A rundown of your options when it comes to paying for mobile phone usage

Different people look for different things in a mobile network. Some people may prioritise such factors as network coverage and features, whereas others may be more concerned with flexibility and keeping their costs down. When choosing a tariff, there are essentially three main options, which are pay as you go, short term contracts, and long term contracts.

By far the most popular option these days is the long term pay monthly contract. These usually entitle you to a new phone as part of the deal, and for regular users, the call costs are much lower. The phone that you receive as part of the contract is far from free, however, as the cost is spread out over the length of your contract. If you plump for one of the more expensive smartphones, then you will probably have to pay a lot for your line rental, and you will probably be locked in to the contract for a long time. Contracts such as these provide a number of a certain number of free minutes and texts. For people who use their phone a lot, this usually works out cheaper than the other options, but you will be locked into your price plan while prices go down all around you.

If you want the advantages of a monthly contract without being locked in, you could get yourself a 30 day contract SIM. You do not usually get a phone as part of the deal, but this will not be a problem for most customers. These allow you to take advantage of the package deals that come with monthly contracts without getting locked in. This means that if you see a better offer you can take advantage of it at any time.

If you are on a low budget, or do not use your phone much, then pre pay may be the best option. With this type of deal, you are not locked in to any particular contract, and it prevents you from having to pay monthly bills. As with 30 day contracts, the phone is not included as a freebie, and you do not usually get many free calls and texts included.

This pay as you go deals was written by Jason Burstifal. To save money on Pay As You Go deals go to Lebara Mobile.

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