You know I like to save money. One area where many personal finance experts recommend cutting back is your cell phone bill. Some go as far to say a pay-as-you-go phone or flip phone are great options for the ultra-frugal. I have some choice words for that, you’ll have to rip my iPhone from my (cold) hands. (they are literally cold all winter)
Now before you tell me how foolish this is I’ll lay it out for you.
1. Work on the Go: I work as a freelancer in social media marketing and as a freelance writer and blogger. My business requires that I be available on the go. Emails don’t stop just because I need to sit in a waiting room for an hour with a sick kid or I need to travel to a conference. My iPhone allows me to stay on top of emails, respond to requests, and share and update via social media on the go. Pretty much a job requirement.
Bonus: It’s a tax write off (the portion I use for work-about 65%).
2. Organized Life: With 4 kids, a busy husband, and a freelance job that means multiple balls in the air my iPhone allows me to organize it all in one place. At a glance I can see what appointments or activities we have for the day and see what deadlines are looming. In addition I use it for coupon savings, membership rewards, banking on the go, and so much more.
Bonus: I can use it to play Angry Birds when I need mindless distractions.
3. Free Phones: I never pay out of pocket for our phones. You can read more about how we get our phones free here. I often end up with extra moolah in my pocket when all is said and done. We upgrade when we’re due to, so every two (or less) years.
Bonus: Even though it’s ‘free’ I can still write the phone purchase off as a business expense.
4. Hot Spot on the Go: With our AT&T Family Plan we get a free hotspot. That means I don’t have to rely on sub-par WiFi on the go. When I travel I have a trusty hotspot that allows me to continue to work no matter my destination.
Bonus: I can let friends and travel buddies share which has earned me free drinks or dinners as a thank you!
5. Big Savings: Now I can save even more. We were paying $210 (after fees and taxes) for a Family Plan for 3 phones. AT&T just introduced their new best-ever pricing for both existing and new customers! We’re getting the EXACT same service for $65/month less!
Bonus: I can put that $65/month towards our emergency savings-that’s nearly $800/year in savings!
Here’s a comparison from AT&T versus their biggest competitor, Verizon.
New Family Plans from AT&T
The info below was provided by AT&T.
Here’s how it works
| # of Smartphones | Monthly Service Cost | What You Get |
| 2 | $130 | Family-Size 10GB of Data
+ Unlimited Talk & Text |
| 3 | $145 | |
| 4 | $160 | |
| 5 | $175 | |
| Need more than 5 lines? | Easy. It’s $15 more per line. |
New Customers Can Switch & Save
Customers new to AT&T can get great savings when they sign up for a 10GB or larger bucket of data and purchase a phone with AT&T NextSM or bring their own device or purchase a phone at full retail price.
Savings for Current AT&T Customers
Current AT&T customers can save big with these new plans, too, when they choose a 10GB or larger bucket of data. For example, a family or small business with four smartphones could move to this new plan and save between $40 and $100 per month, depending on their current plan.
“These new plans give customers what they want – our best-ever prices on a best-in-class network,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility. “We’re making it easy for families who want it all – great service, great value and big bucket of data to share.”
Also, for a limited time only, all new and existing AT&T customers will receive a $100 bill credit for each new line of service added.
To learn more about the new AT&T Family Plans and Pricing visit AT&T.
Kelly
All the info provided by AT&T is available on their website. A special thanks to the PR representative who shared this info with me! I owe you a coffee.
