Budgeting

You're paying too much...

Here’s How It Starts

Posted by Jean

They say every person has the ability to maintain only a few intimate online relationships — the kind of site you visit every day, if not more often.  I have more than a few of those (thedailybeast, huffingtonpost,  my daily pleasure/temptation gilt for online sample sales).  But every Monday, I also make sure to go to consumerworld where I learn about new ways people are making money, saving money, spending money or getting ripped off.  Today’s big aha? If you are looking to save yourself some money you should start with your cell phone bills.  I know, I know – you’ve heard that before.  But a startling new study shows that if you’re like most people, you probably didn’t listen.   Here are a few snippets of the story as reported by the NBC affiliate in Birmingham, Alabama.

Cell phone customers use only 33 percent of their monthly minutes and pay an average of $3 per minute, according to a study by a consumer advocacy group.  “In many ways, it blew me away; surprising, very surprising,“ said Michael Shames, director of Utility Consumers’ Action Network in San Diego.  The study examined the bills of more than 700 cell phone customers in San Diego, but Shames said the results would be true nationwide.

Ouch.  What do you need to do to save yourself some money?

Pick up the phone and call your wireless provider.  Ask them to “audit” your bill…in other words, are you in the right plan for your needs?  Or, by switching to another plan, which you can do within most contracts, could you save yourself some money? Note to Verizon customers: That new friends and family plan should not be overlooked.  By putting in the numbers of the 10-non Verizon customers you talk to most often (think landlines) you can save many minutes and many dollars.  

Watch the texting.  My kids are on my plan and although I’m a moderate texter, they text like crazy.  If you’re texting a lot or using the web and you are not on some sort of unlimited plan, I promise you are paying too much for it.

Call and get overages waived.  Recently, I went over my minutes to the tune of about $100.  Rather than just sucking it up, I picked up the phone and called my provider and asked for a mulligan.  They not only gave it to me, they offered up the fact that you get one of these do-overs each calendar year.  Make sure you get what’s coming to you as well.

Believe me, cell phone usage isn’t the only thing I’m outraged about today.  Credit card fees are going up, up, up.  More on that later….