This post comes from partner site WhistleOut.com.
If you have been searching for a mobile plan that will significantly reduce your monthly cellphone bill, this article is for you. In this guide, you will find our top five tips that could help you save on your monthly cellphone bill starting today.
But first, here’s some news for people facing financial hard times due to the COVID-19 pandemic: The four top carriers — AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile — have signed a Keep Americans Connected Pledge that will remain in effect until around May 13.
What that means:
- Mobile service will not be terminated due to an individual’s ability to pay.
- All late fees will be waived.
- Public hot spots will be made available to any American who needs them.
For more details on provisions that individual carriers have each made in response to the health crisis, click here.
Tip No. 1: Switch to an MVNO
Tello Smart Plan: $19 per month
Switching to an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) can save you hundreds of dollars each year. An MVNO runs off the network of one of the major cellphone carriers, so if you are curious whether an MVNO can provide you with adequate coverage, just look at the network operator’s coverage map to find out. For example, since Tello operates off of Sprint’s network, you should check out Sprint’s coverage map.
Plan details: Tello’s Smart Plan is just $19 per month, and it offers unlimited talk and text to the U.S., Canada, Mexico and China. You will also get 4GB of high-speed data in each billing cycle. And when you run out of data, it won’t stop; it’ll just slow down to 2G speeds. Tello won’t charge you data overages, but you can pay for more high-speed data if you want more after you run out.
Tip No. 2: Buy in bulk
Mint Mobile 12GB per month plan: $300 per year
Mint Mobile’s 12GB per month plan is just $25 per month if you sign up for the carrier’s 12-month package. Since the package is charged in advance ($300 per year), it’s a good idea to take advantage of Mint’s three-month introductory package first — as it extends the $25 per month pricing to first-time customers. When your first three months are up, you can easily switch to the 12-month package to keep the $25 per month pricing. Otherwise, the price will increase to $45 per month if you stay on the three-month package.
Plan Details: You will get 12GB of high-speed data each month for the duration of your package. With that, you will also get unlimited talk and text to the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Mint Mobile is an MVNO on T-Mobile’s robust network. Click here to check T-Mobile’s coverage map to make sure you’ll get service in your area.
Mint’s COVID-19 Response: Through April 14, new and existing Mint customers will get free unlimited high-speed data if they run out.
Tip No. 3: Switch to a family plan
Visible family plan: $25 per line, per month
You can get an even bigger discount from your mobile company if you switch to a family plan. The idea is simple: The more lines you add to your account, the less you will pay for each line. Visible is one such carrier that nearly cuts its per-line price in half, from $40 per month to $25 per month, when you have four lines on a single account. Visible operates on Verizon’s robust network. You can check out Verizon’s coverage map here.
Plan details: Visible will give you unlimited talk, text and high-speed data for each of the four lines on your family plan. The four-line cost is $100 per month, with all taxes and fees included. Best of all, each person on this plan will take care of their own monthly bill via Visible’s Party Pay, so no one is stuck paying for the entire group’s plan each month.
Tip No. 4: Get a discount
Verizon Start Unlimited Plan for First Responders: $60 per month
If you are a first responder — thank you — Verizon has a plan tailor made for you.
Plan Details: Verizon’s Start Unlimited Plan with the first responder’s discount is just $60 month. With it, you will get unlimited high-speed data, as well as unlimited talk and text to/from the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Verizon will also throw in a year of free Disney Plus and six months of free Apple Music. Other groups that are often able to get discounts are seniors and former and current members of the military.
Verizon’s COVID-19 Response: In addition to the Keep Americans Connected Pledge, Verizon will give its customers free international calling to countries identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as “Warning Level 3” for COVID-19 impact. Free international calling to Iran, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia will be limited to 300 minutes of free calls each month. This pledge will be in place until April 30.
Tip No. 5: Compare
Use WhistleOut comparison engine via Money Talks News
The best way to save a ton of money on your next mobile plan is to use a search engine. On your own, you can spend days comparing plan features and pricing, but with just a few clicks, this tool will let you specify the type of plan you’re looking for and compare prices. The service is free — and it can save you hundreds of dollars each year on your mobile bill.
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