Here’s How to Stop Paying For Data You Don’t Use

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Couple using cellphones
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This post comes from partner site WhistleOut.com.

These days everything is online. Our entertainment is online, we access our bank accounts via the internet, we message and call each other via the internet. Since we rely so heavily on having a reliable internet connection, it’s only natural that we all want unlimited data at our fingertips — that is, on our cellphones. The question is, do you really need unlimited data? Do you even know how much data you need?

If you utilize Wi-Fi while you’re at home and at work, you may be surprised how little mobile data you’re actually using. If you find you’re using under 10GB of data per month, or even under 5GB a month, then you could save yourself hundreds of dollars in cellphone bills.

2GB plans for $15/month

If you really don’t need much mobile data, whether you’re always on Wi-Fi or you’re just not a big streamer, then check out these cellphone plans with 2GB of data. Go with this plan instead of an unlimited data plan — they start around $50/month — and you could save yourself over $400 a year.

5GB plans from $20/month

If 2GB of data isn’t enough, then for a little bit more, you can get an additional 3GB of data per month (total of 5GB). Most 5GB data plans cost around $30/month, which is still a lot cheaper than an unlimited data plan.

10GB plans from $30/month

Even if you need more than 5GB of data, you can still save by opting for a limited data plan instead of an unlimited data plan. Smaller carriers like Mint Mobile and Twigby offer very affordable cellphone plans with 10GB of data (or more) when you pay for a few months in advance.

When is unlimited worth it?

If you’re one of the people who use a lot of mobile data, whether you are streaming YouTube while you’re at the gym, going live on Instagram or playing Fortnite on your cellphone, then an unlimited data plan will totally be worth it.

Once you need more than 10GB of data per month, you’ll find that the cost of plans start averaging around the $50/month mark. In that price range, you can switch to an unlimited data plan.

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