6 Tips to Reduce Your Phone Bills

Are your phone bills a cause of concern?

Phone bills have become an interesting part of our lives and our budget when planning our monthly home expenses. Unlike in the old days when the handset was only for making calls, today mobile plans are used for so much more than calls, it’s important to keep a tab on the usage. All in all, there are actual ways of lowering phone bills.
1. Do away with services you don’t use
You might be surprised by several things on your phone that you are billed for yet you don’t use them. Go through your monthly bill and know the products and services to do away with. The important question to ask yourself should be whether you need those things. For example, you can choose to go for prepaid call tariffs since you will only pay for what you use instead of getting billed for a monthly plan. You can also check for an alternative internet provider who has a cheaper package. Delete applications that you rarely use since some have sponsored ads that use your data and turn off automated billings in your account.
2. Improve your negotiation skills for better prices
When shopping for any item, never assume the price on the tag or the price catalog is the final price. Negotiate with the sales person on price reduction, extra fees waiver or extra services to be done under warranty. Ask there are price discounts such as special discounts for repeated customers. Shop around for prices to see whether there is an alternative service provider.
3. Reduce data usage
Wi-Fi is far much cheaper compared to data plans subscription. If you visit places with free Wi-Fi, save your data by making use of the Wi-Fi. It is also possible to make your calls and send your text over Wi-Fi by using apps like WhatsApp, WeChat, Skype, Facebook Messenger among others. Set your phone to download movies, videos, apps, and games only when connected to the Wi-Fi. Subscribe to affordable unlimited data plans.

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4. Remove your phone insurance
The main question to ask yourself should be whether your phone really needs the insurance. Insurance premium might accumulate to be more than it’s worth. Especially when the phone is old, it is better to do away with the insurance cover. If you must get an insurance cover, go for the standard insurance plan. Besides, consider buying one that you can afford to replace on cash if anything happens to it.
5. Consider a family plan
Consider a shared plan where you can opt to include your family members, roommates or friends at cheaper rates. This will cost you much less than maintaining an individual account. Go for the same network providers with your family members to avoid the extra cost that comes with communication on different networks.
6.  Scrutinize your phone bill
Once you receive the invoice from your service provider, double check all the charges . You might be paying for services you don’t need. Some service providers add charges that were not included when signing for the service. Taking the effort to thoroughly check the invoice can help you really cut on your monthly charge. Don’t opt for full international roaming when travelling internationally, it is cheaper to get a local prepaid number for communication. Some service providers allow incoming texts at a small fee while travelling abroad which is a better option.
Conclusion:
Your phone bill should be as low as possible. Be smart on choosing the right plan and only subscribing for services you really need. Follow the simple steps and you might end up cutting down the cost significantly in the long run.

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