Cut your mobile phone bill by £300 a year with our simple tips

YOU could save cash on your mobile bill with a simple check – and it could make you better off by as much as £300 a year.

With the cost of living rocketing many of us are looking to cut back on outgoings.

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Unfortunately energy bills are largely fixed right now because of the energy crisis, unless you can cut back on your usage.

But you could still find savings on other essential household bills to help you manage through.

Anyone with unlimited data as part of their mobile phone deal is likely to be overpaying, according to experts.

Ofcom, the telecoms regulator, said the average mobile phone customer uses 4.5GB of data a month.

Deals that give you unlimited data can cost as much as £35 a month.

A tariff with limited data could be more cost-effective, depending on your usage.

For example GiffGaff offers 15GB for as little as £10 a month – still well above the average usage.

That means you could be saving up to £25 a month compared to unlimited data deals – or a whopping £300 a year.

Of course, the amount you can save depends on the contract you have now and your data usage.

Personal finance expert Pete Chatfield previously told The Sun: “Smartphone users who only use their phone for general browsing, social media and the odd video can use a limited data plan, which will often be as much as four or five times cheaper.”

If you reduce your data, check there’s no hidden fee for making a switch or changing your contract.

It’s not the only way you could be saving cash on your call costs – here’s more ways to cut the cost of your mobile bill.

How to save on your mobile bill

Using a comparison site helps you check all the deals available in one place.

Money Saving Expert has a comparison tool for for cheap mobile deals too.

When comparing what’s on offer check it’s the right speeds or data for your needs.

You don’t want to end up going over data allowances and paying more than expected, for example, but equally you don’t want to spend money on data you don’t use.

You might also want to check you get signal where you are and you can do that using Ofcom’s coverage checker.

Companies often do introductory offers for new customers too and that could lower the price even further.

You can also try haggling with your current provider to match a cheaper deal you have found elsewhere.

Martin Lewis has previously advised those haggling should be polite and charming to boost your chances of getting your bills lowered.

A Virgin Media customer recently got £264 a year knocked off their bill just by asking for a discount.

They don’t have to match it but it’s worth a try, and if they don’t you can always switch to the better deal.

But note that moving when you’re still in a contract can cost you money in exit fees, so check first.

Of course the exact amount you can save depends on how much you’re paying now and the new deal you get – but you won’t know until you check.

If you’re out of contract, you’re likely to be paying more than you need to as you’ve paid of the handset but your still paying the same price.

Contracts usually roll over so unless you make a change you’ll be paying the same monthly cost.

You should get a text from your network when your contract is due to end – but you won’t be switched to a different tariff automatically.

A sim-only deal can be far cheaper if you already have a device and don’t need a new model.

Meanwhile it’s worth checking if you’re eligible for a social tariff from broadband companies – it’s estimated that 4million are missing out on around £144 a year saving.

We spoke to a serial haggler who saves thousands of pounds a year – just by asking.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk