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Mobile contracts

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Having realised that I can't afford the extortionate amounts I'm paying on my phone bill, I'm thinking of buying out of my current contract (for the baaargain price of £120 :().

I'm currently paying £36 a month on o2 for 1500 off peak minutes to o2 and landlines, and 550 texts.

I'm looking at an o2 online contract for £25, giving me 150 anytime any network minutes and 750 texts.

I tend to use my phone for about an hour, two hours of calls a month and an ever increasing amount of texts - 631 on my most recent bill.

Just wondering if anyone has any amazingly wonderful recommendations of networks and tariffs that might suit a bit better, really.

Ta muchly.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ring up o2 and ask to be put on the lowest possible contract, everytime they offer you one say 'well whats the cheapest possible, phones for you have one for £6' or something along those lines.
    eventually you will get put on a contract for about a tenner a month and then just wait till it runs out then cancel.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i don't think that'd be much help really - being put on a cheap contract and then still using your phone, she'll get bigger bills. i assume you're allowed to change your contract? if not when can you terminate it

    eta: that online contract you put up for £25 sounds really good. i pay £25 with o2 online now and get 500 any network off peak minutes and 500 messages but i never use all my minutes and sometimes have to ring people in the day.

    how much are you paying for your bills? i assume you're going over your line rental?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Check out T-Mobiles 'Flext'. It just gives you a set amount of credit each month, so it doens't matter if you use more texts, or calls, or whatever. For instance, I think it gives you a £180 allowance for £35 a month.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i don't think that'd be much help really
    You'd be supprised at they can offer you when you keep on at them. i was on a £36 a month contract with orange and i got something like 200 mins and 500 texts free a month but i was still getting like 200-300 pound phone bills so i couldnt afford to keep it up. i rang them and asked for the lowest priced contract and ended up on one that w3as £13 a month and i got something like 200 texts and 100 mins, was quite good really and i wish i'd gone on it sooner.As soon as i'd used up all my minutes i used to put my PAYG sim in instead and just use that so there were no nasty suprises at the end of the month.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I was in that position. Was like £80 every month.
    Try getting a cheaper line rental, one with less free minutes/texts, and as you send so many texts just get the bolt-ons.
    Mine used to be £25 for 100 anytime any network mins and 100 texts. I added 400 bolt on texts for £16. I wasnt using the minutes and still running up bills on texts. I called O2, explained the problem, told them pay and go would be easier and they gave me the 'discount 250' package. 250 anytime/network mins 100 texts for 12.99. I added some bolt ons too on that. Bills have halved now.. Oh and i got a top of the range phone too, but i was due for an upgrade anyway.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Just search around. I hate t-mobile but I have a great deal with them. 1500 minutes for $40 and unliminted text and picture messages for $10 (thats why i keep them :p )
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm allowed to change my contract to another in-store one, but they're all pretty much gonna end up in the same situation - spending a fortune on texts and having loads of minutes left over. If I want to change to this £25 one, which is o2 online, I have to pay £120 to get out of my current contract. Should've mentioned that in the original post.

    Thanks for all the words of wisdom, it's all being taken on board :thumb:

    ETA: I tend to pay somewhere in the region of £50 to £80 a month, which doesn't sound that much in comparison to some, and isn't so bad now as I'm working full time, but it's money I could do with. And once I go back to uni in September, there's not a hope in hell I'll be able to afford that much.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    http://threestore.three.co.uk/offerdetails.aspx?offercode=18DS14OL23

    Automatically 9 Months half price. None of the faffy bills you send off etc.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    some of my friends are with 3 and experience a really shitty signal/network with them.

    i used to be paying around £80-120 for my phone bills but now i pay around £30. :D

    did you quit uni laura?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    *trying to avoid offending anyone for being sexist" but i find it quite funny how all my girl mates are all on contract then get stupidly high bills every month. and i still get these situations

    a) one ringers, expecting me to ring back

    or

    b) speaking for ages on the phone, not letting me hang up, then moaning about the bills..

    whats wrong with a good old landline phone, then having a genie sim for txtings and phone calls when out and about. thats the best away about it
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    when i don't go too far over my linerental, i get a good deal with my contract. it'd cost me more on pay as you go. plus i get a new phone every year.

    and they can't physically stop you from hanging up on them! i do it to my friends when they ring me and are on pay as you go.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i was tempted into a contract deal once. Its alright for a bit, i can see why people prefer it. Its just not for me, i got bored of the phone after a month, which is always the way. Plus i could never use the excuse "got no credit"
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Put yourself onto the cheapest in-store tarriff. and I do mean CHEAPEST you won't use this phone again - just send a letter straight away saying you are giving MORE than 30 days notice to cancel. and you won't have to think about it again. ever.

    Sell your current handset on ebay or something. Recouperate the line rental you'll pay til the end of the contract.

    Then go get a new contract on a plan you do like (best to buy online as you get better deals). with a spankingly new phone!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    1983 wrote:
    http://threestore.three.co.uk/offerdetails.aspx?offercode=18DS14OL23

    Automatically 9 Months half price. None of the faffy bills you send off etc.

    I was gonna say no to that straight away cos I've only heard of bad experiences with 3 (sorry!), but then I clicked the link and it looks waaaaaay tempting..

    Lucy, yeah I quit at the end of November. I'm planning to go to Bishop Grosseteste this September, though.

    Jamie - totally hadn't thought about selling the handset on ebay to make up my losses. Geeeenius.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Lil Laura wrote:
    Jamie - Geeeenius.

    You knows it! ;)
  • **helen****helen** Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
    Shadow this thread is a year old so it's really best to start your own. Gonna close this one.
This discussion has been closed.