How to Avoid Overages and Costly Cell Phone Bills?
Understand Your Plan
The first step in avoiding overages is to thoroughly understand your cell phone plan. Review how many minutes, texts, and how much data is included. For example, some plans include unlimited talk and text but have data caps. Know exactly what the overage charges will be if you exceed your allotted amounts – according to Utilities One, overage fees can range from $10-$15 per gigabyte depending on your carrier.
Also check if your carrier offers unlimited plans. While they are typically more expensive, unlimited plans mean you don’t have to worry about surprise overage fees. Understand all the options available for your usage needs so you can select the best plan.
Track Usage
Monitoring your data usage is one of the best ways to avoid overages. Cell phone carriers provide tools to track how much data you’ve used across your billing cycle. For example, AT&T offers the myAT&T app and Verizon offers the My Verizon app. Both allow you to view your monthly wireless usage and set up alerts.
It’s recommended to set data usage alerts at 75%, 90%, and 100% of your monthly data allowance so you receive notifications as you approach your limit. This gives you time to curb usage before going over. You can also contact your carrier to have them temporarily suspend data if you’re close to the limit and think you may exceed it.
Pay attention to when you typically use more data during the month. Many people consume more data while traveling, streaming during the commute, etc. Being aware of these trends allows you to adjust your behavior and watch usage more closely during heavy periods.
According to a Pew Research study, 37% of smartphone owners reach their data limit at least occasionally. Monitoring your usage patterns is key to avoiding unwanted overages.
Use WiFi
One of the best ways to avoid data overages and costly cell phone bills is to use WiFi whenever possible. According to Mint Mobile, WiFi and cellular data essentially provide the same functionality – internet access on your device – but WiFi offers this access for free while cellular data usage draws from your monthly data allowance. Connecting to WiFi networks whenever available can significantly reduce the amount of cellular data you use.
To maximize your WiFi usage, disable cellular data when connected to a WiFi network. This ensures that your device will not default back to using cellular data. You can disable cellular data in your phone’s Settings. iPhones have a setting called “Cellular Data” that can be switched off. Android devices have a similar setting called “Mobile Data” that can be disabled. With cellular data switched off, your phone cannot incur data overages while on WiFi.
Limit Streaming
Streaming video can use significant amounts of data, especially on higher quality settings. According to this source, HD video streaming can use 1.6 GB per hour while 4K streaming can use up to 7.7 GB per hour. To limit your data usage while streaming:
- Download content when on WiFi whenever possible to avoid using mobile data.
- Set your video quality to standard definition instead of HD which will use less data.
- Disable autoplay so videos don’t continue streaming without you actively choosing to watch.
Taking these steps to stream more efficiently will help keep your data use under control and avoid costly overages.
Disable Unnecessary Features
Certain features on your phone can use up battery life even when you’re not actively using your device. One of the biggest culprits is background app refresh, which allows apps to update content in the background. According to research by PCMag, background app refresh can account for up to 40% of battery drain. Popular apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat are constantly refreshing data in the background.
To help preserve battery life, go into your settings and disable background app refresh for apps you don’t need updating info all the time. You can disable it entirely or selectively for individual apps.
Another setting to adjust is location services. Constantly accessing your location in the background can drain a lot of power. When you don’t need your location active, such as when sitting at home, disable location services. You can also limit location access to only certain apps that need it like maps and weather. According to Android Authority, disabling unnecessary location access is one of the most effective ways to boost battery life.
Use Airplane Mode
Enabling airplane mode when you have low or no cell coverage is a great way to avoid unintended data usage that can result in surprise overage charges. Airplane mode disconnects your phone from cellular networks and stops all background processes that use mobile data [1]. This prevents any apps from using data without your knowledge.
Be sure to disable airplane mode when you are in an area with good coverage to resume normal usage. Leaving it on when unneeded will prevent you from receiving calls, texts, and notifications. It’s best to toggle airplane mode on and off as needed to conserve data. Just remember to turn it off again when coverage is available to avoid missing important messages [2].
Monitor Downloads
One of the easiest ways to avoid overage fees is to limit downloads, especially large downloads, over your cellular data connection. Apps, videos, music, and other content can quickly consume your monthly data allotment if you’re not careful. Instead, follow these tips:
Use WiFi for large downloads whenever possible. Don’t download new apps, stream videos or music, or update software using your cellular data. Only do these types of large data activities when connected to a WiFi network. This will help ensure you avoid unintended overages.[1] [2] [3]
Delete apps and content you no longer use. Over time, it’s easy for apps, videos, music, and other data to accumulate on your device without you noticing. Periodically go through and remove anything you no longer need to help avoid exceeding your data cap.
Avoid Roaming Charges
Roaming charges can add up quickly and result in expensive cell phone bills. When you’re outside of your carrier’s regular coverage area and using another provider’s network, you could incur costly roaming fees for calls, texts, and data usage.
To avoid roaming charges when traveling:
- Turn off cellular data roaming in your phone’s settings. This prevents your phone from connecting to other networks and using data abroad. Stick to WiFi for internet connectivity when traveling to avoid data roaming fees that can be $2-$5 per MB used according to Reviews.org.
- Put your phone in airplane mode and only enable WiFi. Airplane mode disconnects from the cellular network so you won’t accidentally use data or get charged for calls/texts while roaming.
- Consider purchasing an international roaming package from your carrier before traveling abroad. For example, Verizon offers a monthly international plan starting at $100 per line with 250 talk minutes and unlimited texting and data in over 200 destinations according to Verizon.
Taking precautions to limit cellular data usage abroad and enabling WiFi connectivity can help you avoid getting a shockingly high phone bill due to international roaming charges.
Consider a Family Plan
Adding your family members to a shared plan can often be the most cost-effective option for cell phone service. Family plans allow you to share a data allowance across multiple lines, with each additional line added at a discount. Some providers like T-Mobile and Verizon offer unlimited plans where you pay a set price for the first line, and discounted rates for each additional line up to a maximum of 4 or 5 total lines.
The main benefit of family plans is that you share one data bucket across all lines, eliminating the risk of individual overages. You can manage each line’s data access through parental controls and app limits. Set appropriate restrictions for kids while allowing more access for adults. Monitor data usage for each line through your provider’s online portal or app. With the right limits in place, family plans offer the best value and peace of mind.
Explore Other Options
If you find yourself consistently going over your data limits or paying monthly overage fees, it may be time to review your usage patterns and adjust your cell phone plan accordingly. One option to consider is switching to a prepaid or no contract plan, which can offer more flexibility and control over your monthly cell phone bill.
Prepaid plans allow you to pay upfront for a set amount of minutes, texts, and data. When you’ve used up your allotment, you simply buy more as needed, often in increments like 1GB of extra data. This helps ensure you only pay for what you use instead of overpaying for an unlimited plan you don’t fully utilize. Prepaid plans also don’t require long term contracts or early termination fees 1.
Additionally, most major carriers now offer no contract monthly plans. Like prepaid, these plans don’t lock you into a long term commitment. You can change or cancel service at any time without penalty. No contract plans also make it easy to adjust your data amounts from month to month as your usage changes 2.
Reviewing your usage patterns and considering prepaid or no contract options can help ensure you only pay for the data, minutes, and features you actually use. This gives you more control and flexibility over your cell phone expenses.
