I’m a tech expert and I’ve tried every iPhone – how you might be WASTING money

WANT a new iPhone? Don't make a mistake and end up wasting loads of money.

It's an expensive gadget so it's important to make sure you're doing all the right things when buying an Apple handset.

I've been testing iPhones for years as a – here are my top tips.

Buy refurbished

It's tempting to buy your new from an Apple Store or another retailer.

But you might want to consider a refurbished phone instead.

You might not be conjuring images of battery handsets, left cracked, abused and grubby.

That couldn't be further from the truth.

Apple has its own Certified Refurbished scheme that come in a like new condition.

And it's entirely possible that the iPhone will never have been used – it may simply have been returned.

"You will receive a refurbished device with genuine Apple replacement parts (as needed) that has been thoroughly cleaned and inspected," Apple explains.

"Refurbished iOS devices will come with new battery and outer shell.

"Every device will come with all accessories, cables and operating systems.

"All Apple Certified Refurbished products are packaged in a brand-new white box and will be sent to you with free shipping and returns."

You get a one-year warranty with your purchase, and you can also buy AppleCare for it too.

There's a selection of refurbished iPhones on the Apple Store online.

Don’t always buy the latest handset

It's easy to be swayed by glitzy Apple marketing – but you don't always need the latest iPhone.

In fact, you probably don't even need to upgrade every two or three years these days.

Even models as old as the iPhone 6S – which came out in 2015 – can upgrade to Apple's latest iOS 15.5.

And the iPhone 8 and newer will be able to get this year's iOS 16 update when it arrives in September.

You could easily keep your iPhone for four years with the right care and attention.

Plus we're living in an age of rampant e-waste, so it's better for everyone if you can get more use out of your gadgets.

And it'll save you money too.

Similarly, you don't always need to buy the latest model when upgrading.

Often the differences between each year are minor, so you might find huge savings if you choose to get last year's model instead.

Don't bin your iPhone over battery life

iPhones run on lithium-ion batteries, which degrade over time.

So if your phone lasts for 12 hours per charge when you buy it, it might last just nine hours after two years of use.

This is totally normal, but it can cause problems if you hold on to an iPhone for a while.

You can even check your battery health and capacity in Settings > Battery > Battery Health.

If your capacity is low, it might be tempting to upgrade.

But you can also purchase a brand new battery swap from Apple for £79/$79.

This will restore your iPhone battery capacity to 100%, and can even improve general performance.

Contracts can save you money

It's a common myth that the cheapest way to buy a phone is always to pick the handset up outright.

That can sometimes be true, but it's also very easy to find spectacular contract deals that save you money.

The best strategy is to always work out how much a contract costs versus the price of a phone.

First take the price of the phone, and then choose the SIM you'd want.

Tally the SIM cost up over 24 months and add that to the price of the phone.

You might find that it's more expensive than a phone contract with the same (or even more) data.