Looking for a cheap phone deal? Here are 3 things I do to save money

Due to the cost of living, some mobile phone providers – including Vodafone, BT and EE – are putting up the prices on their phone bills this month. When you factor in everything from the handset to the accessories to the contract, phones can rack up a lot of money.

Getting a new phone or contract doesn’t have to break the bank even when you’re looking at more premium devices like Apple, Samsung and Google. If you’re in the market for a new phone or upgrade, there are some handy ways to find the best phone deals that can help you keep your monthly bills down.

As T3’s Deals Writer, I’m always on the lookout for the best prices on phones, including discounts on handsets, chargers, accessories SIM only and pay monthly contracts. To help you save money on your next phone, here are 3 things I look for when searching for cheap phone deals.

1. Look at upfront costs, monthly fees & data allowances

The first thing I do when looking for a phone deal is check the upfront costs, amount of data and how much it’s going to cost monthly. This might seem like an obvious tip but if you’re just looking for the handset, you might not think to properly check the contract which could have high upfront costs, an expensive monthly fee and not very many benefits.

Depending on the provider and phone you choose, you can find some amazing phone deals that have no upfront costs and come with unlimited data contracts. Pay monthly contracts are very handy but SIM only deals are also beneficial to keep costs down especially if you’re just coming to the end of a contract. If you’re on a really tight budget, you can even recycle an old handset and buy a new SIM to put into it, which helps you cut back even more. SIM only typically comes with no upfront costs, lots of data and flexible contract lengths so you can duck in and out at any time. For more advice, here’s where I shop for cheap SIM only deals. 

2. Consider refurbished or previous models

To save more money on a new phone, you can find many refurbished models available at incredibly low prices. Refurbished items are things that have been returned by a customer because they’ve either changed their minds or there is a small fault that has been rectified through the refurbishment process. So while people tend to think refurbished means used or second hand, many refurbished devices are as good as brand new and they’re a lot cheaper. eBay is a good website to look at but you can also find some good deals at mobile phone providers.

Along the same vein, another way to save money is to look for the previous generation of a new phone. If you’re a fan of Samsung or Apple but don’t want to fork out loads on the newest model, there are always tons of deals on the previous generations. For example, when the Samsung Galaxy S22 launched earlier this year, the Samsung Galaxy S21 was half price at Three the week before.

3. Trade-in your old phone

When you’re finished with your old phone, many of us pack them away in a drawer to be forgotten about. However, many mobile carriers and manufacturers offer trade-in promotions where you can get money off your next phone by trading in your old one. Depending on the provider you go with, you’ll either get money back in hand for your old device or the money will be taken off your next contract or purchase.

The best sites to find a cheap phone deal

If you’re wondering where to look for a cheap phone deal, I’ve got you covered. There are the obvious phone providers like O2, EE and Vodafone but some of my top choices are from third party websites as you can find deals from them that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

If you’re looking for a cheap phone deal, I’d recommend taking a look at iD Mobiles, Mobiles.co.uk and Affordable Mobiles. These websites compare all the best prices from all the top retailers, including data, upfront costs, incentives, cashback offers and more.