BudgetBuddie

Phones, what would we do without them?

Today, phones are an extension of our physical selves. They hold almost all the information about us and act as a computer in our pockets.

That comes at a price, though; a phone is often useless if it isn’t connected to a plan. A plan that we pay on a monthly basis to be able to communicate with the world. If we don’t have a plan, well, you’ll be pretty limited as to what you can do with your phone.

You could take a photo, use your calculator, or maybe even play doodle jump. 😉

Mobile plans are a vital part of staying connected, so it's important that we get the most out of the plan to make sure we’re not breaking the bank.

This week's blog will run through all the tips and tricks on how you could be saving on your mobile phone plan, along with comparisons between providers.

Happy reading.

Tips and tricks:

Review your usage per month:

Even though it sounds simple, this can have a major impact on how much you’re paying when it comes to what plan you’re on.

Review your usage per month to see if you’re well under your text, call, and data usage limits. If you are, then the time might have come when you need to downgrade to a cheaper plan. Remember, if you’re in a city or populated area, you don’t need that 50GB of data per month when there are so many free wifi providers in the main areas.

Look at prepaid plans:

Prepaid plans are often cheaper than monthly billed plans, and they often have different levels of usage included in them that might be more catered to you compared to other plans.

Check with your current provider to see if they have an equivalent prepaid plan to the one you’re on now.

Don’t put a mobile phone on a payment plan; buy it upfront.

It’s easy to see monthly payment plans as appealing when you want to buy a new phone; they’re interest-free and can often be paid off over 36 months. How good, you might say!

Remember, when you’re doing this, you’re borrowing money from your future self to pay for something today. This restricts your cash flow per month and reduces the money you might have left over to do things you enjoy.

Even though these payment plans are interest-free, they often come with a locked-in plan that has a lot more text, calls, and data than you might need. It’s often just easier and better to buy the mobile up front or choose to purchase a pre-owned one secondhand that has everything you need at almost half the price.

Consider a family plan:

If you have a family, or even if it's just you and your partner, you could be saving on your plan with a group plan.

Most plan providers offer discounts if you bundle plans together with others; discounts can range between 5 and 35% per person per plan. It doesn’t even have to be family or your partner; you could bundle plans together with some friends, and you could all make savings.

Comparing providers and plans

One of the main ways to make sure you’re getting the most out of your plan without spending a fortune is to compare what you’re using now with what you could be using to save more and get the same service or even better.

Below, we compare the top 3 best prepaid plans across 10 different plan providers in New Zealand.

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Under 2GB data:

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2GB - 5GB data:

5GB - 15GB data:

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Unlimited data plans:

Links to the phone plan providers:

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Final words

Thanks for reading, if you have any feedback or questions on what you've seen so far, feel free to get in touch using our contact form or alternatively give us a bell at hello@budgetbuddie.co.nz

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Disclaimer

This blog or any other information provided by BudgetBuddie is not financial advice. If you're needing financial advice please get in touch with a licensed financial advisor or professional.

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