Cheap mobile tips

• The cost of the handset is spread out over the length of the contract.

• You'll be locked in for 24 months in the majority of cases, though some providers are now trying to tie people in for even longer.

• Your monthly price is likely to increase each year.

• You'll be credit-checked.

The majority of phone contracts which include a handset are paid for monthly over a two-year period, meaning the handset is paid for at the end. Though the handset has been paid for, most providers continue to charge the same monthly price after the initial contract period is over, meaning you're essentially paying for the phone again.

To avoid overpaying, make a note of your contract end date and diarise to contact your provider one month before it ends to give it notice, which means you're free to leave or change deal. If you're happy with your phone, consider switching to a cheap Sim-only deal or see our top tips for haggling a new deal.

That used to be the cheapest way to get a new phone, but over the last few years we've seen some contract deals with a lot of data massively undercutting that method. Our cheapest new handset tool includes both options across most phone models to make it easier for you to compare.

If you use up your data allowance before the end of each month, it could end up costing you. You can now add a spending cap which means you won't be able to exceed this limit, so you can avoid any unexpected bills. You can do this via your network's online account or app, though if in doubt, just call it and ask.

If you'd prefer not to add a limit, make sure you're on top of your usage as some networks won't warn you about extra charges – which are often at eye-watering rates. Here are some other ways to avoid this:

• Use Wi-Fi whenever possible – but not for emails, online banking or anything that could make your personal information vulnerable to hackers when using public Wi-Fi.

• If you really need more, then consider switching to a different deal or speak to your network about upping your allowance if you'd prefer to stay put – this may cost, but it'll likely be cheaper than exceeding your limit.

Most mobile networks have terms that allow it to raise prices each year. When this happens, you can't usually leave without penalty.

From January 2025, new rules mean firms must now clearly tell you, in pounds and pence, exactly how much your bill will increase before you sign a new contract. This only applies to new contracts taken out from when the provider adopted the new rules (it varies, as some firms introduced it early).

If a provider hikes your monthly bill and its not written into the T&Cs of the contract (such as with Sky), then you can leave your contract penalty-free. All you have to do is tell your provider within 30 days of getting notification from it, and you can then leave penalty-free. That said, only do so if you can find a better price.

Our revamped Cheap Mobile Finder lists today's cheapest and now includes year-on-year rises.

Previously, most firms hiked prices in line with inflation between February and April each year, using either the Retail Prices Index (RPI) or Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure of inflation, plus a percentage on top. If you've not switched recently, it's likely you'll still be under these old rules.

Unlocking your phone means you can use any network's Sim, which gives you the freedom to switch providers.

Mobile providers are now banned from locking devices to their network. But if you purchased your phone through a network within the last few years, chances are it'll be unlocked. See our Mobile unlocking guide for full details of how to unlock it for free.

Previously, you could roam in Europe using your existing call, text and data allowances at no extra cost (known as free roaming). But post-Brexit, three of the major providers (EE, Vodafone and Three) have re-introduced roaming charges.

If you're with a provider that charges for roaming in the country you're planning on taking a trip to, don't worry, we've got a whole host of tips to help you cut costs in our Cheap mobile and data roaming and eSims guides.

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

There are a raft of companies willing to recycle your phone for cash, yet be warned – the differences in what they'll offer are huge. For help, see our Sell old mobiles guide.

These sites are all about instant prices though. If you're prepared to put in a little more effort and flog your handset on eBay, you can often beat their prices. See our full eBay selling tricks guide for more info.

If you lose your phone and realise you've it set to silent, you often despair and think it's pointless trying to ring it to locate it. Luckily, this isn't the case. There's a way to help you find it that could save you having to shell out on a new one or having to pay any insurance excess.

If you're an iPhone user, you can use the Find My iPhone service on iCloud to make it ring.

• Go to Find My iPhone.

• Log in to your iCloud account (you must have one), select the device you want to emit a sound and click 'play sound'.

• Your device will ring whether it is on silent or not.

If you've an Android phone, you can make it emit a noise with Google's Find My Device service, provided you've set up a Google account with the phone.

• Go to Find My Device.

• Log in to your Google account (you must have one) and click 'play sound' on the device you want to ring.

• Your device will ring whether it is on silent or not.