If you have ever received a high cell phone bill then you have probably experienced some sort of breakdown. Your breakdown might even include some swearing, yelling and an overall freak-out session, all while trying to figure out how the heck you are going to pay for the enormous bill. The high cell phone bills I have received in the past usually were not a result of something I did (thanks kids), and have at times been over $100 higher than expected. High cell phone bills are so common there are even companies that will review your cell phone bill and point out the adjustments you should make in an effort to lower the cost. Validas is one of these companies that provides wireless bill analysis and optimization services. The Federal Communications Commission reports that some 30 million Americans have experienced cellular bill shock, a surprise spike not related to a change in the service plan. Here are some ways you can avoid cell phone bill hysteria:
Ask for a break, beg if you have to
If a high bill is not typical for you then calling your carrier and asking for some help might just be enough to do the trick. Request an exception or discount on the high bill. Carriers will work with their customers to help resolve their overage problems on a case-by-case basis. From experience working with one of the big carriers and being a customer for years I can tell you the better customer you are, the more likely your carrier is to help you. A good customer is someone who pays their bill on time, has a long history of service and does NOT make it a habit to ask for credits.
Monitor, monitor, monitor your usage
Carriers make it so easy to monitor your usage these days that really none of us should ever have a high bill due to overage charges. However, mishaps can occur or even emergencies take place and the last thing on our mind is the number of minutes we have used. To check up on your account you can access your online account, check your account from your phone via your carriers app, call the automated service, or sign up for automatic updates. Just last week I was on track to go over my minutes (this never happens by the way) and I received a text message from Verizon notifying me of this. I got right onto my online account, changed my plan and now I don’t have to worry about any overage charges.
Make adjustments often if needed
Don’t be afraid to regularly make changes to your plan. It’s so easy these days that you don’t even have to call customer service. I make all my changes online and never have to talk to a soul. Just the way I like it! If there are certain times of the year you know you use more minutes then only adjust your plan for those times. For example, my mom is on my plan and in the summer when she is out of school (teachers rock!) she uses way more minutes than she does during the school year. Every June I bump up my plan so mom can chat away and it keeps me from having a high bill.
Go unlimited for crying out loud
One way to control those high bills is just to bite the bullet and go unlimited. The unlimited plans do cost a great deal more, but it’s better than getting hit with overage charges and having a breakdown. You can get unlimited minutes, text messages, and data. You might not need a total unlimited package that includes everything under the sun, so just get unlimited in the areas you need. If you just need unlimited text message then just go for that. An unlimited plan will guarantee no overage charges!
Keep the kids under control
Kids are great, aren’t they? That is until they cost you a few extra hundred dollars as a result of downloading games! I learned my lesson the hard way, but I now have downloading blocks in place. All the carriers provide different blocks to help you restrict what can be done with the phones on your account. Some carriers even give you the ability to control the amount of minutes a line can use. Once the line reaches the predetermined amount of minutes that line can no longer be used. Check with your carrier for more details because each carrier works differently when it comes to this and not all phones are capable of all blocks.
Consider changing to a prepaid plan
If you just can’t keep your cell phone bill to an acceptable amount, then consider using a prepaid plan. With a prepaid plan you buy all your minutes, text messages, data upfront and once it’s gone, it’s gone! High cell phone bills will be a thing of the past. Prepaid plans might not be ideal for everyone, so make sure you understand how it works before you go that route.
Photo By: Cheney Owens
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