Money expert has shared how to save money on your phone bill – and it involves sending a free text message to a five digit number
Money-saving guru Martin Lewis has issued a ‘cheeky’ challenge to his audience: send a brisk text to a shortcode and you could trim your bills by hundreds.
The financial guru advocated ‘four steps’ to systematically reduce mobile phone expenditures, according to his latest share on X. One pivotal tactic includes sending an uncomplicated text message – a boon considering the current rock-bottom prices of SIM cards.
Lewis noted that many customers with pricey monthly plans might not realise they’re no longer bound by their contracts, having completely paid off their devices. With no onus to continue costly commitments, he suggests a switch.
Mr Lewis said: “There are 4 steps to slashing your mobile phone costs, and right now SIMs are dirt cheap, so if you’re out of contract, it’s worth doing. But what’s interesting is the final step, which sounds like it’s a technical step, does have a hidden bit of money-saving magic.
“The last step in the process, once you know where you want to shift your mobile phone custom to, is to text PAC to 65075, it’s free. What that does is request your porting authorisation code from your existing mobile phone provider, which you can give to the new one so you can move your number across.
“But often when you do this, if you’re out of contract, your existing provider will say, please don’t go, and we’ll actually include in that an offer to keep you. It’s virtually a way of haggling. So sometimes people go, oh, I won’t bother leaving, you’re offering me 20 quid a month off. So if you’re very cheeky and while I’d prefer you to do all four steps, what you could do if you’re out of contract is just text PAC to 65075, pretend that you’re leaving, and see if they offer you a better deal to stay. Let me know how it goes.”
Previously, Mr Lewis shared his best advice for mobile users eager to cut down their bills, underscoring that 14 million individuals are no longer tied by contracts, thus able to switch freely.
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He outlined a straightforward method to find out if you’re one of these contract-free customers: “You text ‘info’ for free to 85075 to check.”
He mentioned Three users specifically, saying they need to also send their birth date. Mr Lewis explained that those still under contract might incur exit fees, but everyone else can pursue the most cost-effective offers: “You’re a free agent – you can go and get the cheapest deals, you can cut your costs.”
Mr Lewis further suggested doing a cheap sim comparison study, noting that most offers aren’t directly available from the providers—as that would mean offering the same deals to existing clients—and are mostly found on comparison websites, often with limited availability.
Money Show Live viewer Rebecca revealed a stunning cutback in her mobile expenses, mentioning: “I went to look at SIM only for my daughter, husband and I. We were paying £224 a month for all three contracts. I shopped around to get the best deal and now pay £34 a month for all three saving me £190 a month.”
Martin couldn’t hide his shock at such a significant saving, noting: “I know you’re clapping but the problem was how much they were paying in the first place and I bet I can guess what was happening there. You just really need to be aware of this.”
He inferred an all-too-common issue while responding: “This is what happens. People go and get themselves a new iphone. They’re paying £40-£50 a month for it because they’re paying off the phone. The contract’s two years and at the end of the two years the phone is paid off. But if you do nothing they don’t drop the price.”
Martin highlighted the trap many consumers fall into after their phone repayment term ends: “You’re still paying the price as if you’re paying off the handset itself for the tariff which would cost you diddly-squat if you got it on its own.”
He branded this ongoing overpayment as a blatant con, stating that it shouldn’t happen but does: “That is a massive rip-off – it shouldn’t be allowed, it is allowed. If you’re getting a phone on a contract, the day you’ve paid your phone off you need to be getting a new tariff, even going to the same firm and saying you want to pay less. It’s like having a loan that once you’ve paid it off they keep charging you.”