Fortunately, the Internet has significantly changed our life into the better. Today you don’t even have to pay money to make a call and spend your valuable cell plan minutes because you can do it with a help of free mobile apps. Make free calls with a help of Skype, FaceTime (Apple) or try Google voice. Also you can send free text messages through iMessage, HeyWire and many other apps allowing free texting. However, keep in mind that sometimes the other person must use the app as well.
Bonus: Check top 8 personal finance apps on our blog to save more money!
When using some free apps or games you may see ads of paid services. Be careful because clicking on them may cost you money! Use your device carefully and remember that the Internet is full of such traps. You may click on some ads without even knowing that you’d be charged a fee! Also, be very careful when giving your phone to your child. Disable in-game purchases in the phone’s settings and don’t reveal passwords to services where your children can buy music or movies. Otherwise, there’s a risk of getting an unpleasant surprise in a form of a huge bill and a may even need to apply for unsecured loans for bad credit to pay it off.
Watching videos and downloading files through a cell network makes you use a large amount of data. If you need it quite often then consider an unlimited data plan because every time you exceed your monthly data cap, you’re charged extra. Using Wi-Fi is free, so take advantage of it! Use it at home or in a public place that has it. Actually, it’s the best way to download large files or just surf the Internet because it’s fast. Another money saving tip is setting up an alert that warns you that you get close to exceeding your data plan limit if you use your cell network. However, it’s not recommended using free or public Wi-Fi for financial operations.
Many people think that they aren’t charged anything if they don’t make/receive calls when they are traveling. There’s a possibility that a phone will connect to other networks when you’re abroad and use data automatically. To avoid unnecessary spending, turn off data roaming before your trip. Remember that you can use Wi-Fi where it’s available in foreign countries and you won’t get charged for that.
However, do the calculation before making the final choice and decide what’s better for you. If you currently have a contract and want to get out without paying an early termination fee, turn online market place like CellSwapper. It matches people who want to stop their contracts with those who want to start them.