Your phone may be one of the biggest bills in your budget, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re tired of paying too much for your cell phone, check out this list. It shares three charges that could be bloating your telephone bill and how to avoid them.

1. Data Overages

Data fees are a tricky charge. Either you’re paying a lot for unlimited gigabytes, or you stick with a cap and run the risk of going over it. If you use more gigs than you should, your carrier will slap you with a penalty, causing your usual bill to spike drastically. 

How to Fix It: 

First and foremost, you’ll have to pay the charge to avoid further penalties. There’s no way out of that one if you’ve set a limit to your data. 

If you don’t have extra cash on hand, you may consider using an online installment loan for this spike. Take the time to compare the benefits of this option with other short term loans. Shopping around will help you determine if an online installment loan is the right option for this spike. Just note that while an online installment loan may work for an unexpected data charge, you shouldn’t use it for your regular telephone bill.

Next, you’ll want to think about your data carefully. You can drastically reduce what you use every month by following these tips. But if you find it a constant struggle to stay under your cap, you may want to consider raising your limit or switching to an unlimited plan. 

2. Finance Fees 

The latest iPhone or Pixel handset may seem like an essential expense, but these premium phones may drive up your monthly bill. Your carrier charges you finance fees for the phone if you don’t buy it outright.

How to Fix It: 

Buying your phone outright may work for some people, but it’s a big upfront cost that most others can’t afford. Instead, try sticking with your phone for as long as possible once you pay it off, and only upgrade to pre-certified used devices. 

3. Roaming Charges

Roaming charges can take your bill for a walk, and it will cost more the farther you go. It happens anytime you leave your home network and connect to a network out of your carrier’s coverage area.    

For the most part, roaming occurs when you’re vacationing in another country. However, it may occur if your plan only offers local coverage. Solving it then depends on why you’re roaming. 

How to Fix It: 

Again, paying it off first is essential to keeping your account in good standing, so you’ll want to check in with your budget to ensure you don’t carry over this charge to the next bill. If you don’t have any wiggle room, installment loans may be an option if this was an unusual spike. 

Once the world returns to normal and you can travel safely again, you’ll want to think about temporarily upgrading your plan for international travel. This cost tends to be less than roaming. 

However, if you’re always roaming because your carrier provides a relatively small coverage area, you may consider switching providers. An installment loan is not a good fit because this is a regular charge before you make the switch.

The Takeaway

At the end of the day, it pays to be attentive and informed. Taking the time to understand your bill and usage can help you catch costly fees that don’t belong. Watch out for these three charges and follow the tips to send a cost-saving message to your carrier.