topic Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues... in Get Support

Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

helenhelen — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 15:24:23 GMT

I thought I would share what I am doing to save money. I am a new customer (from March 5th) and had initially signed up for the $40 plan with 5GB data (with autopay). I realized that I was not using much data since I am home 95% of the time now due to the pandemic, and so I am mostly connected to my home WiFi.. so I switched my plan to the $25 one (1GB of data) in order to save money while social distancing measures continue. It was very easy to switch (and choose the option to have it switch over on the date of my autopay so I wouldn't lose any data from the old plan). So far I am almost halfway through the month and have used less than half a GB of data, so this seems to be the right plan for me right now. I go out maybe 1-2x/week for errands and groceries. Highly recommend doing this to save money! I plan to switch back once things are more back to normal...

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

mpcdesign — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 06:12:54 GMT

@helenhelen, why don't you switch down again to the $15 a plan (includes, 100 minutes, and 250mb of data), and if necessary but an additional $5 add-on plan for 500 minutes and $15 for 1 gig of data add-on. Both of these can be carried over to the next month if you don't use it up?

Out of curiosity, you could cut back even more with the data if you use wi-fi. And really, do you really need to be on social media if you are running errands? That could be done when you get home...hehe

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

helenhelen — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 06:37:23 GMT

It would cost $35 with those add-ons, although I didn't consider the rollover with the 1GB of data. The only thing is if this all blows over soon, I rarely need 5GB of data (which my original plan had).. I normally use 2-3GB on a regular basis. So having extra if I switch back isn't too helpful. I'll think about it though, but I'm not so sure it would ultimately save me enough money to worry about it.

As for using data while running errands, have you seen the lineups to get into grocery stores, etc.? The phone is very useful while standing around waiting. 🙂

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

iliketotalk — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 11:09:55 GMT

@helenhelen Hi sounds like you made the right move welcome to PM and please stay safe

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

Naepalm — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 11:19:53 GMT

@helenhelen wrote:
I thought I would share what I am doing to save money. I am a new customer (from March 5th) and had initially signed up for the $40 plan with 5GB data (with autopay). I realized that I was not using much data since I am home 95% of the time now due to the pandemic, and so I am mostly connected to my home WiFi.. so I switched my plan to the $25 one (1GB of data) in order to save money while social distancing measures continue. It was very easy to switch (and choose the option to have it switch over on the date of my autopay so I wouldn't lose any data from the old plan). So far I am almost halfway through the month and have used less than half a GB of data, so this seems to be the right plan for me right now. I go out maybe 1-2x/week for errands and groceries. Highly recommend doing this to save money! I plan to switch back once things are more back to normal...

Thanks for contributing this, really informative! Another thing you can do is sign up for auto pay save another 2.00

Have a great day!

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

will13am — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 11:30:05 GMT

It takes 60 days to complete two plan changes and be back to where you started. Who is to know how long the social distancing will last. The savings is all of $15 which is not a lot. Cutting out restaurant meals yield much greater savings. I am not making any plan changes.

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

Naepalm — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 11:36:13 GMT

@will13am wrote:
It takes 60 days to complete two plan changes and be back to where you started. Who is to know how long the social distancing will last. The savings is all of $15 which is not a lot. Cutting out restaurant meals yield much greater savings. I am not making any plan changes.

There is one thing I love about you @will13am you just say it how it is! I feel like we would get along well. I like the no bs answers, here it is. I always notice your contributions, too the point no beating around the bush. Great job!

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

will13am — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 11:45:23 GMT

@Naepalm I am just trying to be realistic about saving money. Believe me, those who have been around this forum for some time know that I don't take saving money lightly. What if the social distancing was lifted and you are stuck with the cheaper plan and run out of data? Do you suck it up and do without or buy the data add-on? Unless we are talking about major purchases, one time savings usually don't mean much in the grand scheme of things. It's the ongoing savings that add up. I am sure I will get a lot agreeing that using this service yield great savings month after month.

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

Naepalm — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 11:47:04 GMT

@will13am wrote:
@Naepalm I am just trying to be realistic about saving money. Believe me, those who have been around this forum for some time know that I don't take saving money lightly. What if the social distancing was lifted and you are stuck with the cheaper plan and run out of data? Do you suck it up and do without or buy the data add-on? Unless we are talking about major purchases, one time savings usually don't mean much in the grand scheme of things. It's the ongoing savings that add up. I am sure I will get a lot agreeing that using this service yield great savings month after month.

Very fair comment! You are looking long term rather than short term, so unless you are prepared to keep to that cheaper plan then just ride it out?

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

Triguy — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 13:15:02 GMT

You could downgrade to the $15 plan. Also you could purchase $5 add-on for 500 minutes and/or 1GB data add-on currently for $15. Both add-ons would not expire and rollover to your next month until they are used up.

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

kelvarnsen — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 13:36:06 GMT

The 15 dollar plan could work depending on someone's situation. If you have to do a conference calls that plan even with the 500 minute add on could end up costing more than a $25 unlimited plan.

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

Anonymous — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 13:50:03 GMT

@kelvarnsen wrote:
The 15 dollar plan could work depending on someone's situation. If you have to do a conference calls that plan even with the 500 minute add on could end up costing more than a $25 unlimited plan.

$15 + $5 + $5 comes to $25. That's 18:20 of talk. With say 20 week days a month, do people have that many say 1 hour conference calls? 36 half-hours? 73 15 minute calls?

Totally right to be aware though. But for the short term at least the base outlay is less.

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

kelvarnsen — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 14:40:23 GMT

@Anonymous it obviously depends on someone's situation. The way I saw it was if you are on the $15 plan and the $5 call add on you get enough talk minutes for 30 minutes of talking per work day. For 5 bucks more you have unlimited and don't have to worry about it. I know I have been using my cell phone for calls a lot more since working from home.

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

mpcdesign — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 23:09:32 GMT

if you really want to save money, cancel your cell phone and cable. and go the old school way, of just reading the same book over and over and over again!

I have a friend's sister who is two years behind in reading the paper. yes, you read right. she had a kid and didn't bother reading the paper, so the husband just piled the paper. when she got around to reading it, she catches up. I had to laugh at that because, in two years from now, when she gets all caught up, she's going freak out and say, "Oh my Gawd, there's some virus going around again!"

She takes the paper and brings it with her when she does errands. She reads about a paper when she goes to Costco!

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

brettster99 — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 00:30:13 GMT

Hey Helen

Welcome to the PM family glad to have you with us.

I like you have been trying to save money and to really cut down on my expenses. Even though public mobile already have the best bang for your buck plans for some of the lowest prices I needed to cut down.

As such I normally use all 8GB of data but I realize that most of that was because my WIFI was really crappy and I was looking at way too many YouTube videos. As such I am trying to bear with my crappy internet (cuts in and out and slow. But when it works it is alright) and not doing anything related to video on my data.

And as such I think I can absolutely go lower then my current plan at $40 for 4.5GB of data but I rather have too much data and reduce it after seeing how it goes then go to a really cheap plan and needing data and having to buy like 3 $15 1GB add one.

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

helenhelen — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 04:00:22 GMT

For people who have lost their job, $15 a month is substantial enough to make it worthwhile. This may last for months and that can quickly add up. We have been in it now for over a month and I don't think social distancing measures are going to end within the next month. That means I will have saved over $30 in 2 months (minimum), and I am either pessimistic or realistic to believe when they say this may go on until July or worse...

Anyway, I will come back to report on how much data I used at the end of this month. So far, it says I have used 436.390 out of a total of 1024MB since April 5th.

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

helenhelen — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 03:53:57 GMT

Who is actually doing a phone conference call while at home? Most are using video chat platforms for work related calls now, and when I have to make any conference calls from home (even before covid19 as I no longer have a job), I always made calls through my Gmail or some other online means, using my home wifi. I don't enjoy talking on a cell phone for long periods of time.

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

Diamondley — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 17:25:43 GMT

Slyyy comment you could have kept to yourself! He was just trying to share some tips, no need to be judgmental.

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

Luddite — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 20:14:37 GMT

@helenhelen wrote:
For people who have lost their job, $15 a month is substantial enough to make it worthwhile. This may last for months and that can quickly add up. We have been in it now for over a month and I don't think social distancing measures are going to end within the next month. That means I will have saved over $30 in 2 months (minimum), and I am either pessimistic or realistic to believe when they say this may go on until July or worse...

Anyway, I will come back to report on how much data I used at the end of this month. So far, it says I have used 436.390 out of a total of 1024MB since April 5th.

@helenhelen Unless it's impossible to survive without cellular service you missed the least expensive option. To wit, suspend PM service and use TextNow for calling/texting on wifi; yes, your contacts will need to use a different number until you reactivate.

Do remember to reactivate before 90 days, or your account will be closed.

Re: Save money on your plan while COVID19 social distancing continues...

Naepalm — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 20:21:07 GMT

@helenhelen I usually use 3 to 4 G a month. And was expecting to bring that down below 1G when coming to public because I work from home at this moment. I have far exceeded that as you can see from my screen shot.