The days of the humble pen and paper are long gone, so, whether you’ve got a case of the ‘crackberry’ or regularly indulge in text-a-thons a phone bill is inevitable! We’ve got the expert advice on how to avoid bill shock especially with the end of financial year just around the corner.
by Anna McDougall, the Money Maven
It’s estimated that bill shock cost Aussies more than $557 million last year. At an individual level, that’s the same as coughing up cash for an extra month each calendar year.
If all that phone plan mumbo-jumbo is enough to make your head spin amaysim, Australia’s first low cost mobile provider keeps things simple for us. Founder and CEO, Rolf Hansen, believes mobile phone bills are one of the easiest places to making savings, you just need to know where to start.
“The average Aussie can’t prevent hikes to gas and electricity prices, but what they can take charge of, is their mobile phone bill, and there are always savings to be made.
“The end of financial year is the perfect opportunity for budget conscious Aussies to re-evaluate their phone bill and turn their finances around,” said Hansen.
We suggest look into internet phone services that offer free or reduced plans – if you haven’t yet discovered the miracle that is Skype, make it your first port of call for overseas calling and face time.
Investigate package deals is always beneficial; getting phone, Internet, and TV service from one provider can often save you money.
Another way to save is to use the same mobile plan as family and friends. Many mobile phone service providers offer free in-network calls or allow you to choose a small group of in-network friends and family that you can call for free.
Rolf Hansen’s top three ways to cut costs on your mobile phone bill:
Analyse your bill: The main reasons for bill shock are voice calls (54%), data usage (20%) and SMS (18%)
The current thirst for technology and huge data consumption is often thought of as the reason for bill shock however, amaysim research shows that it’s actually good old fashioned phone calls that are the biggest driver of over-spend, followed by data usage and text messages. Find out where you’re spending your money, then find a plan that caters for your individual mobile needs.
Speak to your carrier: 64.5% of consumers have never approached their carrier about the size of their bill
Be more assertive about your bills. Aussies have resigned themselves to not having billing hassles solved, with only one in three bothering to query an unexpectedly high bill. Speak up – you have the right to!
Get out of your contract: consumers with packaged handset and plan deals are more likely to experience bill shock (47%) than consumers with SIM only deals (37%)
To make smart, informed choices, you need to look closely at what you’re being offered, understand exactly what they’re paying for and challenge whether you are on the right plan.
If you don’t know where to start, these helpful websites will get you on the right track:
https://www.phonechoice.com.au