Thrifty Thinking: Cell Phone Plans

 This year, 24% more Americans plan to buy the new iPhone, according to the personal-finance website WalletHub’s new 2022 iPhone Survey. However, as the iPhone 14 release date approaches on September 16 (October 7 for the Plus variant), WalletHub found that people can save $1,146 - $5,013 over two years by picking the right plan.

You can find some highlights from the report below, along with a Q&A with WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. You can also crunch the numbers to see which iPhone plan is right for you, using WalletHub’s custom Cell Phone Savings Calculator, ahead of the newest models starting to ship on Friday.

• A no-contract individual plan from Visible is the best way to get the new iPhone, beating plans from all three major carriers.
   
• For even more savings, keep your old phone. Individuals can save up to $1,933 and families can save up to $2,723.
   
• About 27% of Americans plan on spending more on their cell phone due to the pandemic.
   
• More than 1 in 5 people think that the new iPhone is worth going into debt for.  

WalletHub’s Cell Phone Savings Calculator lets users input their upfront and monthly costs to compare the true cost of two-year contracts, installment plans and no-contract plans from all of the major carriers. You can check out the calculator, along with an embeddable infographic comparing the most popular plans, here: https://wallethub.com/cell-phone-calculator/

 
Q&A with Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst:

Do you have any advice for saving on a smart phone, considering the fact that only 27% of Americans plan to spend more on their cell phone this year?

“People who want to save money on their cell phone should consider purchasing a phone that’s at least one generation old instead of the latest model. There are relatively few differences in features between generations now, compared to years ago where upgrades brought much more noticeable improvements,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. “You may be able to get a phone that’s a generation behind for half the price with almost the same user experience. Consumers can also save money by buying used, good condition phones or taking advantage of carrier discounts.”

What advice do you have for reducing the cost of wireless coverage, especially during this time of high inflation?

“During this time of high inflation, there are many different ways you can reduce the cost of wireless coverage, most importantly doing comparison shopping and waiting for a good promotional offer before purchasing a phone. One big method for saving money is to get phone coverage from a ‘budget’ provider that uses the same network as one of the larger, name-brand providers. You can get nearly the same level of coverage while saving a lot of money,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. “You can receive discounts for setting up autopay on your monthly bills, as well as bundling your phone coverage with other people. Some providers may also offer you temporary relief on your bills if you are going through a financial hardship, though you’ll have to call and ask.”

Why do more than a third of consumers think that their phone is their most important possession?

“The reason why more than a third of consumers think their phone is their most valuable possession is likely that few other devices do as many things as a cell phone can do while still being easily portable. Cell phones are important for their social use, like keeping people connected during the COVID-19 pandemic and times when inflation makes travel expensive, as well as for business use, especially with many people having transitioned to remote work,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “Cell phones provide access to the internet when Wi-Fi is not available, too. At times, cell phone data may be the only opportunity for families to get online. Since cell phones are so important, it’s not surprising that more than 1 in 5 Americans think the new iPhone is worth going into debt.”