One Simple Way to Save on Mobile Data Usage

1 Simple Way to Save on Mobile Data Usage

Gone are the days of unlimited mobile data usage plans.  Now cellular companies realize they can make money off people who go over their cell data plans each month.  That overage can cause unwanted extra fees and really wreck havoc with your monthly budget.  This extra cost is really unnecessary and can be avoided with one simple way to save on data usage… use Free WiFi!

First of all, many home internet plans include WiFi service.  So if you are already paying for the WiFi in your home, don’t double pay!  There is no need to be using your mobile data within your 4 walls.  Simply be sure that all your devices (phones, tablets and laptops) are set to connect to the home WiFi- and check it!  Sometimes you can get “kicked off” the connection and you will start using up data without knowing it. So just double check.

Next, always be on the lookout for Free WiFi in retail stores and restaurants.  Many companies realize that providing Free WiFi makes for a great customer service experience.  Fast food restaurants, malls and even grocery stores are offering this perk for their customers.  Even if you don’t see a sign posted, always do a search in your cell phone settings to see if there is WiFi available.  

You can also often find Free WiFi in public spaces.  Some cities offer Free WiFi locations in parks and near busy commerce areas.  So on your coffee break, take a break from using your cell phone data too and take advantage of this public service option.  Of course places like libraries and doctors offices also offer the use of WiFi services for Free. These locations may limit time and only permit you access via a password, so be sure to ask about these details. 

Remembering to be on the look out for Free WiFi options has to become a habit.  And to help, you can also download an app like Wi-Fi Finder  to help you locate these data life savers. 

One last thing to think about. If you are traveling, you may or may not find Free WiFi in all airports and hotels.  However, it might not be a bad idea to look at how much the fees are for getting on the paid WiFi network.  If you are close to hitting your max on data- but need to get online, it might be better to pay the small WiFi usage fee than get hit with an overage charge from your cellular provider.

Looking for more ways to save on cell phone data usage?  I am no tech expert, but here are a few other things to look into:

• Mobile Data Usage App – You can find these data monitors via your cell phone provider or in your app store (like My Data Manager). You can also manually check your usage in the settings on your cell phone.
• Turn Off Social Media Video Autoplay– This is another setting to look for within your social media apps.  You should be able to find a place to turn on/off autoplay.  Streaming those ice bucket challenges and cute baby videos can drain the data fast!
• Adjust Email Settings – Change your email settings to only pull a snippet not the whole email and attachments.
• Change App Update Setting – App updates can be a major drain on data.  You can change the setting to only allow app updates when you are on a WiFi connection.

So do you always look for the Free WiFi?  Do you have any other tips to avoid data overage?