Ways to Slash Your Cell Phone Bill
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Cell phones are a necessary means of communication, and it seems their price will only continue to rise. You're in the right place if you’ve been wondering how to decrease your cell phone bill. Consider the variety of cell phone plans, carriers, and ways to save on your monthly bill.
In this article
Cell phone plans
The cell phone plan that you choose can greatly impact the cost of your cell phone bill. Here are some of the most popular plans available today.
Prepaid
Prepaid cell phone plans offer a low-commitment (and often lower-cost) way to access a cell phone. With a prepaid plan, you pay the company or provider an upfront fee monthly for your cell phone’s minutes, text, and data usage. Typically, no contract is required with a prepaid cell phone plan, so you can stop using the cell phone or switch to a different company any time you want. Boost Mobile is a popular carrier for prepaid phones.
Is prepaid right for you?
The no-commitment aspect of prepaid plans can be a very attractive feature. However, it’s important to note that prepaid plans aren’t the best solution for everyone. A prepaid plan might be right if you only use your cell phone for emergencies. It can also be a good option if you don’t use much data or any data with your cell phone.
Shared data plan
If you want to purchase a phone plan that covers service for more than one person, you might consider a shared data plan. These plans provide a set amount of monthly data to be shared among the lines on your cell phone plan. Shared data plans may also include unlimited talk and text for each line on the plan. Some carriers also offer mobile hotspot access at no additional charge. The hotspot allows you to use your data on other devices connected to your cell phone.
Is a shared data plan right for you?
A shared data plan may also be referred to as a family plan and can be great for families that don’t tend to use a lot of data on their cell phones. If you and your family use your cell phones to do a lot of web browsing and streaming, you should consider how much data you usually use each month. Depending on how much data your family uses, a shared data plan may offer enough to make it a good deal for your family.
Unlimited plans
Unlimited plans offer unlimited data in addition to unlimited talk and text. Often, cell phone companies and carriers offer additional perks to unlimited plans as well. Common perks include unlimited talk & text in other countries and subscriptions to streaming services. You can add multiple lines to an unlimited cell phone plan.
Is an unlimited plan right for you?
An unlimited plan may be the right option if you and your family use much data. It can also be a good option if you already use streaming services or are interested in some additional perks offered by unlimited plans.
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Cell phone companies
Regarding cell phone companies, you’re probably already aware of the big four — AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. These are the top companies because each owns and operates its national cellular network. Although 2020 shook up the cell phone world when T-Mobile acquired Sprint, there are now three. Then, mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) use one of the big four networks to provide cell phone service to their customers.
AT&T - Unlimited plans start at $25
AT&T offers plans that could fit the needs of almost any family. It offers prepaid plans starting at $25 per month with unlimited talk and text within the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Most of these plans also include voicemail access. The carrier offers three tiers of unlimited plans, with the basic plan starting at $25 for one line monthly. The cost per line decreases for each additional line added to the plan. However, the basic plan does not include a hotspot; lines on the basic plan may experience slower data speeds when the network is congested. The higher-tiered unlimited plans come with premium data, which means that lines on those plans will not be affected by congested networks.
AT&T often offers special deals on certain phones, including a range of iPhone models. It also discounts many groups of people, including military members, veterans, first responders, teachers, and nurses.
T-Mobile - Unlimited plans start at $60
T-Mobile’s prepaid phone plans start at $40/mo for a single line. This includes unlimited talk and text, 10GB of data, and a mobile hotspot. There are also prepaid plans with unlimited data. Add talk, text, and data to any prepaid plan for $5/mo. T-Mobile’s unlimited data plans start at $60/mo and come with unlimited hotspot data.
T-Mobile also allows you to add tablets and smartwatches to the higher-tier unlimited plans. It also offers discounts for individuals 55 or older, military members, veterans, and first responders.
Verizon Wireless - Unlimited plans start at $35
Verizon Wireless offers a robust range of plans that start at just $35/mo. Its prepaid phone plans start at just $35/mo for 15GB of data, mobile hotspot and unlimited talk and text. Prepaid plans include a mobile hotspot and unlimited text to over 200 international destinations. Shared data plans start at $45/mo for 15GB of data.
Verizon’s unlimited plans are where the perks start to shine. The lowest tier unlimited plan starts at just $35/mo per phone line. The higher tier unlimited plans can also include Hulu, Apple Music, and ESPN+ subscriptions. Plans can be additionally purchased for tablets, smartwatches, laptops, streaming cameras, and more.
Cricket Wireless - Unlimited plans start at $30
Cricket Wireless is one example of an MVNO and uses the AT&T network, so you can expect similar coverage from this carrier as you would with AT&T. The least expensive option from Cricket Wireless for one phone line is the plan with unlimited talk and text and 5GB of data for $30/month. However, you’ll notice that as you add more lines to the plan, the least expensive option may change. For example, if you purchase a plan with four phone lines, the least expensive plan is the unlimited one at $55/mo per line.
These plans are relatively simple and don’t come with many extra perks, but they can provide a great budget option for families that just want a reliable cell phone plan.
Amazon
Amazon offers unlimited talk and text cell phone plans exclusively for Prime members. These plans don’t require a contract or even a credit check, and you can receive 10% monthly credit on these plans. Plans are available from SIMPLE Mobile, Boost Mobile, and T-Mobile. To enroll, you simply choose your favorite plan, make sure that your phone is compatible (most unlocked phones are), add the plan to your cart, and check out! A SIM card will then be mailed to you, and you can follow the instructions on your phone that pop up after you install the SIM card. After purchase, you can manage your plan using your Amazon account, where you’ll find it in the website's Your Memberships and Subscriptions section.
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How to save money on your monthly bill
When budgeting for your cell phone costs, it’s important to understand your needs to compare plans and carriers. Ways to save:
- Number of lines. Prices can vary depending on how many phone lines are included in your plan, so there’s a chance that if you add some family members and all pitch in, you could actually end up saving money.
- Autopay. Most carriers offer an autopay feature that saves you up to $10 off your monthly bill.
- Paperless billing. You may also get a discount by enrolling in paperless billing.
- Data plans. One thing to be aware of if you don’t purchase an unlimited data plan is that if you use more than your allotted data for the month, you may be charged extra on your monthly bill. Some carriers offer a feature that will warn you when you’re close to going over your data allowance to reduce the chances of this happening.
- Wi-Fi. You can also turn wi-fi on your phone settings and connect to wi-fi networks in your home and other trusted places. When successfully connected to wi-fi networks, your phone will use your wi-fi instead of your mobile data.
- Insurance. You should also be sure you’re not paying extra charges for things you don’t need. For example, if you already have Apple Care, you don’t need to pay for extra phone insurance through your carrier.
Related: 21 Simple Ways to Save Money
Pros and cons of cell phone plans
Prepaid or shared data plans
Pros
- These are most often the least expensive option for cell phone plans.
- You can choose the amount of data that you want to be included in your plan instead of paying for an unlimited amount that you may or may not use.
Cons
- These plans don’t always include features such as mobile hotspots or coverage for talk, text, or data outside of the country.
- If you exceed your data allowance, you could be charged additional fees.
Unlimited plans
Pros
- Unlimited plans often offer additional perks such as subscriptions to streaming services.
- In some cases, adding multiple lines to the plan can actually make unlimited plans the best value option.
Cons
- Some cell phone carriers with special offers may require you to purchase a new phone to be eligible for special deals.
- Some of the lower-tiered unlimited plans that are offered by carriers may throttle your data to allow more space on the network for those with premium data plans.
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- Money is deposited quickly and securely
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The bottom line
With all the bills that adults are dealing with today, cell phone bills are just one more thing to consider. Fortunately, there are ways that you can save on your cell phone bill without sacrificing your coverage. For some, switching to another carrier with a better deal can help them save money. Changing your plan to one with a lower data allowance may benefit others.
No matter what cell phone plan you currently have, there are ways that you can look into reducing your monthly bill. Don’t hesitate to ask your carrier about discounts and savings opportunities, or you could consider switching if you’re not locked into a contract.
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Writer
Ashley Hart is a lead copywriter and digital marketing expert covering finance, law, real estate, music, entertainment, health and wellness.
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