Before I knew what a minimalism is, I like to buy affordable and durable gadgets. In the past, I bought watches for myself and others.
My watch still perfectly works and so is my iPhone. But the latter needs an upgrade though it still looks new.
I went back and forth whether I buying a new phone is a want or a need. In the end, I decided to get a new phone before the year ends.
Do I Need a New Cellphone?
I feel as though I need to justify why I bought a new cellphone. So I’m going to do it here for the last time so I wouldn’t have to whenever I have to get a new phone (refurbished or brand new).
The downside of having an iPhone is that the older the phone gets, the lesser is the probability to download the latest software update.
My old phone also cannot download the latest versions of some apps which are mostly banks.
I do most of my banking transactions and send remittance through my phone so having latest versions of apps and OS are important.
Another reason why I bought a new phone is because my old phone’s battery is easily drained. So if I am going to use it often, I had to also bring a power bank.
Related Post: Why I Send Money Online Through Remitly
How Did I Pay Lesser Phone Bill
Aside in getting a new phone, my other goal is to lower my phone bill.
My bare-minimum requirement for a phone plan is to be able to send message, make a call, and use data wherever I am.
Two Tips I Learned on How to Lessen a Phone Bill
- My co-worker encourage me to try Shaw Mobile. I looked at it and keep it in mind.
- Rommel from My Prudent Life also recommend Shaw Mobile along with 7-Eleven Speakout.
With tips from others and digging through the different phone plans of Shaw Mobile, I opted to get a new cellphone (iPhone 13 mini 128GB).
My Shaw Internet and Mobile Plan
Being a Shaw Internet customer, I was able to avail the cheap phone plan. I started with Shaw Fibre+ 10 (Basics) then I was upgraded to Fibre+ 75 (two-year contract) without changes to my monthly Internet bill.
Tip: I had a great deal with my Internet upgrade. You don’t have to do the same if you don’t want to be tied to a contract.
I paid an upfront fee of $360 for an iPhone 13 mini and chose By The Gig for mobile plan.
I only pay $26 a month for my phone bill. I have to buy a 1GB rollover data for $10 that is valid for three months.
With my previous Fido plan I paid $53 a month that comes with 20GB of data.
So far I moved in four cellular companies. Each time, I pay less phone bill.
Is My Data Enough?
Sure enough I had a great deal in scoring 20GB of data with my old phone. But I had to pay a high price with my time.
I found myself aimlessly scrolling on my phone because I have a lot of data to consume.
It felt like an obligation to not waste the data. My data consumption only reached 3GB because there is Wifi at work and at home.
With only 1GB of data for three months, I discipline myself to use data for checking public transportation schedule (Transit app) or using Google Map or emails.
I keep track of how much data is left through the Shaw Mobile app.
Transferring to another cellular company has two advantages:
- Pay $26 every month.
- Gain my time back. Spending only a little time on social media.
Once I pay my balance for the phone (currently $525), my phone bill will drastically drop to $10 every third month granted I can make it last for that long.
My goal next year is to have a fully-paid cellphone; I don’t want to pay for it every month.
Then eventually move back my Internet plan to Fibre+ 10 which only costs $63 a month (the lowest Internet plan).
Update: My 1GB data lasted for three months. Two days ago, I bought another 1GB data and I am confident that I can repeat the same feat, read more books (on my phone or ereader) and scroll less.
What Will I Do with My Old Phone?
It has become a tradition for me to send my old phone in the Philippines.
That’s how durable iPhones are. Well that also depends on how a person use it. To make my phone last, I always use a screen protector and phone case.
And of course extreme care in handling a phone.
Right now I’m waiting if I can ask a relative to bring it with them and give it to my sibling if they can have a vacation in the Philippines.
Related Post: My First Time Going Back Home in the Philippines
Some of my friends and relatives express their intent to go home. But that will still depends on the restrictions as we go through another Covid variant.
Or maybe, I should send a small balikbayan box. I’ll see how things go.
How I will Keep My Phone Bill Low
In the future, I want to use a fully-paid phone and get the lowest phone plan like what I am using right now.
If necessary, I will move again to another network which offers a better deal.
Always keep an eye for ways on how to save and read newsletter from bloggers.
So this post is my way of thanking people who took the time to share their money saving tips and experiences as they work on reaching financial independence (FI).
How much are you paying on your monthly phone bill? Is it worth it?
I spend $16/ month which is originally $20. But since I am on auto debit I got a discounted price monthly and this is for Freedom Mobile. I bought my own unit thru Marketplace which is brand new then sign up for Freedom. I only use my cellphone for checking bus and transit times so I don’t want to spend so much. If my data is so slow already and needed it badly I just go to any stores with Wifi either a coffee shop or grocery stores. Why spend so much here when there’s so many available Wifi around.
Hi Nic. That’s a great tip to lower a cellphone bill. I used to have phone plan through Freedom Mobile when it used to be called Wind, unfortunately I am having difficulty getting phone calls and text messages so I switched to Fido then currently to Shaw Mobile. I knew some people who have no issues with Freedom Mobile. Well, whatever works is great.