Cheap Mobile Tips
Best way to buy a mobile phone, your rights & more
Millions of people overpay on their mobiles, yet it's simple to ditch pricey plans. So if you're out of contract, check now if you can cut the cost – many can save £100s a year.
In this guide
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Whether your phone's rarely out of your hand or you only use it for the odd call, the chances are you're massively overpaying for the minutes, texts and data that you use – especially if you haven't switched in a while. Here's our top tips for cutting sizeable chunks from your mobile bill.
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Switching to a cheaper deal with another network is easier than ever, as you no longer have to call your current provider to ditch it, so you avoid the hard sell of them trying to make you stay. Here's what to do:
- Request a switching code by text. Simply text 'PAC' for free to 65075 on any network and you'll be sent your 'porting authorisation code' (PAC) immediately via text so you can keep your number. To get a new number, text 'STAC' to 75075.
Its text must include important info such as any exit penalties, outstanding handset costs or credit balances.
- You need to give the switching code to your new provider within 30 days. You'll then be switched within one working day. You won't need to contact your old provider again.
What's more, if you're out of your minimum contract period, mobile providers are now banned from charging you for the remainder of your notice period after you've switched (which is typically 30 days), putting an end to paying for your old and new contract at the same time.
If you're still in contract, you could be charged early termination fees for leaving – check how much you'd be charged by sending a text with the word 'INFO' to 85075.
- Request a switching code by text. Simply text 'PAC' for free to 65075 on any network and you'll be sent your 'porting authorisation code' (PAC) immediately via text so you can keep your number. To get a new number, text 'STAC' to 75075.
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Don't be sold on overly generous allowances that you'll never use. Do you really need unlimited minutes or 10GB of data? Most don't use anywhere near that, with new stats from regulator Ofcom showing 60% of people use under 1GB/mth – so check your actual past usage with an online tool.
If you want to check your usage, Billmonitor* is currently the only tool that is accredited by Ofcom that'll do this for you. It will analyse your bills from the last three months to determine your average usage and suggest deals based on this. It works for customers of EE, O2, Tesco Mobile, Three and Vodafone.
CompareMyMobile* and HandsetExpert are also useful for when you're ready to locate the best deal.
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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. However, be careful not to use public Wi-Fi for online banking, accessing email or anything that could make your personal information vulnerable to hackers. For more tips on staying safe online, visit Action Fraud.
There are Wi-Fi hotspots dotted all over the UK (and abroad), most of which are free. Countless places now offer it for free as standard, including large chains such as McDonald's, Starbucks and Wetherspoons.
Find out more about free Wi-Fi hotspots and how to save on mobile data costs in the Mobile Broadband guide.
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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.
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If you don't want to switch, and are near or past your contract's end, you're wielding a powerful weapon... your loyalty. When approaching the end of your contract, make sure you demand the very best deal possible – not just of your network, but of any out there.
The mobile world's a mature market. Everyone has a handset, so networks fight hard to win custom from elsewhere AND keep their own. If your provider won't give you a good enough deal, let it know. The aim's to get through to 'customer disconnections', which internally is often called 'retentions' as its job is to keep you.
A whopping nine million people are out of contract and free to switch, so check now. See full help and tips to do this successfully in our Mobile Phone Haggling guide.
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You can get an idea of signal strength in a particular area with Ofcom's Telecoms Coverage Checker.
This'll show you results for one of the four main networks – EE, O2, Three and Vodafone – but 'piggyback' networks use their signal and generally offer far better value, so don't think your options are limited to one of the biggies. See a full list of which provider is on which network in our Mobile Piggybacking guide.
For a more accurate indication than Ofcom's checker can give you, it may be worth picking up a free pay-as-you-go Sim from the network you're considering, topping it up with a bit of credit and putting it to the test before committing.
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Unlock your phone for free. Unlocking your phone means you can use any network's Sim, which gives you the freedom to switch providers.
Some handsets are unlocked when you buy them, usually if you purchase them directly from the manufacturer (as with iPhones, for example). But if you got your handset from a network it will often be 'locked' to that specific provider. See our Mobile Unlocking guide for full details of how to unlock it for free.
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Head outside the EU and your mobile provider may hike prices massively, and even charge for receiving calls as well. Yet you can cut the cost substantially by using networks' hidden deals or by getting a specialist Sim card to use overseas.
Get more info on the cost of using your phone abroad and the various specialist Sims available in the Cheap Mobile and Data Roaming guide.
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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're happy with your handset, most don't need to pay any more than £10/mth. That's because you can get a decent amount of minutes, texts and data for under £10/mth, simply by swapping out the Sim in the back of your phone for one with a better deal.
Plus if you're out of contract and still paying for a handset each month, then you're effectively paying for it TWICE – so stop immediately. Don't just settle for the same plan, provider and price each year. Mobile tariff costs are coming down, so if anything you should be paying less each year, not more. Here's how to do it:
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There are two types of Sim only deals – 30-day rolling contracts which you're free to leave with a month's notice, or fixed-term contracts, usually locking you in for 12 months (often, though not always, better value).
These are great value if you already have a handset or can afford to buy a new handset upfront, and work out better for heavy data users. For tips on finding the best deal and our top picks, see our Sim only guide.
2. Choose a pay-as-you-go deal for no credit check or ties and to never go over your allowance
If you pay for your mobile via pay-as-you-go, you won't be tied into any contract – simply pay in advance for what you use via top-ups, online or on the phone. Pay-as-you-go packs, however, auto-renew.
Pay-as-you-go doesn't require any credit check, but is generally more expensive for medium or heavy users – see our Best Pay-as-you-go Sim Deals guide for more info and hot deals.
Buying a new handset is never MoneySaving – especially the high-end flagship models from the likes of Apple and Samsung – but if you're determined to get one anyway, buying it in the right way could save you £100s compared with the cost of a standard contract.
1. Buying it outright and getting a cheap Sim is often cheapest
Straightforward – buy the handset at the cheapest price you can find, and pair it with a cheap Sim only deal.
This is often much cheaper over two years than getting a contract with a network, plus you can choose whichever network and Sim only plan suits you best. You can also avoid a credit check if you opt for a pay-as-you-go deal.
Also consider refurbished models as these can be a lot cheaper. They won't usually come with the original packaging and may not include all the accessories, but will have been tested and will often come with a warranty – for more info see our Buying a refurbished mobile guide.
If you want a snazzy phone but can't afford to buy the handset upfront, you're best off saving up. But if you really can't wait, then instead of paying mobile providers' inflated prices, you could opt for a way to buy it now, but pay no interest.
Looking for a new Apple iPhone 11, 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max?
iPhone Payments is Apple's interest-free financing scheme – it's available for the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max when buying from one of Apple's stores.
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iPhone Payments is Apple's interest-free financing scheme, available for the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. This allows you to buy the phone for Apple's standard price, but pay only a small amount upfront and then the rest in 20 monthly instalments.
Be careful not to get caught out though. Apple offers another plan – its iPhone Upgrade Programme – which gives you the option to swap handsets and includes AppleCare, its extended warranty and technical support service, but this scheme can usually be beaten by other methods. See our full analysis of the iPhone Upgrade Programme (the examples are old, but the same principles apply).
You'll be credit-checked and will need to be accepted for what's technically an interest-free loan. Once you've got the phone, you'll then need to find a separate cheap Sim only deal.
Looking for a different model or can't get to an Apple Store?
Buying your phone on a 0% spending credit card is another way to spread the cost and you can then pair it with a cheap Sim-only deal. Once you've bought your phone, stash the credit card in a bowl of water in the freezer so you won't be tempted to use it again.
For many, the only way they've ever got a new phone is via a two-year contract with a network that bundles the cost of the handset in with a monthly fee for airtime – usually at a hefty markup. This can often be the most expensive way to buy a phone, though there are ways to cut the cost.
Reseller sites such as Mobiles.co.uk* (owned by Carphone Warehouse) and MobilePhonesDirect are almost always cheaper than going direct to the network – and can sometimes undercut buying upfront. The contract is still with the main network, so you get the same service, just via a cheaper source. Find our top-pick deals and other tips in our Cheap iPhone and Cheap Samsung guides.
Things to watch out for
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No matter how much storage space your mobile phone's got, it'll eventually fill up with photos, videos, apps and more, severely limiting what you're able to do with it. The natural response to this is to pay out for memory cards or online storage, or even upgrade to a new phone with more space – and a significantly bigger price tag.
However, it's highly likely you'd be splashing your cash unnecessarily, as there's a variety of very simple things you can do on Android and iOS devices to save anything from a few MB to bundles of GBs without spending a penny.
Some of these may seem obvious, such as moving photos and videos online, but did you know you can get unlimited FREE online storage, via the Google Photos app? Spring cleaning your remaining apps could also save you GBs, as could hunting down and deleting hidden downloads.
For step-by-step instructions, see our How to increase phone storage guide.
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As your mobile phone contract comes to the end of its minimum term, you're often hounded by your provider, which will try every trick in the book to get you to upgrade to a new handset – and lock in to a new tariff to pay for it.
It's easy to be lured by the promise of a 'great deal', free of the 'hassle' involved in finding a new contract and switching network. The sad fact is though that for most, you'll be paying over the odds if you fall into this trap. Instead, you're better off seeing what else is out there.
That's not to say you can't get a competitive offer out of your current network though, particularly if you're happy to stick with your existing handset. Swot up on the best rival deals out there using a comparison site and then get haggling.
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If you sign up for a contract, you're essentially committing to a phone company (and often a handset too) for the length of the contract.
This means you must think carefully about your budget and if you can afford the ongoing monthly payments. The amount of time varies between deals – a few last 12 months, but most high-end smartphone contracts now span 24 months, with some networks even trying to tie people in for 36 months.
Before you sign up to a contract, make sure you're happy to be locked in for the minimum term. If you want to leave early, it's likely you'll have to pay termination fees which cover the cost of the contract.
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