Whether you’re looking to get your first ever mobile phone, or want to make the move from a simple handset to a smartphone, there are a number of considerations to be made when it comes to how much you want to spend. For example, you’ll need to decide whether you want to pay monthly or top up your phone for calling minutes and text allowances, whether you want data allowances for the internet, and of course which phone handset is best suited to your budget. It’s easy to end up overspending when it comes to mobile devices, so if you’re looking to stay within budget, try a few of my tips below…
Pay monthly or as you go?
First you’ll need to decide whether you want to be tied into a contract (usually for 24 months) or you want the freedom to spend what you want, when you want. There are benefits of each – for example when you pay monthly you can do this by direct debit and you won’t need to worry about finding a retailer to top up your phone. You are also more likely to get good packages in terms of minutes, texts and data. However with pay as you go, you can control your spending and simply have your phone for emergencies.
Compare prices online
It’s all a bit overwhelming when you go into a mobile phone shop, so I often start my search online before I go and look at the handset in store. Cheap mobile phones and contracts should be easy enough to find on a comparison site, but you can always get in touch with a service provider directly if you want to find out more about a particular deal. Make sure you read how many minutes, texts and how much data is included, and try and align what you need with how much you want to spend.
Find alternatives to SMS
When you’ve picked your phone and have started to use it, there are a number of ways you can make sure you aren’t spending more than you are able to within your budget. If you have a relatively low limit on your texts but have more data, why not send messages to people through the web instead? You might think about private messages through Facebook, Twitter or WhatsApp.
Utilise Wi-Fi
If you don’t have a large data allowance but still use the internet on your phone, try and use Wi-Fi where available. This means that you’ll need to turn it on via your mobile device, and search for available networks. These networks should be available to you at home and work and you might also find them in cafes, restaurants and hotels.
