Cut Price Mobile Options

With the latest mobile phones costing an absolute fortune to purchase, this article reviews the alternative ways in which you can purchase the phone you want for less.

A decent mobile phone is going to set you back a few hundred pounds, and for many people, that just isn't feasible. Times are tight, and we're all looking to cut costs and make savings. But at the same time, for many a mobile phone is a necessity rather than a luxury. As more jobs require mobiles, and many people are giving up their expensive home land line phones, a mobile is a necessary device. So what exactly should you do when you need that new phone but you don't have much cash? Today we're talking about the various ways that you can get cut price mobiles. So if you need a new phone, don't panic, chances are that you'll be able to get one using at least one of these tips...

New Budget Phone Options...

Given the current economic climate the budget smart mobile-phone market is booming. More and more companies are producing fully touch screened smart phones for low prices. You do have to be careful that you're not sacrificing too much performance for price, however. But it is possible to get a pretty good smart-phone for less than a hundred and fifty pounds. Look for a processor that's around 800 MHz, a screen of about four inches, and nothing less than 2 GB of internal memory, and you should get a device that's capable of satisfying the average customer. Huawei in particular are known for making good quality budget mobiles, and some of the lower end Sony Xperia phones are good deals too. You don't need a high end phone to make calls, send texts and check your email. And a budget smart phone can be a pretty good buy.

Refurbished Phones are Bargains...

Another option is to check out refurbished-phones. These are not the same as second hand mobiles. When a customer buys and then returns a mobile, the device is not simply resold. Generally there is nothing wrong with the phone in question; the customer has simply changed his or her mind. In many cases the phone hasn't even been used. Regardless of this, the phone is sent back to the factory. It gets a complete technical inspection to make absolutely sure that there's nothing wrong with it, and it will also be cleaned and rebooted before being cleared for resale. The great thing about refurbished phones is that in appearance and function they're totally indistinguishable from brand new models, you won't be able to tell the difference. You'll even get a warranty on a refurbished device. Occasionally the phone won't be in its original packaging, but that doesn't affect the phone's performance at all. The best models to find refurbished are mid-range models. High end phones don't get returned particularly often, and budget models aren't worth refurbishing. But you can get some great deals. You'll find refurbished mobiles with some mobile operators, or check directly with the manufacturer on their web site.

Incentive Contracts with Operators...

Probably the most common way that cash strapped customers get new phones is by signing an incentive contract with a mobile operator. These are the calling plan contracts that also offer you a free or cut price mobile. And for those people that really have no cash an incentive contract is going to get you the phone that you need for nothing. However, nothing in life is really free. You will be paying more in your monthly fee to cover the cost of the mobile that you get, effectively buying the phone in instalments. So, whilst it's no cash down, you're going to be getting more expensive phone bills. Plus, over the complete duration of your contract you will end up paying more than the retail price of the phone in question. As with most instalment plans you pay for the convenience, and for the risk that the company takes in giving you a new phone without taking the full price in return. Again, mid-range mobiles make the best buys on incentive contracts, since these are the devices where the difference between contract price and retail price is at its smallest.

Second Hand Phones are Riskier...

You can, of course, always buy a second hand-phone. Buying second hand is risky, since the device probably hasn't been checked over by a professional, and you won't have any guarantee that it is in good shape internally. Plus, there's not going to be a warranty, and in most cases there is no recourse should things go wrong. You can lessen this risk slightly by buying second hand in person, so that you have the opportunity to inspect the mobile yourself before paying for it. Giving a mobile a quick inspection is pretty easy. Firstly, look at the body of the device for dents and scrapes, then at the screen for scratches and dead pixels. If possible, take the back off and check the battery for signs of leakage or rust. Examine the connectors for the charger and head phones to make sure that they're not loose.

Put you SIM card into the phone and make a call, send a text message and connect to the internet to make sure the phone functions as it should. Finally, take a picture with the phone's camera and then take a look at the resulting photo for any signs of distortion or blurring. Faults in the photo could indicate that the camera lens is broken, meaning the phone has probably been dropped or damaged. You won't be able to check everything, things like battery life you'll have to take a risk on, but a quick examination should give you a good idea of whether or not the phone is a good buy. Unfortunately, many second hand mobiles are sold online nowadays, meaning that you won't get the chance to inspect them. If you're buying online try to buy from a reputable site that sells second hand phones, preferably one with a return policy. Try to avoid buying person to person on sites like eBay, as the risk will be higher.

Sam Jones wondered whether refurbished phones would be a viable alternative to a new handset.  He was able to find out more with the help of sites such as uSwitch.

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