In this day and age everyone has a mobile phone. Just 20 years ago mobile phones were something of an enigma to many consumers and they couldn’t even imagine being able to talk on a mobile phone let alone concepts such as WIFI, mobile apps, smart phones, mobile internet, and Push To Talk capabilities. Yes, mobile phones are quite common these days and unfortunately the phone companies are well aware of it. As a consequence, many consumers and people all over the world sacrifice an arm and a leg just to scrape together enough money to pay their bill. Fortunately, there are few ways to minimize the damage that mobile phone companies do each month.
Probably the most prominent way in which an individual can save substantial portions of money is simply by switching their existing contract to a SIM Only Contract and a SIM only contract is exactly what it sounds like. SIM only plans are becoming popular because they offer a lot of convenience and effectiveness. This is how it works; every mobile phone uses a SIM card to connect to its mobile network no matter what network provider has the phone. This SIM card acts as the phone’s personal identity and there are a few prominent benefits that accompany this particular plan.
Network companies often include a free or discounted phone when a consumer signs up for a new plan and a subsequent contract. This is the network provider’s marketing scheme and while the consumer pays a fraction of what it would cost to buy a retail phone (or nothing at all), they pay an enormous amount in monthly fees. The mobile phone companies know this and happily recoup the money they lose on the phone in a few months of service provision. When you have a SIM only contract you can keep a phone that you are happy with and are free to upgrade, downgrade or go with whatever rates you feel comfortable with without getting locked into a marketing scheme.
Furthermore, contract lengths for SIM only plans are often reduced and this allows the consumer to switch plans or even network providers as they see fit without incurring a tidal wave of cancellation fees.
Another attractive point about going with SIM only plans is that they allow you versatility in the type of phone you choose. Simply put, you are not limited to only the phones that your carrier provides. Let’s say for example that a consumer purchases an expensive phone and has a SIM only plan. While the plan is great for them, they realize that they had overspent on their phone. With a SIM only plan they can sell that phone to a friend and recoup their losses while simply removing the SIM card from the phone and inserting it into a different phone that they purchased far cheaper than their network provider could have offered. Therefore, A SIM only plan gives you versatility and freedom. In most situations, the ability to have freedom results in the opportunity to save money.
On average, people can save approximately 15-20 pounds per month in the United Kingdom and 25 – 33 dollars in the United States by sticking with a SIM only plan.
Aside from switching to a SIM plan, there are other viable ways to save money on your cell phone. For instance, rethink purchasing those unlimited plans. Mobile phone companies love to advertise for unlimited packages because they are more expensive. However, most people just end up paying for minutes that they don’t use or don’t need. Additionally, most unlimited packages have fine print that excludes you from unlimited access. So why pay for unlimited when you don’t get unlimited? Instead, consider what is important for you and what you use your phone for. Some individuals use their phones mainly for data and internet and couldn’t care less about talking. If this is the case, pick a plan that offers you the best minutes, texting and data for the price and it will likely be a fraction of the cost of an unlimited plan.
Another way to save money on your mobile phone is to be aware of voicemail charges. Many mobile phone companies charge “hidden fees” for something as mundane as checking your voicemail. If you check your voicemail more than three times a day than there is a good chance that you will be paying an unnecessary amount of money on your monthly bill. So check with your company and ask them if they charge for checking voicemail. If they do, moderate your voicemail checking or consider switching carriers.
Third, always remember to turn off your phone when you go on vacation, travel overseas, or take a cruise. Roaming rates can cost you $ 2.00 to $5.00 a minute for talking and using features like video chatting, and internet can cost you serious cash – almost half your regular phone bill. Therefore, shut the phone off and keep it off when you go on vacation. The roaming fees just aren’t worth it if you don’t have free roaming.
So if your contract is up, and you are tired of paying a ridiculous amount of money for services, consider switching to SIM only. Remember that most of the ways that you can save money on your phone bill is simply by being vigilant and reading all of the fine print. Don’t let big phone companies give you the run-around and make sure that you know exactly where you stand with charges.
Article written by Spencer Hogg from the website Sim Only, where you can find sim only contract deals.
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