How do you select what is best for you in the jungle of prepaid mobile plans and offers? Read this guide - regardless of where you live in the world, it will help you to choose the plan that will make you spend less.
To start, bear in mind that not all prepaid mobile plans are created equal. There are usually big differences, mostly based on the kind of use that you are expecting to put your phone through, e.g. heavy texting versus calling a few numbers regularly, et cetera.
As for the handset, you will not get a subsidised one as offered with lock-in contracts by opting for a prepaid mobile. But even if you get an expensive mobile phone the cost savings will make themselves felt in the long term, as prepaid mobile plans are usually cheaper. But remember that you will have to pay the full price of the handset right away.
With prepaid mobiles, you need to top up your credit regularly. Generally speaking, the higher the top-up, the more benefits it will bring and the cheaper will your calls be in the end. Always prefer few but sizeable top-ups to a lot of small ones, if you can.
That said, bear in mind that prepaid mobile credit expires. You need to know when your credit expires, and if it's about to do so you can take advantage of a feature called rollover. This means that if you add some credit, the old credit's expiration date will become the same as for the new credit.
Another great alternative is off peak rates, meaning that your prepaid mobile calls will cost less during the weekend and in the evening. As a result, you will spend less if you mostly use your phone during those hours and not during office hours, when most people (whether workers, students or homemakers) are usually near a fixed phone anyway.
If you call abroad a lot, you may check if your prepaid mobile operator has a cheap international call option. But usually international calls are expensive from prepaid mobiles. We suggest getting a call card with a dedicated number from a specialized vendor, and calling the dial-in number from your mobile. You will save money that way.
There are several other points that you may want to check out in the fine print, depending on your usage pattern, such as internet connection price of voicemail calls, or cost of prepaid mobile content such as ringtones and music videos.
Remember than the most important part of spending less on your mobile phone bill is to compare the prepaid mobile offers of all operators in your area. This is the foundation of correct prepaid mobile tariff selection. - 16036
To start, bear in mind that not all prepaid mobile plans are created equal. There are usually big differences, mostly based on the kind of use that you are expecting to put your phone through, e.g. heavy texting versus calling a few numbers regularly, et cetera.
As for the handset, you will not get a subsidised one as offered with lock-in contracts by opting for a prepaid mobile. But even if you get an expensive mobile phone the cost savings will make themselves felt in the long term, as prepaid mobile plans are usually cheaper. But remember that you will have to pay the full price of the handset right away.
With prepaid mobiles, you need to top up your credit regularly. Generally speaking, the higher the top-up, the more benefits it will bring and the cheaper will your calls be in the end. Always prefer few but sizeable top-ups to a lot of small ones, if you can.
That said, bear in mind that prepaid mobile credit expires. You need to know when your credit expires, and if it's about to do so you can take advantage of a feature called rollover. This means that if you add some credit, the old credit's expiration date will become the same as for the new credit.
Another great alternative is off peak rates, meaning that your prepaid mobile calls will cost less during the weekend and in the evening. As a result, you will spend less if you mostly use your phone during those hours and not during office hours, when most people (whether workers, students or homemakers) are usually near a fixed phone anyway.
If you call abroad a lot, you may check if your prepaid mobile operator has a cheap international call option. But usually international calls are expensive from prepaid mobiles. We suggest getting a call card with a dedicated number from a specialized vendor, and calling the dial-in number from your mobile. You will save money that way.
There are several other points that you may want to check out in the fine print, depending on your usage pattern, such as internet connection price of voicemail calls, or cost of prepaid mobile content such as ringtones and music videos.
Remember than the most important part of spending less on your mobile phone bill is to compare the prepaid mobile offers of all operators in your area. This is the foundation of correct prepaid mobile tariff selection. - 16036
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