Lower Your Cell Phone Bill

• Auto pay: A number of wireless carriers reward their customers who opt for automatic bill payment by offering discounts off of their monthly bills. For example, Auto Pay customers receive $10 off at Verizon, $5 off at T-Mobile, and between $5 and $100 at AT&T. • Make your plan work for you: Take some time to really look at what your plan covers and make sure it’s a right fit for you. For example, if you travel a lot and are crossing international borders, opt for a plan that includes international coverage. On the flip side, if you’re staying closer to home, make sure your plan reflects that. • Go with prepaid: If you own your phone, prepaid wireless plans may be a fit at a lower cost. Mint Mobile offers data plans ranging from $15 to $30 a month, and Verizon-owned Visible’s unlimited data plan goes for $30. Pay upfront and be done for the year with AT&T’s 12-month, 16GB prepaid plan at $300 for 12 months. • Just ask: Experts suggest simply asking for a discount. Call your carrier and ask, “What can you do to lower my monthly bill?” You may find that after looking at your plan and asking a few questions the customer service rep will have ways for you to save. Follow up with, “What else can you do to lower my bill?” and you could find yourself saving $30 to $80 monthly. • Bonus savings: Be sure and take advantage of the bonus savings available through wireless carriers. Verizon offers complimentary subscriptions to Hulu, Discovery Plus, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus for six months for customers on select plans, and T-Mobile includes Netflix, Apple TV Plus, and Paramount Plus streaming for free with select plans.