How To Save Money On Your Mobile Plan

Looking to get your hands on the Samsung Galaxy S9? Or maybe you want to go hands-free around the house with Google Home or Amazon Echo? Whatever it is, chances are you’ll need to save a little cash to buy it.

One easy way to boost your budget is to look at how you can save on your recurring monthly expenses – specifically, your mobile phone plan. So rather than skipping your daily morning coffee or ‘meal prepping’ within an inch of your life, check out these tips to shake up your mobile costs.

Only Pay for What You Need

First, make sure that you’re getting as much from your mobile plan as possible and look at what you actually need when it comes to data and calls. Why pay for a stack of data if you spend the majority of your time on your home or work Wi-Fi?

You might be surprised at how much, or even how little, data you actually use per month. In fact, research shows 42% of Australians use just 1GB or less, and you could be one of them with a slight change of your data usage. Review your usage and decide if you can switch down to a cheaper plan with fewer inclusions.

Get Data-Savvy

Exceeding your data limit can lead to a real budget sting. If you find yourself constantly going over, there are some simple ways to address this without paying more:

  • Set up data alerts and limits within your data settings, or choose from a range of third-party apps like My Data Manager.
  • Did you know your apps might chew through data even when you’re not actively using them? You can minimise that ‘background data’ in your data settings. Wait until you’re on Wi-Fi to back-up apps and sync new messages.
  • Ask for Wi-Fi password upfront! Take advantage of free Wi-Fi next time you’re waiting for your mates at a bar or café, or when you want to upload a selfie to Instagram.
  • Prep for travel time in advance by downloading music and videos at home using your Wi-Fi network.

Switch it Up

There’s a whole world of affordable phone plans out there and it is really easy to switch. You can keep your number and be up and running in just a couple of hours. However, do your homework and spend some time researching. Your new pick should offer unlimited talk and text, international call inclusions and let you choose from a whole variety of data options, from small to mighty. And this one goes without saying – never lock yourself into a contract.

Some providers even enable you to move between plans whenever you need to. Essential when your data behaviour changes and an upgrade is required, right? Or even when you travel overseas – why should you pay for 10GB you won’t use?

BYO Phone

If you’re thinking about a new mobile, it might seem tempting to sign yourself away for 24 months. However, this means that you can’t change your mobile plan inclusions for the next two years. And who can predict the future? That’s why most people end up picking and paying for a plan with too many inclusions just to be safe.

The solution: purchase a phone outright or on finance from one of the many online stores. That way you can pick the phone you want and just add a month-to-month mobile plan that’s right for you. Well, that’s total freedom as we like it.


Maik Retzlaff is amaysim’s Commercial Director Mobile.


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