How to Lower Mobile Phone Plan Costs in Australia

Every month we get that dreaded phone bill and wonder how we can lower our mobile phone plan costs in Australia. Of course, we all need a phone, and nobody is arguing this point, but the costs are only getting higher, and it’s putting a strain on millions of wallets.

Here are some sure-fire ways to reduce your mobile phone plan costs in the coming months.

Tip One: Keep Your Phone Longer Than The Contract

Usually, when we start a new contract, we have the phone for a period of 22-months before we start shopping around for its replacement. But, in all honesty, your phone is likely working just fine after those 22 months. Beyond that, it’s clearly got a fair amount of years left until it’s on its way out. So why are you so eager to let it go?

Unless you genuinely don’t enjoy the current phone you have, you should be holding onto your current phone as long as possible. This will save you money in the long run because it means no new contracts. Instead, your phone will be paid off, and you’ll just be purchasing data, minutes, and texts.

Tip Two: Purchase No-Contract Phones

Contracts are a money-making business for carriers. This is where the bulk of their profits are created, and they want everyone on a contract where possible. These carrier contracts are often in the form of two or three-year commitments. You’re paying off the device while also receiving data, minutes, and text messages during that time. However, there’s also a lot of money to be made thanks to cancellation charges when you want to switch to another carrier.

So what is the solution? The solution is to avoid contracts and buy second hand, unlocked, refurbished, or anything that avoids a contract situation. Our prepaid mobile plans are a great solution to this!

Tip Three: Forget About The Insurance

This is a decision you need to be sure about making. It obviously means that if something happens, you’re on your own. However, insurance every month is an expense some might be willing to cut out of their phone bills. Why? Because it adds up quickly. Think about it for a moment. Let’s say you’re paying $12 a month for insurance. That’s $144 a year.

An alternative is saving a few dollars every month or so to prepare for any unfortunate events such as theft, misplacing your phone, or it breaking.

Tip Four: Remove The Things You Don’t Need

You’re provided with a certain amount of data, minutes, and texts a month when you get a contract. However, if you’re not using all of these things to their fullest each and every month, then you might have too much. So review your phone bill and see what you actually use on a monthly basis and determine if you’ve got room to reduce your plan.

This, however, doesn’t just end at excess data, minutes, and texts. It also extends to extras. This can be things like enhanced voicemails, roadside assistance, etc. Anything that is clearly unnecessary shouldn’t be something you continue keeping in your inflated mobile phone plan.

Tip Five: Auto-Payments + Paperless Billing

This is an effort that sadly won’t be saving you tons of money, but every dollar counts. Setting up your payments to go off automatically and opting out of paper bills means saving a small amount each month, and that’s totally worth it. Also, considering that most people generally don’t even keep their paper form bills, it makes sense to get rid of them completely.

Tip Six: Wi-Fi Over Personal Data Usage

Whenever you’re able to make use of wi-fi over personal data, take advantage of the circumstances. This means you’re saving your precious and expensive data, which can reduce the need for purchasing more data in the future. Beyond future savings, if you’re around more wi-fi sources, then you might reduce your need for data in general, which means you can get a less expensive plan.

Tip Seven: Monitor and Reduce Background Data Usage

Apps are notorious for using data even when you’re not using them. This can be a major culprit in depleting your data every month and causing you to spend more than you’re willing to spend. So every time you use an app and are finished with it, make sure it’s properly closed. These aren’t just draining your data but also your battery life. Another method is turning off your data until you need an app.

Tip Eight: Try Your Luck

This isn’t always a full-proof way to reduce your bill, but it’s definitely worth trying. When you’re ready to shop for a new phone, look and talk to a sales representative. The purpose of sales representatives is to make a sale, and they are given certain liberties in order to sweeten the deal for prospective buyers. So don’t assume the sticker price is the best the price can be because there might be some wiggle room built-in to the price.

pull is comparing your carrier of choice to another carrier. You’d be surprised how much you can knock off the price tag simply by asking. Remember, many of these workers get commission, so they want your sale!

Bonus: Write-Offs

This only applies to people who use their phone as a work phone too. If you use data and minutes to reach people for work purposes, then you’re entitled to write off a certain amount of your bill as a tax write off. So just check what you use each month for work purposes and get to saving!

Conclusion

One of the best ways to save money is by using a carrier with your best interests at heart, such as saving some money. We here at Catch Connect offer reasonable plans that provide powerful data, talk, and text. So get connected like never before. Powered by Optus, we’ve got deals ready to serve you. Check out our package deals for new and existing customers on our website!

Catch Connect is ready to provide your mobile device with the best connection in the country. Powered by Optus and featuring insane prices, we’re here to connect you like no other provider can.