5 ways to slash the cost of your mobile phone bill

Many of us are looking to save money right now, as budgets are stretched to cope with reduced household incomes. One answer to saving cash may be sitting in your bag or pocket – as while mobile phones tend to be seen as an "essential" part of everyday life nowadays, they don't need to cost us as much as they often do.

Comparison website Uswitch's mobile expert, Ru Bhikha, has some tips for saving money on your mobile bill.

Love chatting, streaming and texting but need to cut your costs? Here are five ways to save money, writes Vicky Shaw.

1. Consider going Sim-only.

If you're nearing the end of your contract and are happy with your handset, it could be worth going Sim-only. A Sim-only deal covers just the mobile service, meaning you'll get a fixed allowance of minutes, texts and data. These often work out cheaper - and you may even find deals that have a better data allowance.

2. Know how much data you need.

Calculating how much you need can feel impossible, but there are tricks to figure this out. One route is to log into your account on your network's website to check your usage. Another is to measure how much mobile data the apps on your phone are using, via the "settings" menu. If at the end of the month, you're still left with lots of unused data, you could be paying for a data allowance that is too generous for your needs.

3. Cap your spending.

Selecting a contract with the capability to put a fixed data cap in place means you will receive a notification if you reach your data limit, so you won't overspend unknowingly. You could also look into asking your mobile provider to place a cap on your data.

4. Consider a refurbished phone.

These phones can be cheaper due to being pre-owned. They may be an old model, have developed a fault previously or just be unwanted. Their condition may vary, but they should have been checked to ensure they are fully working. They often come with a warranty, as well as a charging cable. You may not receive all the accessories that you'd get with a new phone, however.

5. Check out other perks.

A phone package can give you more than you'd expect - for example free streaming services for certain fixed time periods could come in handy for film buffs. For those who love travel, there are various international network roaming perks, available, which may be worth consideration in the future even if you're currently staying put due to the coronavirus pandemic. So, think beyond the handset model and look at where else you stand to save money.