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What to consider when choosing a new mobile phone contract

We continue to get a lot of email from normobs — normal mobile users — asking for advice on phone contracts. It’s quite time consuming to respond to every email so we’ve put together this post which should be of use.

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Nobody wants to spend more money than they have to, but sometimes, our mobile phone contracts allow us to do exactly that. Long gone are the days when our phones were used to make calls, and in their place our phones that can call, send texts, emails, use the internet and send messages around the world.

While this represents a giant leap for technology, it also means that many people have contracts that offer too much or too little for their needs. With that in mind, here are some things to consider when choosing a new mobile phone contract that suits you, your lifestyle and your bank balance perfectly.

Image by Garry Knight, shared under a Creative Commons Licence
Image by Garry Knight, shared under a Creative Commons Licence

Consider your lifestyle

How does your phone fit your lifestyle? If you find that you regularly go over your minutes, then you probably need to think about getting a contract that offers more and gives you peace of mind every month.

The same is true if you find you struggle to meet the number of minutes you have every month. There’s no point paying for minutes you don’t use, so take a note of how many calls you make and compare the mobile phone contracts available.

Consider your data allowance

The other important consideration is your data allowance. You might do little on your phone other than make calls and occasionally check social media. If that is the case there is no need to pay for a hefty number of gigabytes every month.

However if you are a hungry data user and like to watch movies or stream music on your phone, then you need to make sure that you have a suitably high-end contract that lets you enjoy online multimedia at your leisure.

Image by jamesjustin, shared under a Creative Commons Licence
Image by jamesjustin, shared under a Creative Commons Licence

Consider different tariffs

Another question to ask is whether you need a contract at all. You may be looking for more flexibility than a 12-month or 18-month contract can provide, or you may have a handset that you’re happy with and don’t need an expensive tariff. With that in mind, it may be wise to think about non-contract SIM-only deals.

These tend to offer 30-day rolling contracts that you can cancel as you please. These deals often provide a combination of data and minutes that still let you get the best out of your smart phone.

Whether you need the security of a long term contract, or if you’d prefer the flexibility of a SIM-only deal, you should always carry out a mobile phone contract comparison to see if you’ve got the best possible deal. See what offers are available from the major suppliers to make sure that you have the best possible deal for you and your lifestyle.