All Those Bills
The mobile phone is a ubiquitous part of life in the industrialized world, so much so that it is difficult to imagine how we ever managed to get along without them. They are small enough that we can carry them in our pockets, yet complex enough that we can do such a great range of things with them, from calling up people to going online to playing games to listening to music to storing and retrieving files. The explosion of mobile apps has expanded even further the uses to which they can be put.
With this capacity to do so much with so little space, it is easy to get so carried away to forget that this service does not come for free. Just as with our household utilities, these things are supplied by somebody who will demand payment for them. There are, fortunately, ways in which you can monitor your smartphone activity and prevent your bills from going over the edge. Here are some of those ways.
Find the Best Deals
Deals for smartphones are being offered all over the place and what they specifically offer is as varied as their numbers. The factors that vary include:
- the period over which the deal applies (monthly, quarterly or annually). Monthly is the most common.
- the number of free minutes that you get
- the amount of data. This may be a finite amount, such as 500 megabytes, or it may be unlimited, in which case the first few (typically two) megabytes will be at full speed.
- the price that you will be charged per pay period, which can range from $35 to $120 per month
When choosing a phone deal, take your personal needs into consideration. For example, a deal that offers you 300 minutes on your phone for free will not be of much use to you if you use the device to make only an occasional call; you will still have wasted the money that you spent thereon. Remember that any amount of money that you spend, however large or small, is ultimately something that you could have spent on something else. That is why you have to make financial decisions wisely. You also, of course, have to look for deals that apply specifically to your line of mobile phone.
Install Security on The Phone
Security is as important with a smartphone as it is with any device that has Internet connectivity, though users are only beginning to realize that fact. It is important for both for same reasons as for a PC (viruses, Trojan horses and other kinds of threats) and for those that apply specifically to these devices. Without proper security software installed, a hacker could get into your phone and take the password, which he or she could then use to make one call after another; and of course you will be on the hook for the bills that result from those calls. You cannot afford to take that kind of chance so find a reputable mobile security software company, such as McAfee, Norton or Avast. Also be sure to check your mobile phone bill periodically and report any suspicious activity that you find to your provider.
Limit And Monitor Your Children’s Use of The Smartphone
Hackers may be a source of unduly large smartphone bills, but so can your children if you have any. That is why it is crucial that you supervise them strictly in their use of your phone and set clear boundaries regarding the purposes for which they can make calls with it and whom they may and may not call. Make it clear, too, what the consequences will be if they disobey. Again, keep tabs on the bill so that you will know immediately if your offspring are crossing the lines.
Be Mindful
These words from the Bible apply to everything that you do, including making calls on your smartphone. In addition to your bill, you should make a record of all the calls you make and how long they were. That way you can cut down on your usage if necessary.