Money Saving Tips #04
2
#04 Mobile Contracts Money Saving Tips Finding and comparing mobile contracts can be a bit of a headache; and with the average mobile phone user spending £439 per year on their phone, I doubt they are looking in the right places. I have listed some top tips when searching for a mobile contract, and also a top tip to save around 50% on mobile contracts. 04.1 Usage: Assess your current usage of your mobile by looking at your most up to date bill or your spend on your pay as you go phone. Then make sure your get a contract that is most tailored to you. It is often worse to overspend on a contract, as you will pay full price for minutes, texts and data, and it is harder to keep track of what you are spending than it is on a pay as you go sim. Although don’t do the opposite and get a contract far to large for your usage, unless special offers make it a cheaper alternative. Try to predict you future usage too. Do you plan to get rid of your landline for instance? Changing your contract midway through can often be costly. 04.2 The Phone: Look at manufacturer websites, online stores, high street stores and re- view websites, such as cnet.co.uk, to compare phones and their features. Try to be realistic about things that you need from your mobile, and don’t just go for the one that impresses you the most. 04.3 High Street: Do not just walk into a high street store and buy the first phone that the sale assistant can sell you. Even if the contract seems to fit your needs, it is unlikely to be the cheapest in the first place you look. Look in different stores and online. 04.4 Free Gifts: They’re not free, you are paying for them; so don’t get a contract with a free PS3 if you have no intention of using it. Look at the value and resale price of the free gift online, for example on ebay.co.uk. Even after you manage to sell the gift, the contract is likely to work out more expensive than a comparable one without. 04.5 Cashback: Online you will often see deals like “10 months FREE.” It is not quite as simple as it seems; it works through cashback. Here’s a quick guide... 1. You pay the full monthly amount every month. 2. On given months (eg. months 6, 9, 12 and 15) you will have to send a copy of your bill to the retailer you purchased the contract through. You will have a time limit to send the bill (eg. within 60 days of you receiving the bill). 3. Within a few weeks the retailer will send you a cheque for a percentage of the total value of the cashback. Having successfully dealt with mobiles.co.uk cashback scheme a number of times, I would personally recommend them. WARNINGS: Always read the T&Cs of the retailer regarding the cashback and make sure your follow them exactly to ensure you are eligible for the full cashback. For mobiles.co.uk cashback T&Cs go to mobiles.co.uk/cashback.html 04.6 Reputable Cashback websites: Having searched internet forums for reviews of cashback schemes, the majority of reviews are negative; but I wouldn’t let this put you off, as this could be down to a lack of people bothering to post good reviews on forums. In the end, I opted for mobiles.co.uk, as they are part of the Carphone Warehouse (a large high street and online mobile store), and it seemed the safest option. They have been established for 15 years and have a good reputation, and I have personally received all cashback cheques so far.
description
Mobile Contracts
Transcript of Money Saving Tips #04
#04 Mobile Contracts
Money Saving Tips
Finding and comparing mobile contracts can be a bit of a headache; and with the average mobile phone user spending £439 per year on their phone, I doubt they are looking in the right places. I have listed some top tips when searching for a mobile contract, and also a top
tip to save around 50% on mobile contracts.
04.1 Usage: Assess your current usage of your mobile by looking at your most up to date bill or your spend on your pay as you go phone. Then make sure your get a contract that is most tailored to you. It is often worse to overspend on a contract, as you will pay full price
for minutes, texts and data, and it is harder to keep track of what you are spending than it is on a pay as you go sim. Although don’t do the opposite and get a contract far to large for your usage, unless special offers make it a cheaper alternative.
Try to predict you future usage too. Do you plan to get rid of your landline for instance? Changing your contract midway through can often be costly.
04.2 The Phone: Look at manufacturer websites, online stores, high street stores and re-view websites, such as cnet.co.uk, to compare phones and their features. Try to be realistic about things that you need from your mobile, and don’t just go for the one that impresses
you the most.
04.3 High Street: Do not just walk into a high street store and buy the first phone that the sale assistant can sell you. Even if the contract seems to fit your needs, it is unlikely to be the cheapest in the first place you look. Look in different stores and online.
04.4 Free Gifts: They’re not free, you are paying for them; so don’t get a contract with a free PS3 if you have no intention of using it. Look at the value and resale price of the free gift online, for example on ebay.co.uk. Even after you manage to sell the gift, the contract is likely to work out more expensive than a comparable one without.
04.5 Cashback: Online you will often see deals like “10 months FREE.” It is not quite as simple as it seems; it works through cashback. Here’s a quick guide... 1. You pay the full monthly amount every month. 2. On given months (eg. months 6, 9, 12 and 15) you will have to send a copy of your bill to
the retailer you purchased the contract through. You will have a time limit to send the bill (eg. within 60 days of you receiving the bill). 3. Within a few weeks the retailer will send you a cheque for a percentage of the total value of the cashback.
Having successfully dealt with mobiles.co.uk cashback scheme a number of times, I would personally recommend them.
WARNINGS: Always read the T&Cs of the retailer regarding the cashback and make sure your follow them exactly to ensure you are eligible for the full cashback. For mobiles.co.uk
cashback T&Cs go to mobiles.co.uk/cashback.html
04.6 Reputable Cashback websites: Having searched internet forums for reviews of cashback schemes, the majority of reviews are negative; but I wouldn’t let this put you off, as this could be down to a lack of people bothering to post good reviews on forums. In the
end, I opted for mobiles.co.uk, as they are part of the Carphone Warehouse (a large high street and online mobile store), and it seemed the safest option. They have been established for 15 years and have a good reputation, and I have personally received all cashback cheques so far.
Below is an example of a genuine contract phone for sale in Carphone Warehouse and on mobiles.co.uk, and with the cashback offer (14 months FREE), you can save around £15 per month. Alternatively with Auto Cashback, you can save around £6 per month, as you receive
the full £140 at the start of the contract (ie. you don’t have to send them multiple bills to claim the cashback).
Make a note of when you need to send copies of your bills for cashback claims on your calendar to make sure you claim in time.
GENERAL WARNING: You must keep on top of you cashback claims and send your bills off in plenty of time. I would recommend emailing them; mobiles.co.uk has an online form to
send your bills quickly and easily. Make sure you keep a note of you order number for submitting your bills, as it is required for processing you claim.
04.7 FREE £10 amazon gift certificate: To claim your free gift certificate simply follow
these steps:
1. Enter the web address above into the address bar in you internet
browser. It will take you to the mobiles.co.uk website. The address will we replaced by the mobiles.co.uk default address. Don’t worry that’s correct; just make sure you don’t leave the browser before completing your order.
2. Find the PAY MONTHLY mobile that is right for you and select any free gift that you wish (although I recommend the free contract period via cashback). 3. Complete your order and make a note of your order number. 4. Send:
Your Full Name (as appearing on your order) Your Order Number The Email Address that you wish your amazon voucher to be sent to to [email protected] T&Cs: The offer is only available to new mobiles.co.uk customers and for contract mobile
phones only. The above address must be used to claim the offer. Offer is subject to the phone not being returned or disconnected before the 14 day money back guarantee. The claim email must be sent within 30 days of your order. The voucher is sent in the form of an email within 60 days of receiving your claim email. The offer can be removed at any time.
NEXT TIME... #05 Online Shopping
Information correct as of August 2011
Blackberry Curve 3G 9300 on Orange Dolphin 25 (24 month contract)
(300 mins, Unlimited Texts*, 500mb Internet, Push Email)
Retailer Deal Final Total Monthly†
Carphone Warehouse
Standard Contract
£600
£25
Cashback deal: 14 months FREE
£250
Mobiles.co.uk
£10.42
Auto Cashback deal: £140 Auto Cashback
£460
£19.17
*Subject to fair use policy. †Final Total divided by contract term.
