5 Ways To Save Money On Your AT&T Bill
AT&T, one of the largest carriers in the United States, offers a range of postpaid and prepaid phone plans to suit varied budgets. Yet, if you've been on the same AT&T plan for a few years, you've likely noticed your monthly bill rising. Whether it's due to promotional rates coming to an end or the cost of add-ons piling up, your plan might be becoming more expensive than you initially expected.
While the most straightforward thing to do in this case would be to switch to an MVNO provider, the fact is that AT&T offers reliable network coverage that you may not want to give up just yet. But if you're a savvy, budget-conscious shopper, you're likely looking for ways to trim your AT&T bill. The good news is that this is possible, and you may not even have to make any significant changes. Rather, a few thoughtful choices and tweaks to your plan could make a big difference in your monthly bill. We'll explore some of these strategies below.
Switch to a more affordable cell phone plan
AT&T offers a number of postpaid phone plans, like the AT&T Unlimited Premium PL ($50.99 per month per line), AT&T Unlimited Extra EL ($40.99 per month per line), and AT&T Unlimited Starter SL ($35.99 per month per line), to name a few. Each of these plans offers varied benefits, with the more expensive plans having more built-in perks. However, all postpaid plans offer unlimited talk and text and some amount of data (the AT&T 4GB plan offers 4GB of data per line, but the other plans offer unlimited data).
So if that's all you need, consider downgrading to a more affordable unlimited plan. Additionally, if you recently paid off your device, resist the urge to trade it for a new Android with impressive display specs or the latest iPhone, since doing so could add more payments to your postpaid plan. If an unlimited postpaid plan is working out to be too expensive for your budget and you've paid off your device, you can save even more by switching to a prepaid plan.
There are plenty of reasons to choose a prepaid plan, but the most important one is that they are relatively inexpensive compared to postpaid plans. AT&T's prepaid plans, for instance, start at just $25 per month. The carrier has multiple prepaid plans as part of its offerings, so you're likely to find one that suits your needs.
Review your add-ons
AT&T, like most other mobile carriers, offers add-ons to enhance your experience with your phone plan. For instance, AT&T Next Up is an add-on that you can sign up for if you want to upgrade your device early. Similarly, AT&T also offers a few different device protection add-ons that allow you to get your device replaced if it is stolen, lost, or damaged. While these add-ons may seem like a good choice at the time of signing up for them, you may end up paying significantly more for benefits that you don't really care about or don't end up using. Also, many carriers, including AT&T, offer freebies that could make your plan more value-for-money without you having to pay anything extra.
Given this, if you're trying to cut down on your monthly bill, take a look at the add-ons you're paying for and evaluate whether you still need them. A device upgrade add-on, for instance, is a good option if you want to test out and use new smartphones from time to time. But if you're the sort of person who prefers maintaining the same smartphone for several years or you find that the features in new smartphones don't make a difference to how you use your device, it might be a good idea to opt out of such an add-on. Removing unnecessary add-ons is fairly easy and can be done online by signing into your AT&T account and following the on-screen prompts.
Set up AutoPay for your AT&T monthly bills
One of the easiest ways to save money on your AT&T mobile bill is by setting up AutoPay. When you have AutoPay set up, the payment is automatically charged to your preferred payment method, eliminating the risk of missing an upcoming payment. While this is a significant advantage in itself, the reason we're suggesting AutoPay is that AT&T offers a monthly discount to customers who set it up. This discount is offered for both postpaid and prepaid plans, so you can sign up for it regardless of the type of plan you have. Keep in mind, however, that the discount you receive will vary based on the exact plan you have. Still, it's a great way to save money, time, and effort.
Signing up and managing your AutoPay payments are straightforward enough and can be done online. Furthermore, you can use your bank account, credit card, or debit card as the payment method when you enroll (you can change the payment method at any time). The best part about signing up for AutoPay is that you can pause it or stop it if your financial situation changes or you decide to become more hands-on with your payments in the future.
Get a family plan and bring your own phones
A single-line plan can be extremely expensive. For instance, with the AT&T Unlimited Premium PL plan, you pay $85.99 per month for a single line. However, if you get a four-line plan, you'd only be paying $50.99 per month per line. Those savings are significant and can add up to a lot over time. So, if your family is currently on single-line plans, consider signing up for a multi-line family plan instead. Not only does this help you and your family save money on your monthly AT&T bill, but it also simplifies the payment process.
While you're at it and moving everyone to a family plan, it's best to bring your own phones and not lease the latest gadgets from AT&T. The latter is a good choice if you need to keep up with the latest tech, but you may end up spending significantly more to keep the lease up until the phones are paid off. If you don't have spare phones available, you could purchase a budget-friendly Android phone that meets your needs.
Check if you qualify for discounts
AT&T offers discounted plans to people belonging to certain professions and affiliations. So, be sure to check whether you qualify for any discounts offered by the carrier. If you serve in the military, are a veteran, or are a family member of an active member or a veteran, you're eligible to get 25% off on AT&T's unlimited plans. Similarly, teachers and their families, nurses, physicians, and PA-Cs and their families get 25% off as well. First responders and public safety professionals can save by opting into FirstNet's wireless network, and their families can save 25% through an AT&T plan.
You can also save $10 per month per line and even get additional benefits based on your affiliations with unions, employers, or the AARP. If you're a student, you get to take advantage of AT&T's student discount, which can help you snag unlimited wireless plans at a discount.