Try to browse the Internet or watch a TV show without an ad touting the latest cell phone feature or calling plan. Smaller. Lighter. Faster. It will pay your bills, clip cyber coupons, even remind you to invite your in-laws to dinner. Love ’em or hate ’em, cell phones (not your in-laws) have become indispensable for most of us. The numbers are mind-boggling. More than 93% of Americans own them, using 6.3 billion minutes and sending 4.9 billion text messages per day. There are dozens of carriers, hundreds of models and, by some estimates, more than 100,000 rate plans. But you don’t have to stay unplugged or become unglued. Here are seven ways to save.
- Say no to cell phone insurance. If you lose or send your phone through the washing machine it’s going to hurt to pay several hundred bucks for a new one, but do you really need to insure a $200 to $500 item?
- Avoid activation fees. They average $35. You can’t always get them waived, but sometimes sympathetic sales staff will do so, especially to seal the deal.
- Turn it off. Even if you aren’t sending emails or checking the web, smart phones continue to download data every few minutes. Unless you have an unlimited data plan, if you won’t be using the phone for a while, switch off your data feature.
- Try Wi-Fi. Many smart phones have a way to upload/download data using a Wi-Fi hotspot. Learn how, find a free hotspot, and avoid data roaming charges, especially if you travel internationally.
- Share the love. Family plans let multiple people draw on minutes from the same account. You may be able to add an extra line for as little as $10.
- Lose the long-distance changes. If your plan doesn’t include free long-distance calls, if you’re willing to put up with a 10- to 12-second ad, you can make free calls (even international) using FreePhone2Phone.com. Dial a local access number, and after listening to the brief ad, you can call any of 55 countries (mostly landline numbers) for 10 minutes max.
- Dial 9-1-1 for free. Here’s a little unadvertised secret: Any cell phone, even one no longer under contract without a dedicated number, can be used in an emergency to call 911. That means if you want a cell phone only for emergencies and nothing else, a cheap one (or even one a relative doesn’t use anymore) will work as long as it is charged. The only caveat: Emergency services may not be able to automatically locate you. So if you call 911 from a cell phone immediately tell the dispatcher of your location.
Do you have any other tips for outsmarting your smartphone bill? Let me know.
Why is it that every article I read about saving money on cell phone usage ignores the obvious! If you want to avoid paying extra usage just get a service that offers 24/7 use for one price. I use the 4th largest carrier in the nation..metropcs. There are others. I talk..text..web.for 24x7x60 minutes a monthfor$50.00 a month..PERIOD..Why not tell people really how to save money!
Don’t forget the various prepaid companies out there. I’ve seen some as cheap as 10 dollars. This is good for people who just need a few minutes. My wife and I use Straight Talk, which uses the major companies towers (service is good). We get 1000 minutes, 1000 text and 35k data for 32.50 including taxes.
Kenny, you bring up an excellent point. Prepaids work quite well for many people and now that the major players are participating, one can get a great deal. You do have to watch for any extra fees and, if you don’t use your phone very often, make sure your paid period of time doesn’t expire. Thanks for the tip!
I wasn’t ignoring you Jay, just trying to toss out some tips that might not be “obvious.” I wrote a story on this topic for AARP Magazine and had 1250 words to cover everything. I could have used 12,500! Thanks for your suggestion. Unlimited plans are a great way to go, just be sure to check any additional local, state and federal taxes and fees.
Very true on the expiring minutes. I should have mentioned that. One good thing at least with Straight Talk is that you can enroll in automatic refill every month and they send a free text a few days before to warn you in case you want to stop it and they send a another free text letting you know when it happens.