Savings Corner: Mobile Phones

Many of us pay substantial amounts to mobile providers each month. Often, these costs soar because the customer isn't tracking their monthly bill, not realizing that a simple phone call to their mobile provider's customer service can save them tens or even hundreds of shekels monthly. Additionally, note that in recent months, there has been a revolution in the mobile market, and now different companies are offering "talk freely" plans for less than 100 shekels a month.

1. First, before diving into the bill itself, check the number of devices in the family. Do you really need a device for every child? Does anyone in the family have two devices for some reason? If it seems possible to reduce the number of devices, this decision alone will save you subscription fees, device payments, etc.

2. Another practice that can save a lot of money if all household members follow it is to use the landline phone only when at home. Calling from mobile to mobile, or mobile to landline, costs between 40-70 agorot per minute in most plans. When calling from a landline to a mobile, the cost is only 14.74 agorot per minute. However, if you have an unlimited mobile calling plan, it's obviously preferable to talk using that.

3. Are you a student? Check the plans for students with different mobile companies. Interested in a kosher line? The kosher plan prices are much lower than the average. In any case, check the plans, and don't remain in the default plan where you pay the most.

4. Carefully review the details of your mobile bill. If you haven't done so in a while, you're likely to encounter a few surprises. Check if you're being charged for a larger data package than you actually use (if at all). Check if you're charged for "pleasant wait" service (a song instead of a ringtone when someone calls you) if you don't want it. If you frequently send SMS, check the SMS package options – this will make you pay much less – and so on. It's very important to stay informed and know what you're paying for.

5. If you're not keen on gadgets and advanced devices, it's better to buy a simple device for 300-400 shekels rather than directly from your mobile provider. This way, you won't be tied to that company, and if you want to switch after receiving a better offer, you can just change your SIM card in the device you bought and switch companies easily, without delays, penalties, and bureaucracy.