Cheap Mobiles Compare, switch & use cashback

It's possible to slash costs without switching. Anyone on a contract is holstering a serious MoneySaving weapon - loyalty. When nearing the end of the contract, ask for the very best deal possible, not just on your network, but any out there.

If your provider won't budge, tell it "give me a better package or I'll leave". You'll be put through to the disconnections department, which internally is called "customer retentions" and has massively more discretion to offer better packages to keep you.

Remember though - this usually means you're signing up for a NEW contract - make sure you ask for how long before committing.

Full step-by-step guide: Mobile Phone Contracts

Mobiles no longer just make calls, they're our diaries, contact books, games consoles and more - so lose it, break it or have it nicked and there can be tears.

Insurers play on this fear with hefty prices and unnecessary cover. Yet you can get cheap mobile, smartphone and iPhone insurance for £5/month.

Full info and best buys in Cheap Mobile Phone Insurance.

iPhones aren't MoneySaving. But if you must get your mitts on one, it's possible to pay less and get a shorter contract if you know where to go.

If you're currently out of contract, the biggest decision is whether to tie yourself down to a new one, or to stump up for a no-contract handset, which gives you far more freedom, but at a hefty upfront cost. The guide takes you through all the options plus the iPhone tool compares available tariffs.

Full info, tips and a comparison tool in Cheap iPhones.

Many assume voicemail is always free, yet exceed inclusive minutes or call from abroad and voicemail costs about 35p/minute on contracts out of allowances. On PAYG it can cost up to 26p/minute. Keep track of how many minutes you have left, or turn it off entirely, especially for holidays. Simply call your network and get it to deactivate voicemail.

You could try an app like Hullomail. Download it to your smartphone and it replaces the voicemail system on your phone, using wi-fi or 3G to retrieve messages. It can be patchy if you're in an area with limited signal, but it's worth considering if voicemail is costing you large.

If you're getting a new handset, recycle the old one and you could earn £100s, depending on the make, model and condition of the phone.

There's a raft of companies out there willing to recycle your phone for cash yet be warned the value differences are huge. An HTC Desire can range from £12 to £56, for example.

To help, use MSE's unique Mobile Selling Comparison tool; it instantly tells you what each of the main mobile recycling sites will pay. You can get up to £476 for some handsets. Of course others are virtually worthless, but it's worth a quick try.

Once you agree to sell, companies send a freepost bag for your phone. You post it, and then they give you the cash.

If you're stuck in a contract you can't afford, there are a few things you can try to soften the blow.

Shifting to a cheaper plan on your network, paying off the contract and using unfair contract changes can all work.

Full info and tips in the guide: Escape Your Mobile Contract

For textaholics, several websites offer free texts to the UK and overseas countries. If you're near a PC, ditch your mobile and use this instead.

Alternatively some nifty software providers let you use your internet connection to text for fractions of a penny.

Full details in the guide: Free Texts

In the long run, the cost per month and what you get for it is what really adds up. So never just look at whether you'll get a cheap handset. Look at the total cost over the contract length, including per month and upfront handset costs, and compare that way.

Calling 0800 118 3733 from your landline connects you to a free directory enquiries service. It's an automated service, powered by advertising, but as you'll be saving as much as £1.79/min (using 118 118 from a BT landline), it's worth it.

Unfortunately you can't just dial this number from your mobile, because 0800 numbers are not free from mobiles. They can cost as much as 20p/min.

However, special services like 0800Buster and 0800 Wizard allow you to bypass this and get free 0800 calls from your mobile. Full info in the Free 0800 Calls From Mobiles guide.

Pair the free directory enquiries number with one of these services and you'll get permanently free directory enquiries on your mobile.

Full details in the guide: Free Directory Enquiries

If you've a smartphone, you may find you can keep costs down by taking a smaller data plan and using free wi-fi while you're out and about.

There are wi-fi hotspots dotted all over the UK (and abroad), many of which are free. McDonald's, Starbucks, Wetherspoons and Walkabout pubs all offer free wireless internet. It's also worth checking:

• My Hotspots (UK-only, quite limited)
• Free Hotspot (UK and Europe, more detailed, but not very many hotspots)
• JiWire (Worldwide, thousands of hotspots).

So, if you need to download anything or need urgent access while out, it's worth popping into one of these to save your data limit.

Full details in the guide: Free Wireless Internet

Calling someone overseas from your mobile earns companies big bucks, yet it doesn't have to be so. There's a range of tricks to get free international calls from your mobile.

For example, Rebtel* has a clever piece of kit letting you make calls to more than 50 countries - mainly Europe, Israel, North America, Australasia and the Far East - simply by dialling a local rate phone number.

Therefore if you've free minutes on your mobile this call will be included, if not you'll only pay a local call rate.

Full details and how it works in the guide: Free International Mobile Calls

Trip abroad and your mobile provider may hike prices massively and charge for receiving calls too. Yet you can substantially cut the cost by using networks' hidden deals or by getting a specialist Sim card to use overseas.

Full details in the guide: Mobile Roaming

Most people massively over-estimate the number of minutes and texts they use and end up on tariffs over and above what they really need.

Plus do you get free minutes with your landline? If so, there's no point in doubling up.

If you use your phone to constantly search the web, you need to watch the amount of data you use. 1GB is what most networks offer on average as a "fair usage policy".

For checking emails, looking at Facebook and watching the odd YouTube video, it should be more than enough. To give you a rough idea, one of our techies, MSE Joe, has an iPhone 4 on Orange with a data allowance of 750MB/month. He doesn't use even half of this, averaging about 350MB of data a month using Spotify, Twitter, Facebook and email apps. He doesn't watch any videos however. Downloading videos, TV shows or other web heavy apps may take you over your limit and incur heavy charges.

Inclusive minutes can usually be used at any time, but some contracts will charge less for off-peak minutes. If this is when you use your phone, go for the cheaper option.

Most landlines now come with free minutes so if you're at home, use your home phone, not mobile.

Some providers offer free calls to those on the same network or discounts to a certain number you pick. If the bulk of your calls are to one person, this kind of tariff can seriously slash the cost.

Strictly speaking, you have no legal rights if you find yourself unable to use your phone due to poor coverage.

The only exception is if you've been mis-sold. If a salesperson guaranteed you'd get coverage and you don't get it, this would be reason to get a refund. But proving this would be difficult.

That said, some providers have returns policies on refunds due to poor coverage, some of which exceed the statutory seven-day cooling-off period.

Encouraged by the mobile networks, many retailers offer big cashback deals. These deals often look too good to be true, and usually they are. The simple fact is many people won't collect on them, and retailers know that. Yet if you do get cashback, it can often cover an entire year's worth of mobile monthly fees, so could be worth many £100s.

If you've followed the system above, you're assured of a good deal, because you're on the right tariff; so there's no problem trying to grab the cashback on top. Reclaiming usually involves filling in a form and sending it off, up to five times during the contract period; fail to do exactly this and you'll miss out on the whole discount. The main things to watch for are:

• Always read the small print. It's important to discover every hoop they'll force you through. Does each time you send a form trigger some payment? Or, as usual, is it a "send all or get nothing" scenario, so if you miss sending one form, the whole thing's invalidated?

• Call and check the timings needed. Never assume a cashback deal is simple. If it says "send your bill after three months", this may mean three months from application, three months from activating the phone or after you've received your third monthly bill. Call the cashback company and check.

• Be careful with addresses. The address you send claims from needs to be the address used to order with, otherwise the claim may be invalidated. So if you move house, let them know immediately.

• Are you keeping your old mobile number? If you port your existing number to the new contract you might be asked to send, in addition, the very first bill you received showing the original mobile number you were allocated.

• Use the Tart Alert as a reminder. The Tart Alert is this site's free text message/email reminder service; it's mainly to remind people before their credit card 0% period ends, but you can use it as a reminder to fill in your rebate form. Enter the rebate date and you'll be sent a free text message or email (your choice) six weeks beforehand.

• Consider another form of cashback. Regardless of whether cashback is officially offered, there's a possible additional amount. Simply sign up for the phone via a cashback website.

  These are special sites carrying paid links from retailers and if you click through them and get a product, they're paid. Importantly, they then give you some of this cash. It's nowhere near as big a deal as cashback redemption but could mean an extra £20 or £30. Find out more in the Top Cashback Sites guide.

• The cashback deal's with the retailer, the tariff with the network. Even if it goes wrong you still keep the tariff with the network. Sadly, cashback retailers can and do go bust; if they do, it'll be tough to recoup. Yet don't forget the networks encourage these deals, and if you believe you've been unfairly treated, a strong letter to the network asking it to step in may be worthwhile. If you do have cashback problems, always ensure you report the company to Trading Standards. If you've been treated unfairly, consider a small claims court action.

All the usual consumer rights apply when you buy a mobile phone. The phone must be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. (See the Consumer Rights guide for full details).

• Bought online? Buy online, or over the phone and you have a seven-day cooling-off period. Change your mind within this time and you can get a full refund.
• Phone broken or faulty? Remember here, the responsibility is with the retailer, and not the manufacturer, it must sort the problem for you. If the fault is minor, it's reasonable to accept a repair. If not you're entitled to a refund, although the retailer can deduct an amount for the use you've already had.

Transferring, or porting, your old mobile number is easy when you switch phone. All you need to do is get your PAC (Porting Authorisation Code) from your existing provider and then give it to your new one.

Most networks will ask you to do this before you buy the new phone but some will still do it after the new contract is set up.

There's no easy solution to this one, sadly. Providers usually state in terms and conditions that they may increase prices once a year in line with inflation. In the past the regulator has ruled mobile providers are within their rights to do this, and providers have carefully stayed within these bounds.

The only chink of light at the moment is if you can argue the changes are of material detriment to you. If so, the regulator says you must be allowed to walk away penalty-free. In practice though, proving this is extremely difficult. However, Ofcom has set out proposals that should help consumers with mid-contract price hikes (see the MSE News story).