today, many of us are inseparable from our phones (and that is at best a mixed blessing). We use them to catch up with friends, record and share important moments, make purchases and consume media on the go. Yup, it’s safe to say that for most of us a phone isn’t just a luxury item, it’s absolutely essential.

But just because your phone is essential doesn’t mean that paying over the odds for it is! If you find that your mobile is eating into your carefully balanced household budget more than you’d like, it’s important to remember that you are not powerless. Here are just a few of the ways in which you can save money on your mobile…

• Get off the upgrade treadmill and get a SIM only deal

Many of us are stuck on a treadmill of repeatedly upgrading our phones just as soon as we’ve actually paid them off. Often we gain little from this other than a slightly shinier new phone with some superficial bells and whistles. Unless you have a seriously good reason for wanting to upgrade your handset you may benefit from a SIM only deal from a network like Smarty. Smarty is part of the 3 network and can save you a fortune on your mobile costs with tariffs starting at just £7.50 a month for unlimited calls and texts and 2GB a month or a massive 8GB of data a month for just £15 a month.

• Don’t be afraid to haggle

When your tariff is coming to an end, you are in a position of excellent negotiating power. This is your network’s opportunity to earn back your loyalty. However, few of us negotiate from the position of strength that we have. We may set our sights on a certain handset and assume that the asking price is the only price or that we’re stuck with a tariff that will cost more than it’s worth.

While many are shy when it comes to haggling for a better deal, you’re unlikely to get a great offer if you don’t.

• Threaten to leave

If your negotiations don’t go your way, don’t be afraid to tell your network that you’d rather take your business elsewhere. They will put you through to their “disconnections” department but as Money Saving Expert’s Martin Lewis correctly asserts these are actually customer retention teams. These are the gatekeepers to the best deals and they will pull out all the stops to retain a loyal customer especially if you’ve been with them for years.

• Don’t feel forced to disconnect!

If your network calls your bluff and cannot get the deal you wanted and says that they will arrange disconnection for you, don’t panic. You don’t have to be disconnected. Simply tell them that you need more time to make up your mind and schedule a callback.

With a little research and a lot of chutzpah you can arrange a great deal that saves a fortune on your mobile costs!

Contributed Article.