# How to save money on my cell phone bill
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 28, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843 "2015-11-28T17:03:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/1 "2015-11-28T17:03:52Z")
I currently have Verizon and I pay $130 a month. This is for only my own cell phone and also I am NOT interested in paying for unlimited texting anymore. I use about 2GB of data every month. I have an unlocked galaxy S5, which I would prefer to keep. How good is boost mobile service? I see they have a $30 plan with unlimited talk and all the data that I could use.
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### Author:  [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/2 "2015-11-28T17:31:17Z")
Metro PCS also has an unlimited talk/text/1g free 4g data 3g speed after 1g and no contract. Its a great deal if u dont use your phone for streaming vid.
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### Author:  [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/3 "2015-11-28T18:31:04Z")
> [@boffking](#):
>
> I currently have Verizon and I pay $130 a month. This is for only my own cell phone and also I am NOT interested in paying for unlimited texting anymore. I use about 2GB of data every month. I have an unlocked galaxy S5, which I would prefer to keep. How good is boost mobile service? I see they have a $30 plan with unlimited talk and all the data that I could use.
Seems like you’re paying way too much. T-Mobile will give you up to 2GB 4G LTE Data
and unlimited talk, text and data (meaning data is throttled after 2GB) for $50.
Metro PCS is even cheaper, although I think their coverage is a bit more limited. They’ll give you up to 1GB hi-speed 4G LTE Data and unlimited talk and text for $30, or up to 3GB hi-speed 4G LTE Data and unlimited talk and text for $40, and they have plans with more high-speed data for more money.
I think unlimited texting is pretty much built in to everyone’s plan these days.
I don’t know anything about Boost.
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### Author:  [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/4 "2015-11-28T18:33:26Z")
Afterthought – T-Mobile lets you stream video and music (from some providers) without cutting into your data plan.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/5 "2015-11-28T18:35:59Z")
As a start, just call up Verizon, tell them you think you’re paying too much and can they do something to lower your bill. They probably won’t get as low as the thirty-bucks-a-month Boost plan you mentioned, but they should easily be able to get the bill under a hundred bucks. $130 per month seems like way too much, unless it includes something unusual like free international calling or some such thing.
And check if you can get a discount through your employer. I get a 25% discount on my AT&T plan through mine.
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### Author:  [@andrewm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewm)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/6 "2015-11-28T19:04:38Z")
A hundred and thirty a month for one phone? That’s insane. AT&T plans will give you unlimited talk and text plus 2GB of data for $55/mo (plus taxes & fees) or $70 for 5GB of data. Even if your phone isn’t compatible with AT&T’s bands and you have to buy a brand new one, you should still come out ahead in less than a year.
Also, check and see if you’re eligible for any discounts - employer, school, AAA, etc. It’s not uncommon to save 10-20% off the list price. $140/mo (with a school discount) gets me three smartphone lines with unlimited talk, text, and 20 or 30GB of data.
[https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/data-plans.html](https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/data-plans.html)
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### Author:  [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2015, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/7 "2015-11-28T19:33:06Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#):
>
> Seems like you’re paying way too much. T-Mobile will give you up to 2GB 4G LTE Data
> and unlimited talk, text and data (meaning data is throttled after 2GB) for $50.
>
> Metro PCS is even cheaper, although I think their coverage is a bit more limited.
MetroPCS uses Tmobile’s native network but doesn’t get free auto-roaming (to AT&T/Verizon networks) when there is no reliable Tmo signal. This is most noticeable when away from or between large metro areas, where Tmobile’s signals may sometimes be weak. If you don’t road trip or go out to the boonies much, you might not care. So, think of MetroPCS as being pretty good for people who stay firmly in or only fly between “metro” areas.
Another advantage of Tmobile rather than their discount subsidiary is that, during times of network congestion, Tmobile customers get priority over MetroPCS customers.
Protip: Tmo’s $30 limited plan that gives you 100 minutes talk, unlimited texts, and 5gb high-speed/unlimited slow-speed data is where it’s at. Need more than 100 minutes talk? It’s only 10 cents a minute for anything above that, or _completely free_ with a good 4G or wifi signal and the use of Google Hangouts to make voice calls using your free Google Voice number.
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### Author:  [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2015, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/8 "2015-11-28T23:37:03Z")
$130 for one phone is very expensive. You definitely need (as has been suggested) to call VZW and review your plan and your usage to find out why you are paying so much(I pay $130/month for 2 "smart"phones)
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### Author:  [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2015, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/9 "2015-11-29T04:07:32Z")
Remember that phone companies are not going to go out of their way to save you money _unless you ask them to_. Then they’ll bend over backwards to keep you. This is especially true if you’ve been a long time customer and have been used to the old higher rates for a long time. I’ve had the same cellphone account for over 15 years and recently noticed that I was still paying a lot, around $130/month like the OP. I just checked the plans with my phone carrier’s app and found a _better plan for only $59/month!_
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### Author:  [@ethelbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ethelbert)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/10 "2015-11-29T18:04:11Z")
If you want to keep your phone it will limit your choice of plans. Verizon is CDMA. Metro PCS is shutting down its CDMA network. You could likely exchange your phone with minimal cost.
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/11 "2015-11-30T01:56:54Z")
Yeah, definitely check your own provider to see if they can offer you a better deal. I’d say fifty dollars a month is about standard for what you want–maybe lower if you give up unlimited texts, but it can be a chore to do that without giving up a lot of other things.
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### Author:  [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2015, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/12 "2015-12-05T02:19:14Z")
Would it be possible to get a data only plan? I am very familiar with VOIP.
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### Author:  [@justanothermike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justanothermike)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2015, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/13 "2015-12-05T03:42:24Z")
We left Verizon and went with Virgin Mobile. We pay about $36/month for unlimited everything each, though technically I think they start slowing your data down after 2GB or so. I don’t know, as I don’t hit that between using wifi at home and then data when I’m out. Our monthly total is less than $80, and we used to pay over $160 easily with Verizon. Verizon has great coverage, but not enough for that disparity in our area. Your mileage may vary depending on the Sprint network in your area.
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### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2015, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/14 "2015-12-05T04:19:27Z")
Be aware about coverage. There are much less expensive plans than Verizon if you are in the big city or suburbs most of the time. Get out of the metro cores and signal coverage for non-Verizon plans is often very poor. I live in one of those areas in a “tertiary” demographic area of Maryland on the Eastern Shore.
Having said this $ 130 for a single user with 2 gigs of data and an out of contract phone is insane even for Verizon. You should be able to be around 80ish all in.
Two things you can do if you want to stick with Verizon is to
1: Call them and tell them you are leaving shortly unless you get a much, much better deal. The retention people are well aware of competitors plan pricing
.
2: If you are member of a group or association you can often get worthwhile percent off discounts on your plan. These usually range from 5-15% and you have to submit some proof by fax or email you are a member of that group. I get a discount as a Realtor of 8% off my 3 smartphone 12 gigs of data plan which is over $200 a year.
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### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2015, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/15 "2015-12-05T04:22:22Z")
> [@boffking](#):
>
> Would it be possible to get a data only plan? I am very familiar with VOIP.
Don’t do that. It a boondoggle.
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2015, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-save-money-on-my-cell-phone-bill/738843/16 "2015-12-05T04:26:23Z")
Can’t beat Straight Talk. $45 a month for unlimited talk, text, and data. 5 GB of 4G speed, then slows to 2G after that. You can buy a phone from them or bring your own phone (I’ve done both).
Want to add Straight Talk gives you a choice of GSM or CDMA, so you can hit either AT&T’s or Verizon’s towers, depending on the phone.