How To Manage Your Phone Bill Better
Owning a phone is considered a necessity today. After all, it’s a great tool to connect with loved ones, to coordinate at work, or to get on other important communications. However, owning one also means additional expense on your monthly budget. While some of us would skip the the in-depth analyzation and would rather just instantly pay the bill, it’s always important to make an effort to save on your monthly phone bills by knowing how to manage it better. Here are some ways how.
Understand Your Plan
Before getting yourself a plan, make sure you understand not only its terms and conditions but also its entire coverage. Does your plan include unlimited data? How much does it cost to make overseas calls? Do you get any freebies at the end of each month? First of all, know the inclusion of your plan. Most importantly, be aware of how much each service costs per minute. This is how you can monitor if you are actually being charged correctly for the calls and text messages you’ve made.
Keep Track of Your Minutes
Once you have understood your plan’s rates and charges, you now need to manage your consumption. You can try looking at your previous bills to know how many minutes you consume, or if you still have minutes left over at the end of each month, or if you have been over the allocated call limit. This way, you can create your own game plan on how you can manage your usage better next time.
Utilize Data Plan and Wifi Services
If you find yourself surfing the internet and sending emails too many times in one day, then adding a good data to your existing plan can be perfect for you. This means you won’t have to incur outrageous per-use charges. Consider getting one by thinking if you really need it and if so, utilize it well. If acquiring a data plan doesn’t sound so practical for you, you can always make use of free wifi services in a coffee shop, at the mall, or almost everywhere. Make use of it to avoid being charged with your online surfing.
Choose The Right Plan For Your Family
You can avail of a family share plan. There various plans that you can choose from, depending on the needs of your family members. There are even those that cover up to ten different devices. You can also pick a special plan for a specific family member. For instance, you can get your elderly mother a cell phone for seniors that already includes a consumable call and text services that fit her needs, especially during emergencies.
Set Necessary Arrangements Before Going Abroad
One of the most common mistakes we commit when traveling is failing to set an international plan for our phone. We know too well that phone rates vary from country to country. So before hopping on a plane, make sure you have made all necessary arrangements to still be able to use your phone overseas without being charged unreasonably.
Talk to Your Representative
The best way to understand your bill is to talk to a trained person who can help you with it. Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone if there are sections in you bill that you do not understand or you are not very certain with. Your customer representative will explain to you why such charges are showing up and talking to them will give you a chance to discuss why those shouldn’t be there. Likewise, they can give more tips on how you can manage your bill better in the future, in a way that is fitting with their provided services.
Author Bio
Amanda Smith is a blogger based in San Diego, California. She loves writing about technology and gadgets, travel and arts, health and wellness, and just about anything that tickles her fancy. When she’s not writing, she’s busy catching up on her favorite sitcoms with her yellow Labrador, Chandler Tribbiani. You can catch more of her works at her gang’s hangout, wordbaristas.com.
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Category: Family Finances, Phone, Saving Money
