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Everybody knows what you’re thinking — cell phone bills shouldn’t be this expensive. In the United States, the average monthly cell phone bill was $170 for a family of four. With costs of other goods and services rising, many families are feeling the pinch and looking for ways to cut costs, even for a daily necessity like a cell phone. Don’t worry though. We prepared this list of helpful tips on how to lower your cell phone bill and save some money.

Best Ways To Help Lower Your Cell Phone Bill

“Why is my cell phone bill so high?”
You’re not the only person who is constantly asking this question every time you receive your monthly cell phone bill. When you look at your bill, do you see those annoying little extra charges that you have no idea where they come from? That’s the answer to your question — these extra charges often bump your cell phone bill higher than it should be.
But the good news is there are ways that you can cut down on your wireless phone bill. Take a look at these effortless, smart hacks that can help you lower your overall monthly wireless phone bill.

1. Avoid Getting Any Phone Insurance

Whether you want to know how to get a cheaper Verizon bill or how to lower your cell phone bill at AT&T, the first thing you can do is to avoid getting phone insurance or cancel it if you already have it. The average phone insurance will cost you around $11 each month, and that’s not a small expense if you add it up for a year or two.
When you buy a new phone, the warranty could last up to a year so you already have a safe place to go if your phone gets damaged. Plus, don’t forget to activate the Find My Phone tool or a similar app on your phone to make sure that you can locate your phone easily if you lose it.

2. Be on the Lookout for Group Discounts

nurse using cell phone

Credit: Unsplash


When you’re going store-to-store looking for a new phone, always ask them about the discounts they are offering to potential customers. Some salespersons might forget to tell you, but cell phone stores and carriers often have a discount in place for students, government employees, and active and retired members of the military.
For example:

@erikakullberg AT&T doesn’t want you to know about THIS hack 🤯 #lawyer #personalfinance #moneytok #savemoney ♬ original sound – Money Lawyer Erika

3. Ask Your Employer to Pitch In

You can also ask your employer if they have some sort of linkage or partnership with a phone carrier that could net you a discount as well. If you use your cellphone for work, you may also be able to convince your employer to provide a stipend or pay part of your bill.
If you do use your phone for work and your employer doesn’t compensate you, look into writing off the expense on your taxes.

4. Get on a Family Plan

family using cell phones

Credit: iStock


Encouraging your family to adopt a family cell phone plan package will not just help you lower your phone bill — the whole household will save money as well. Getting your family members to share a mobile plan with you can lower your bill by at least $20 per month.
If your family is concerned about sharing the data allowance and call minutes in the plan, there are plans that offer every member unlimited plan options so you don’t have to worry about paying for extra usage. You can also lower your data usage costs by using Wi-Fi whenever possible.

5. Choose Autopay Method and/or Paperless Billing

If you have a credit card with you, go ahead and sign up for an automatic payment method and paperless billing. Some mobile carriers like Verizon will give you a small discount when you opt for paperless billing every month or autopay. Choosing automatic payments is also less of a hassle because you’ll never forget to pay.

6. Always Check Your Background Data Usage

When you receive a prompt saying that there are apps in your phone that are still running in the background, never ever ignore it. Those apps are not just draining your phone battery, but they also eat up your data without you knowing it. Even if you have not received such a prompt, it is a good idea to go to your phone’s settings menu and turn off the automatic data download option for the apps that you don’t always use. This simple trick will help you avoid pesky data overage charges.

7. Always Use Wi-Fi Whenever You Can

wifi on phone screen

Credit: Unsplash


Not paying enough attention to how much data is being used is a common mistake people make. Going over your data limit by just a little bit can cause your bill to go through the roof. Along with regularly checking what’s left in your monthly data allotment, try to make it a habit to check if there is Wi-Fi coverage in the places you go the most like work or the gym. If you are frequently going over your data cap, switching to an unlimited data plan might actually save you money in the long run.

8. Pay For Your Phone Upfront If Possible

If you can afford to pay for your new phone outright, then please do so, as that will greatly reduce your monthly bill. Getting a contract plan with a mobile carrier will force you to pay a subsidized price every month, which increases the total of your monthly bill. When paying upfront you could qualify for a rebate or other discount as well.

9. Switch Carriers

If you’ve tried everything and still feel unsatisfied with how much you are paying for your monthly cell plan, the last resort is to switch wireless carriers. Shop around to see what types of plans are available, what is included and how much they cost. Most of the time, mobile carriers will have incredible deals for new customers to lure them in, including free phones or big discounts on the latest phones. Just make sure you do your research and go with a reputable carrier with good coverage in your area, so you aren’t stuck in a contract with a bad company.

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