Mobile phone virgin...

huggermugger

I've never paid my own bill or even seen it as I have had one with my job. I've now got to make my own arrangements tho I can keep the phone, a Nokia, which I'm happy with. I don't think it's locked as it will work with a T-mobile sim card.

I've read all the articles & quite a few of the threads & I'm still not sure what to go for. My best estimate for usage is 300 minutes & 60 texts per month tho I'm sure I exceeded that on my work phone...

So, the usage would indicate a contract I guess but they all seem to offer phones which I don't want. I can't find any comparisons on sim-only deals. I put my usage into onecompare & it came up with two deals both costing over £50 a month!
:eek: - or am I being unrealistic?? I know, I've been spoilt...but I did work hard for it!

The phone is on O2 & both my kids (one away at Uni) are as well.

Any enlightenment much appreciated - this thread is my only hope!

badmumof1

i am with virgin media and i took up the offer of 100min 100 txt with phone for my son and i got the 300 min and 300 txt for myself plus phone for 10 pounds each a month.
i think the deals is 15 pounds a month for non virgin media customers.

billsavings

All you need is a sim card only deal (30 day contract) as you have a phone your happy with.

Have a look at T-Mob. Just £15 a month . 350 x-net minutes 650 texts.
http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-phones/sim-card/pay-monthly/

Or possibly better still for you the O2 sim only deal £20 a month which includes unlimited calls to o2 mobiles.
http://shop.o2.co.uk/tariffs/sim_only

Get some cashback to by signing up via a cashback site.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/cashback-sites-comparison/

huggermugger

Thanks to you both for these.

I agree that the O2 sim card deal looks good - the kids have got very used to saying "phone me back, Mum"!

Thanks too for the cashback reminder - I have used it in the past but don't always remember to check it. There is £23 odd available for this sim card but unfortunately the online shop isn't working at the moment...

I'm under a bit of pressure timewise to sort this out but I'll try again later.

Moneysavers to the rescue! (You saved me from headaches as well )

will-in-estoril

Have you considered the Tesco Mobile Standard Plus tariff for £15 top up per month? There are bolt on options to tailor to your need: for example, you get 150 mins already included. You then bolt on an additional 125 mins for £12.50 and 50 texts for £2.50, both of which come from your £15 top up.

This gives you 275 mins and 50 texts for £15.

You can get 10% off by using their regular top up facility, so that the cost would be £13.50.

You're completely in control and not tied into any contract and you can monitor how much you really need to spend.

http://www.tesco.com/mobilenetwork/shop/?page=tariffinfo

huggermugger

Ok - head's starting to spin a bit...

Think I've understood the Tesco's deal as you outline it but I can't see anything about bolt-on packages, just top-ups and the rate they charge for them. Is that what you mean?

The only way I can compare the two would be to look at the lower rate with O2 - online 15 which is £15 for 200 minutes & 400 texts & I still would get the unlimited O2 calls. There is very little difference in the rate per call/text outside the free minutes/texts.

That makes the O2 look preferable I think, but Tesco does do half price calls to three favourite numbers, which I could put the kids' numbers into. Not sure how that works - would it just eat the credit up at half the rate, do you think? Then there's the Clubcard points which are currently on offer at 4 per £1 top-up, but only until November.

My maths just isn't up to it! Can anyone help??

will-in-estoril

Have a look at this link.

http://www.tesco.com/mobilenetwork/shop/?page=comparetariffs

Alternatively, the Extra Tariff (all calls 10p and texts 5p) should be a lot less complicated!! Why did I not suggest it in the first place?? No need to worry about any bolt ons.

http://www.tesco.com/mobilenetwork/shop/?page=extratariff

huggermugger

And I think Tesco charges for phoning voicemail - they don't say so on their website but it doesn't say it's free either. The O2 one is free.

I now see what you mean about bolt ons - they call them bundles, I think. As far as I can see, you have to top up first although you can do that automatically by direct debit but then you have to call & order the bundle each month. Can anyone say how easy it is to remeber to do this??

Is this thread of use to anyone else as well? I hope so!

huggermugger

Sorry Will - cross-posting, I think...

Yes, the Extra tariff does look a darn sight simpler & is 10p per minute/5p per text - but no free minutes. More maths!

So, if I use 275 minutes per month plus 50 texts it would cost £30 I think. Which puts me back to square one - I think O2 with cashback looks like the best bet.
I really appreciate your time helping me to look at the options, Will. :T