Our top tips for shopping for better deals to cut your mobile bill — plus find out how to win £5,000
MOBILE phone firms have been accused of pushing up costs for millions of their customers.
Research from Citizens Advice found three of the UK’s largest mobile phone companies — EE, Vodafone and Three — are overcharging by up to £450 a year, when people have paid for their handset and the fixed deal ends.
There are ways you can cut your bill if the contract is up. Steve Nowottny, from MoneySavingExpert, said: “When it comes to phone contracts, loyalty rarely pays.
“If you don’t get a better deal, ideally one better than you would get elsewhere, you should seriously consider switching.”
Here are Steve’s top tips on how to get the best phone deal.
- Do your research: Haggle from a position of strength, so make sure you have the facts to back you up. Check what the cheapest price on the market is for the deal you want. You can use a price comparison site to do this — then tell your provider to beat it.
- Speak to the right person: The priority of the disconnections department is customer retention, so they will be best placed to offer you a great deal and keep your business.
- Problems and price rises are good haggling ammo: Haggling is all about persuasion. Make the case that they should give you a better deal. If you have experienced problems as a customer or were hit with mid-contract price rises, that is useful for your argument.
- Don't get forced into making a quick decision: If they do offer you a bad deal or call your bluff, it is easy to stall. Don’t be pushed into signing a contract you don’t want. Say you need to think about it and will call them back. You can then decide to stick or go.
- Vote with your feet: If you can’t get your provider to make you an offer you can’t refuse, or match a better deal elsewhere, take your business to another company.
MOBILE FACTS
- 18 per cent of us live in a mobile-only home
- 94 per cent of adults own or use a mobile
- The number of UK mobile subscriptions is 91.9million
- Smartphones are owned by 71 per cent of UK adults
- On average, we upgrade our mobile every 18 months
- Fewer than five per cent of mobile phones are recycled
Today's top reader tip
CAROL SMITH, of Sheffield, says: “I set myself a weekly food shopping budget. Then if I spend less, I keep the leftover cash to put towards holidays or treats.”
- SEND tips to sunsavers@ the-sun.co.uk and you will get 28 codes worth £5 if yours is used. Please remember to include your name and town.
TOYS R Us has an “up to half-price” sale on its Babies R Us range. This includes deals on prams, bottles and cribs. The offers are available in store and online while stocks last.
Sitting pretty with £500 off
SAVE BIG: Snuggle up in front of the telly on the cosy Logan 3-Seater Sofa Standard. Was £799, now £299, from SCS. See scs.co.uk. Offer ends October 29.
SAVE: £500
SAVE SMALL: Impress your party guests with this super-sized bottle of bubbly. Spar Prosecco Magnum Collezione was £22, now £15, from your local Spar store. Offer ends on November 8.
SAVE: £7
Win £5,000 cash
WITH winter just around the corner and the autumn chill forcing us to put the heating on, now is the time of year our household bills start to increase.
But The Sun is here to help as we’re giving you the chance to win £5,000 to put toward your bills for a year.
TEN lucky winners will get £5,000 cash each.
To enter, simply join Sun Savers today. Then collect ten Sun Savers codes before Tuesday, October 31.
Today’s code and how to join Sun Savers is on further down. Once you have your ten codes, you will be
prompted to enter. Make sure you enter by Monday, November 13.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Collect TEN Sun Savers codes from the 18 printed in The Sun between today, Saturday, October 14, and Tuesday, October 31, 2017. Last chance to join in is Sunday, October 22. Competition closes at 23:59 on Monday, November 13. Over-18s, residents of the UK only. One entry per person.
Winners will be selected at random from all valid entries. There will be TEN winners of £5,000 only. Allow 28 days from entry closing for the draw to take place. Winners will be notified within seven days. No cash alternative to prize in whole or in part. Prize is non-transferable. Your information will only be used for the purposes of this competition. Promoter is News Group Newspapers Ltd.
Not open to staff of the Promoter and promotional partner or their families. The winners will be required to participate in reasonable publicity relating to this competition. The Editor’s decision is final.
Fancy a free fiver?
YOU can get FREE cash with super Sun Savers just for buying your favourite paper.
Our brilliant new rewards club, which launched this week, will pay back our most loyal readers.
Just pick up the paper each day to collect your Sun Savers codes and we will GIVE YOU £5 when you have collected 28.
This isn’t a one-off and there is no limit to how much cash you can save.
For every 28 codes you enter, we will give you a fiver. So over the course of a year, that could add up to £65.
We are keeping it super-simple. You don’t have to enter codes from consecutive days, so don’t worry if you forget a day or two.
Simply collect 28 codes and we'll give you £5 for FREE
In fact, it is completely up to you how much you save.
Download our easy Sun Savers app and quickly scan your code using your smartphone. Or go online and enter your code at .
What is Sun Savers? Here's everything you need to know about our new rewards club
To get you on your way, join today and we will put a bonus £1 in your Sun Savers wallet tomorrow. And the good news doesn’t stop with free cash.
With Sun Savers, we give you the best hacks, deals and tips to save money every single day.
TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — joining takes just 30 seconds, in three steps.
All we’ll ask of you is your name, your date of birth and an email address to get you on the way to your first crisp fiver.
You can choose to save or cash out straight to your bank account or instantly with Paypal.
Don’t delay — join Sun Savers now!
