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StitcherYou have a new message from the Frugal Friends! A new month has come by, and so do the dreaded monthly bills. The phone bill is one of the monthly bills some may consider fixed expenses. However, there are no expenses that you cannot lower if you get creative. Join us as we explore the answers to the hundred questions about the seemingly increasing phone fees every year and how we can save on our phone plan.
The price of the phone plans are lowering, but it’s the price of the fees that is increasing.
Sponsors:
- Pagers. Wear them on your belt, attach them to your fanny pack, or even style them on a necklace. You never need to be out of reach from your friends and family and with the ease of a pager, you can be sure to know (through the sound of a beep) if someone is trying to get ahold of you. But no worries, there’s no need to respond right then and there. You can wait until you get to the nearest landline and dial back your loved one to learn what they need. Speaking of helpful tools and modern products that are doing the work for you, high-yield savings accounts like one at CIT is offering 4.6% APY. Wowza. If you want to be up on the trends and save money like a boss for the next big gadget on the market (I mean who knows what they’ll come up with next). Put your money in a high-yield savings account by going to frugalfriendspodcast.com/CIT.
Check out some relevant episodes
How Much Are Americans Spending on Their Phone Plans?
This article by Whistle Out gives helpful statistics to help us measure our plans.
What Jen + Jill have to say:
In Whistle Out’s 2022 survey on how much Americans are spending on their phone plans, it was revealed that only 30% were paying for a single line, supporting the claim that about 62% are paying over a hundred dollars a month for their plan. You do not need to pay over a hundred dollars a month for a single-line plan. According to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2013 and 2020, phone rates increased steadily, with an average year-over-year increase of 4.7%. The current average phone plan costs $114/year or $1,371/year. Jen advises listing the expiration dates of subscription contacts so that you can go a month beforehand to see what else is out there.
Why Is My Cell Phone Bill So High?
MoneyLion dissects why our cell phone bill is high in this article.
What Jen + Jill have to say:
The price of the plan is lowering, but it’s the price of the fees that are increasing. Hence, every year it gets more expensive as a whole. Companies often advertise unlimited data, but Jill reminds you to think twice! Some of them can be sneaky because they still have limits, even if it’s unlimited. Some may cap your data and charge you extra for using more. When taxes rise, our service providers pass that buck onto us as consumers, increasing our cell phone bill rate. That’s why check your billing statements and review them at least once a year. Research these fees and learn about every fee and surcharge on your phone plan.
10 Ways to Save On Your Cell Phone Plan
Getting creative to make your cell phone bill down is what this Kiplinger article aids us with.
What Jen + Jill have to say:
You can try out different carriers as a means of saving money. Switching carriers can provide opportunities to take advantage of better deals and promotions without compromising quality. Instead of enduring lengthy negotiations, Jen suggests directly asking the current carrier for a better deal, which can yield significant savings. Decluttering and managing storage can help users avoid paying for additional storage space, and committing to a phone for a longer period, such as three to five years, can also contribute to financial savings.
Joining or adding family members to a family plan can significantly reduce expenses. Considering Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) such as Mint Mobile, Ting, Tello, and Visible is another option, as they offer coverage through major carriers at lower prices. Jill suggests skipping insurance plans, especially if credit card companies already provide coverage.
How do you keep your phone usage under control?
Jen couldn’t control her phone usage, so hiding her phone in the car (putting it in the glove compartment, middle console) when driving to not leak data helps (and drinking water instead when going to places which reminds her to use it only when there’s Wi-Fi.)
Unlike Jen, Jill does not feel addicted to her phone and only limits her scrolling when she’s in the bathroom (sending reels to Jen).
Bill of The Week
Thank you Kim for sharing your bill about canceling the subscriptions you don’t need anymore! Saving $60/month!
Thanks so Much for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening! Many of you know we have a private community where we do monthly money challenges and offer accountability groups. We want to congratulate one of our members for a big win:
Amazon impulse spending improvement 🙌
I've been buckling down in my Amazon purchases and last month only made 3 purchases(…..) I won't tell you how much (and how often) I used to spend on Amazon, but this is leaps and bounds better! I feel like I am making more deliberate and intentional purchases. Win! 🙌
Congrats! Thanks for listening and if you want to check out our monthly challenge community head to frugalfriendspodcast.com/club to see what challenge we have coming up next.
Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to reviews@frugalfriendspodcast.com. And don’t forget to share your favorite quote from the episode by using the hashtag #FrugalFriendsNote. 😉
