Time to crunch the numbers
So many choices.
I saw a headline today that really caught my attention: “Are You Wasting Money on Your Cell Plan?” I felt like ABC News was reading my mind.
I also identified with the article’s implications that people often don’t bother changing their plans or companies because it’s too complicated or too much hassle. Then I came across that all-too-convincing phrase, “experts say,” followed by “it’s worth it.”
Web sites that can help you
Luckily, some kind souls out there have made things a little less complicated. They’ve done the research for us! BillShrink.com is a web site dedicated to comparing wireless phone plans. On a side note, it also compares credit card plans, so check it out.
MyRatePlan.com also compares phone plans. It’s got all the major wireless carriers. It compares all different kinds of phones — Blackberries, phones with GPS connections and camera phones.
Things to consider
When getting payday loans, it’s important to only take the bare minimum of what you need. The same is true if you are looking at a new cell phone plan. Know your needs. Find out how many text messages you send and receive each month. How many pictures do you take? Do you need Internet on your phone, and how much do you use it? Think of what you absolutely need.
Time to start saving
I wonder if Mario Lopez worries about his cell phone bill.
If you find you are paying for things you don’t use, visit the web sites above to see if you can get a better plan. Likewise, you might be paying overages for using too many minutes. There are lots of plans out there with unlimited minutes. If you go back and forth between going over and under your minutes, check out the plans that have rollover minutes.
Allan Keiter, the president of MyRatePlan.com, recommends choosing a plan that allows 10 to 15 percent more minutes per month than you usually use.
Elizabeth, thanks for making and justifying the points that wireless expenses are not only often expensive, but that many people may be unaware that they’re overpaying. I did have one criticism, however, regarding your suggestion of using the BillShrink service to lower cell bills. BillShrink makes its money from commissions earned and paid out by cell phone companies for having switched consumers onto other wireless plans. How are we supposed to trust a company that works for the cell companies rather than for the customer? Additionally, BillShrink requires the login and password information for the customer’s online wireless account which is a flagrant violation of many of the cell providers’ terms of use, particularly Verizon.
In contrast, the online cell bill reduction company that I work for, Validas, offers a far more comprehensive and effective way to save through our website. Our modifications to your plan are uniquely structured around your individual usage patterns; Validas works for you rather than the cell companies. Additionally, Validas tells you exactly how much money our changes to your plan would save you before you are committed to paying a cent. Compare your projected savings to the cost of the Validas service, and then only pay if Validas can save you more than our fees cost. Our cell bill audits start at five bucks, and the average consumer saves $450 annually with our bill modifications. Check out Validas on Good Morning America at http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=6887412&page=1.
Thanks again for the article as we all try to save some extra cash to make it through the recession.
Dylan
I feel like you were reading my mind. Many people purchase things that are absolutely unnecessary. I pay for two cell phones every month. I have unlimited plans on both my phones, which is really ridiculous when I really think about it. I mainly use one phone for basically everything; appointments, meetings, long distance calls, text messaging, etc. I even have unlimited access to the web and the sad part is I never use it! I could be saving a whole lot of money if I could just get off my butt, quit procrastinating and change my wireless plan.
For people who want a decent phone plan but want to save money, getting a prepaid plan, or Go Phone, whatever they want to call it these days, is one of the best things to do. If you don’t text too much, and don’t need a plethora of long distance minutes and aren’t so susceptible to the marketing departments of Blackberry, T Mobile and Apple, you can have a cell phone for less than $50 a month.