Save money by switching mobile providers

It may come as a surprise to some but occasionally, the best way to save money is to switch providers. Many networks feature offers for new customers which can benefit your bank account, so let’s delve in on some of the ways you can save money by switching.

Things to consider and get ready before switching

You may either be able to cancel early or to renew your contract as you’re approaching the final months of your agreement. The big decision is yours for you to decide your future; renew and possibly spend more or take the dive and setup an account with another mobile provider. There are pros and cons to both but either way, you’re probably going to want to save as much money as you can.

Before we get started, it’s important to identify your position and what you’re looking for in your next contract.

1. Make sure you’ve cleared your current bills.
2. If you’ve paid off your handset and think you are happy with your current one, try a SIM-only contract with your current provider.
3. If you’re not happy with your current handset, consider switching to a new network to take advantage of new customer deals elsewhere.

Other benefits to switching providers

Saving money is just one benefit to switching providers. You can make the most of many other benefits which will likely make the decision quite a bit easier.

• Get better data allowances for similar or cheaper costs – Refreshing your plan can give you access to some cheap deals. It’s worth noting that generally, staying with the same provider won’t get you the best prices so switching can open more doors to better savings.
• Improved roaming allowances – If travel is a part of your agenda, roaming could be make or break. Depending on the provider, they can have different prices and packages for different countries – Europe specifically or worldwide.
• Improved customer service – If you’re one to speak to your provider often, you’ll want the person on the other end of the phone or live chat to be respectful and caring of your situation. It’s worth exploring providers with impressive customer service teams, through Trustpilot or Google reviews. Nobody likes doing admin tasks but if the person on the other end of the phone is nice, it’ll be less stressful!
• More flexible contracts – Changing your plan mid-way through is pretty normal, especially in a business environment. Business size may change. Needs may need to be amended. It happens. Flexibility is key to getting control of your plan by adding or removing mobiles, upping or reducing your data allowance or purchasing an additional roaming package.

Handsets with a cheaper price

Handsets and data can cost almost as much as you’re willing to spend. It’s worth exploring options and there’s a couple of ways to save a bit of money by paying off your mobile and buying a SIM only contract. That or going for a slightly cheaper mobile and reduced data. You’ll just have to evaluate your needs and ensure you data covers your needs whilst on the road.

Refurbished handsets are also a great money saver. They won’t be brand new and could have a couple of age marks, but they could save you a good chunk of money. It’s worth looking at various ways to save yourself some cash.

• Look at mid-range handsets
• Look at refurbished handsets
• Look at getting a handset separate from the SIM for maximum savings (it’s worth checking with manufacturers to see if this is the case for the mobile you want.)

What you shouldn’t ‘cheap-out’ on

Saving money is great but sometimes, you don’t want to ‘cheap-out’ as it’ll start affecting your day-to-day life, quite heavily in some ways. It’s worth paying a little extra sometimes to get the best bang-for-your-buck. Reliability of the handset, data coverage, data allowance and customer service are all areas we recommend to not cut down too far. It’s much better to be prepared than to be cut short on data, have handset issues whilst on the road or face below-par customer service when you next need to give them a ring. Cheaper doesn’t always mean better.