These days there are very few people who don’t have a phone in their grasp, and more often than not it’s the up to date, top of the range phones that everyone wants. As soon as one new model comes out and everyone snaps it up, another one comes along and you want that one instead! It’s a never ending circle of money, and the best advice is to pick the phone that suits you best and go for that, to minimise the temptation to upgrade early.
When it’s time to get a new phone, it’s always a good idea to try and get the cheapest possible deal, because over time monthly costs and top ups add up to mega amounts of money.
Go contract if you haven’t already
You will probably be aware that the cheapest way to get a top of the range phone and the best way to get it quickly is to go on a contract. Buying a good phone outright is costly, and this is probably cheaper in the long run. If you’re using a lot of internet and you’re topping up the old fashioned pay as you go way, then you could find your costs are high, and a contract will give you more allowance for a lower cost.
Haggle, haggle, haggle!
You might already be on a contract and it’s time to get a new one, or you’re thinking of heading into contract land for the first time, but it’s important to be clever. It’s not dishonest to shop around and then tell your provider that you have found a better deal somewhere else, because they will be so keen to keep your custom that you might find they give you a price match, or even better the other deal you found. You don’t get if you don’t ask.
Shop around
Head online to a price comparison website to find the best deals out there, and then whittle down your choices from there. Never go for the first quote you are given, because there will always be a better one out there that could save you cash in the long run.
Part exchange
If your old phone is in good working condition, you may be able to part exchange it, in order to bring down the cost of your new phone. There are countless websites out there, such as Mazuma and Envirofone, which help you recycle.
Be sensible
Whilst it might be tempting to buy a top of the range phone, with all manner of fancy extras, you need to ask yourself whether you really need them or not. It’s false economy to buy a fancy phone if you only really need it for basic functions, so don’t get your head turned by fancy phones if you’re not going to use it to its full potential.
Life these days is borderline impossible without the help of a mobile phone, but if you’re careful with your choices, you do your research, and you identify exactly what it is you need, you can easily save money and find a great deal.
