So it’s that time again – you’re coming up to the end of your current mobile phone contract and you want to upgrade. With so many great phones on the market and great gadgets to tempt you, it’s easy to be sucked in to what is ‘cool’ and considered the latest trend.
However, mobile phones are an expensive item and you should spend a reasonable amount of time considering the options and price plans before committing to something which can see you tied down for up to two years.
So here are some tips to help you get the best deal for your money.
1) Say you are going to leave the network
When you know it’s time to renew, one of the best ways to get a better deal on your next contract is to call your network and tell them that you would like to leave. With targets to hit, many mobile phone company’s retentions teams will do all they can to entice you to stay with them. This can include a totally free top-of-the-range phone, extra minutes or mobile internet data and other extras thrown in to make the deal that little bit sweeter.
2) Wait for the ‘loyal customer’ deals to come in
Alternatively, you could wait for your network to phone you. Some of the best mobile phone deals come in when your network calls you to try and sell you an upgrade to your current phone or contract. Most will use the fact that you are a ‘loyal customer’ in order to offer you the best prices and extra features to your package.
3) Avoid going direct to major networks
It’s well worth shopping around when you are looking for a new phone – don’t necessarily think you need to go into one of the major phone network shops. There are actually many great independent mobile sellers that get deals with these networks to re-sell their packages, especially on the internet, and these can sometimes knock vast sums off your monthly bill.
4) Ensure you are on the right tariff
One of the biggest money-making tactics for the mobile phone networks is to sell you a tariff that you don’t really need. Are you really going to use the 1000 minutes, and do you really need unlimited mobile internet data when you are connected to Wi-Fi most of the time anyway? Consider going on the lowest tariff for your needs when you first sign up – the network will be more than happy to upgrade it for you if you end up finding that you need more minutes, texts or data further down the line.
5) Consider going contract vs. sim-only
Although you can get a brand-spanking new phone for absolutely free for signing up to a lengthy contract, think about how much this is going to cost you over the term of your plan. Would it be cheaper to buy the phone outright and get yourself on of the many, highly affordable sim-only deals when you count the cost over 24-months?
