We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

How do you keep your mobile data usage down?

Options
124

Comments

  • It's really as Splitinfinity says.

    I've just checked my Giff Gaff account: my £7.50 a month allows me 250Mb and I've still got c. 210Mb with 2 weeks to go.

    I've set up quite a few wireless links for regular venues, but frankly, when I'm out and about I don't really need to use data intensive apps. The phone can be a useful tool, but I don't absolutely rely on it, and it's certainly not the focus of entertainment for me.
  • gfplux
    gfplux Posts: 4,985 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Hung up my suit!
    My phone Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has a built in monitor that tells you how much data you have used.
    I have set up a reminder (free app GTasks) that tells me every Saturday to check my data usage. This I have noted down in a note taking app (free app Evernote)
    I now have over two years of information that allows me to get the correct plan for me.
    In fact my data usage notes go back to October 2010 a I did the same with my previous phone an Iphone4s.
    Knowledge is power, and saves you money.
    There will be no Brexit dividend for Britain.
  • Highly recommend 'My Data Manager' free from Google Play for android & from apple for iPhone users.
    You can setup alarms to stop data usage when you reach your monthly contract allowance and even for wi-fi.
    You can view how much data is used by all your apps either hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or by your plan dates.
  • HappySad
    HappySad Posts: 2,033 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    “…the ‘insatiability doctrine – we spend money we don’t have, on things we don’t need, to make impressions that don’t last, on people we don’t care about.” Professor Tim Jackson

    “The best things in life is not things"
  • gfplux wrote: »
    My phone Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has a built in monitor that tells you how much data you have used.
    I have set up a reminder (free app GTasks) that tells me every Saturday to check my data usage. This I have noted down in a note taking app (free app Evernote)
    I now have over two years of information that allows me to get the correct plan for me.
    In fact my data usage notes go back to October 2010 a I did the same with my previous phone an Iphone4s.
    Knowledge is power, and saves you money.

    eeek - seems like a horribly manual process for what should be automated. Can you not log into your mobile providers site and get that information? I seem to have almost 24 months of data/calls/text usage site just by logging into my 3 account (its so passive I have not done it recently) I just get an email stating that my bill is £12 - I only ever check my account if it is more than that.
  • liz545
    liz545 Posts: 1,726 Forumite
    I've recently got a smartphone after years of having a bog standard Nokia, I didn't think I was using that much data but I found I was reaching my limit more often than I'd expected. I've gone through the settings and set all apps to only update/sync over wifi, and turned off image previews in Twitter. I'm also taking a book with me for long bus/train journeys so I can resist playing with my phone!
    2015 comp wins - £370.25
    Recent wins: gym class, baby stuff
    Thanks to everyone who posts freebies and comps! :j
  • Try using 'Opera Max', it compresses all your data and for me really helps. I think it is only currently available on android though.
    Bottle of Baby Bio... Yeah I'm new here...
  • liz545 wrote: »
    I've recently got a smartphone after years of having a bog standard Nokia, I didn't think I was using that much data but I found I was reaching my limit more often than I'd expected. I've gone through the settings and set all apps to only update/sync over wifi, and turned off image previews in Twitter. I'm also taking a book with me for long bus/train journeys so I can resist playing with my phone!
    Many folk are sucked into packages with very little data in them, only to find new ways of using the data!

    My other half used to have a bog standard Nokia too, since getting an iPhone she's discovered that internet radio works a whole lot better than DAB/FM in her electrically noisy office... She listens to Radio 2 in the mornings and Gold in the afternoons. They don't have WiFi in the building, so she uses 3G. Fortunately she has unlimited data with Three.

    The Kindle App is quite good for reading off-line, and saves taking a bulky Kindle everywhere, although it's better to use a real Kindle when outside in sunshine.
  • gfplux
    gfplux Posts: 4,985 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Hung up my suit!
    Hello splitinfinity
    Sorry you would find it a chore.
    Checking my "stuff" is just what I do.
    Internet usage, bank account, credit cards, gas usage, water usage, electricity usage, etc, etc.
    I just like to be in control of my money.
    As you say although the information is there but you have not checked it recently. ? Last month? Last year? You sound like you "nearly" have everything at your fingertips.
    When it comes to money I only work for myself, that should be a full time job.
    Apologies if that comes across as rude.
    There will be no Brexit dividend for Britain.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,348 Community Admin
    10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 17 December 2014 at 9:10AM
    It's simple, turn off syncing. Stop updating the weather every 2 mins, updating facebook every 2 mins, stop setting emails to check as soon as they arrive. Set your email app to only download email headers (just the subject and who it's from) rather than the whole thing, only when you click on the email will it download the rest (as I bet you don't read them all anyway). Oh, and use free wifi where possible (obviously) ((although on my phone, it bridges wifi and 3g/4g together to make the fastest connection possible, so be careful your phone isn't doing that))

    Anyway who am I to talk, I have unlimited 4G on three (including tethering) and consistently use 15GB+ per month
    This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 351K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.6K Spending & Discounts
  • 244K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.9K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.3K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.