Time to ditch the expensive mobile phone?
Tough times require tough measures. Whilst many people are used to reaching the end of their mobile phone contract and upgrading to a newer, more expensive phone is this the best option when money is tight?
Clearly not. At upgrade time you are in a good position to negotiate. The network wants to keep your business and may be able to give you a better deal than they advertise to new customers in order to keep you. This might involve a better handset and reduced tariff. Don’t be afraid to negotiate hard.
If your existing phone is working OK and does what you need it to then more drastic action may be needed in order to save some money. Do you need a contract at all? Have you been taking out large contracts in order to get decent handsets free of charge without using many of the inclusive minutes/texts/data?
For instance, if you have a £30 per month contract but are only using 100 minutes and a handful of texts then you could take out a pay as you go contract with 8p per minute calls and 3p per text. This would reduce your monthly bill below £10.
If at any time in the future you need to take out another contract then you can always pick and choose the best deal from any of the networks. You can retain your number each time you change from contract to PAYG and back again.
If you really do need the latest handset, or if your phone breaks down outside of its warranty period, there are always cheap deals available on Ebay and similar sites and it usually works out cheaper to buy your own phone over the course of a 24 month contract.
