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If you’re looking to balance out your budget and find savings, lowering your cell phone bill can help tremendously. The average cell phone plan costs over $100 per month, which can be a large portion of your monthly expenses.
Even Verizon customers on one of the largest networks can find ways to lower their bills. All it takes is figuring out what discounts and opportunities are out there and seeing which apply to you.
Our guide below includes several ways you can lower your Verizon bill, no matter what plan you have. While not all of these discounts apply to everyone, most Verizon customers will qualify for one discount or another.
Once you look into it, you might be surprised to find all the savings you’ve been missing out on. In fact, realizing how little you can pay for your cell phone plan through Verizon might even drive you to take a closer look at your other bills to see where you can find more savings.
Are you ready to learn how to lower your Verizon bill? Let’s get started!
What Services Does Verizon Offer
When you signed up for your current Verizon plan, chances are you compared your options and picked the plan that worked best for you. However, sometimes the key to figuring out how to get free money is closer to home than we might think.
For instance, one of many bad financial habits is not reviewing your subscription plans to ensure you’re paying for services you not only need but actually use. We’ll talk more about this in a minute, but before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s first establish what services Verizon has to offer.
Verizon offers several cell phone plans with a variety of services. In addition, this cell phone service provider is currently running a promotion that pays you $360 when you bring your own phone (see website for more details).
Plans
When signing up for Verizon cell phone service, you can choose from several unlimited plans and prepaid plans. In the next section, we’ll demonstrate how prepaid plans can save you money each month, but let’s first take a closer look at the basic plans Verizon offers:
- 5G Start: This basic plan starts at $45 per month and offers unlimited 5G coverage and 5GB of premium mobile hotspot data. Verizon also invites you to try Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass, Disney+, and Apple Music for six months without charge.
- 5G Do More: For $10 more per month, you’ll get 5G ultra-wideband and 50GB of premium network access, as well as 25GB of premium hotspot data. You can also add Verizon Home Internet for $25 per month. You still get the six-month free trial of the services listed above, in addition to 600GB of Verizon Cloud data and more.
- 5G Play More: This plan is similar to the one above but includes Disney+ and Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass.
- 5G Get More: To get unlimited network access, you’ll pay $65 per month. This top-tier plan offers unlimited premium network access, 50GB of hotspot data, and access to Disney+, Apple Music, 1 Travelplass day per month, and up to 50% off a watch, hotspot, tablet, or Hum plan.
- One Unlimited for iPhone: This $60-per-month plan offers iPhones 5G ultra-wideband and unlimited network access, a 25GB hotspot, and Apple One plus connectivity.
- Welcome Unlimited: This basic plan costs $40 per month and offers 5G nationwide unlimited data. You can also try Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass, Disney+, and Apple Music for six months for free.
Now that we’ve established what plans you can choose from, it’s time to work toward those savings.
7 Ways to Lower Your Verizon Bill
Many people don’t get past the Verizon Deals page when it comes to saving money. If you want to lower your Verizon bill to put more back in your pocket, check out these options.
1. Review Monthly Statement
Saving money starts with taking a look at what services you’re signed up for and what rates you’re currently paying. That means pulling out your monthly bill (or looking it up online) and reviewing your charges.
In some cases, you may actually be paying a higher rate than you should be. For example, if you signed up under the assumption you were getting a discount for one reason or another, you may find that discount wasn’t applied and you’ve been paying the full amount ever since.
If this is the case, get in touch with customer service to resolve the issue and potentially receive credits for the higher rate you paid.
Taking a look at your monthly statement can also help you identify where you can cut costs. Perhaps you’ve only been using about half the data on your internet plan. If this is the case, you could be paying a lower rate and still continue with your internet habits.
2. Sign Up for Auto Pay and Paperless Billing
One of the easiest ways to save money with Verizon is hidden in the very price this company advertises. If you look closely enough at the pricing, Verizon notes that you can save $10 per month if you enroll in auto pay and paperless billing.
Verizon also splits these two services apart and offers only $5 off per month in some cases. However, most Verizon plans seem to have this discount available.
Paperless billing makes it easy to review your statements online. With auto pay, you won’t have to worry about missing a payment and losing your cell phone service.
3. Speak to the Loyalty Department
None of us like to sit on the phone for hours, or even half an hour at that. But sometimes that’s all it takes to get that much more out of your Verizon services.
For example, call and speak to a representative about what current discounts and promotions they’re offering. Ask if you’re eligible for any and how much you could save on your monthly bill.
You can also ask if there are discounts for certain groups of people, such as military members, students, seniors, and/or low-income families. If you signed up for Verizon services and weren’t asked about these qualities, now’s the time to cash in on them.
It never hurts to ask if you can extend discounts for longer than their advertised time period. The worst case scenario is that your request is denied, but you still get to enjoy the benefit for that period of time all the same.
Asking if Verizon will match a competitor’s rate can seem risky. However, customer service representatives are urged to keep customers who are looking elsewhere for a lower rate. They may be more willing to work with you if you stay, even if they don’t match the competitor’s price.
Negotiating your rate is one of the biggest steps in reducing your monthly bill. It can seem intimidating to negotiate with a huge company like Verizon, but again, if you hang up with the same rate you had before you called, at least you made the effort to pursue that potential saving opportunity.
4. Auto-Negotiate your Monthly Bills for Lower Rates
Each of these steps requires a bit of work on your part, but if you’re someone who just doesn’t have the time or energy to commit, there are options like Rocket Money, Haitus and BillTrim which are bill negotiation services.
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One of the best ways to lower your Verizon bill is to sign up for an app that will do it for you. For example, Rocket Money will lower your bills by negotiating them for a better rate, or by taking advantage of one-time discounts. The app is free to download, but you only pay 40% of your savings if they’re able to actually save you money.
Premium services cost around $3-$12 per month, depending on what features you want. However, users report saving about $96 per year. If you want to save money by tidying up your subscriptions and benefiting from lower bills, check out Rocket Money’s free app.
Rocket Money helps 3.4+ million members save hundreds. Get the app and start saving today. Save more, spend less, and take back control of your financial life.
Hiatus is another app that helps reduce your Verizon bills. One of the hardest things to do these days is keep track of where your money is going. With Hiatus, all your financial commitments are in one place, so you can more easily manage your spending and even make some changes to put you on the path towards financial success.
Like Rocket Money, Hiatus can also negotiate your bills for you to directly lower your rates. Hiatus can also cancel subscriptions you’re not using anymore. The Hiatus app is free to download, and can potentially save you about $137 a year on average. Again, you only pay Hiatus if they are able to lower your bills; they’ll take 50% of the savings within the first year. You can also pay a $9.99 monthly fee for premium features.
Hiatus organizes your finances and monitors your largest expenses. Get better rates on your debt, insurance, deposits and utilities.
There are a plethora of money-saving apps that can help you save money across all of your expenses, not just your cell phone bill. Find one that is right for you and get started saving, our favorite one is Rocket Money.
5. Select a Prepaid Plan Versus a Regular Plan
Since you had a chance to review Verizon’s mainstream plans, take a look at the prepaid plans available:
- Talk & Text: To get unlimited talk and text, you’ll only pay $45 per month. You’re limited to 2G data speeds but Verizon includes international texting with this plan as well.
- 15GB: This plan is similar to Talk & Text but also gives you the chance to add a mobile hotspot from the plan allowance.
- Unlimited: For $60 per month, you can get unlimited data as well as a 5GB mobile hotspot.
- Unlimited Plus: For an additional $10 per month, this plan offers 5G ultra-wideband, 50GB of premium network access, a 25GB mobile hotspot, and up to 180 minutes of international talk at no additional cost.
As you can see, these plans are cheaper but still offer plenty of perks. It is important to note that Verizon requires you to bring your own phone if you choose one of these plans.
5. Leverage the Corporate Employer Discount Program
Verizon offers a monthly discount for select government, corporate, and education employers. Visit the page to see if your employer qualifies by entering your work email.
You can also check to see if your spouse’s employer is listed. If so, you can add your spouse as an account manager on the plan (even if they have cellphone service through another company) and take advantage of the discount.
6. Military, First Responder, Nurse, and Teacher Discounts
Like most companies, Verizon offers discounts for those who serve our country. Teachers can also cash in on these savings:
- Verizon Teacher Discount
- Verizon Nurses Discount
- Verizon Military Discount
- Verizon First Responders Discount
Discounts vary based on how many lines are included in your plan.
7. Earn a Student Discount
Check out the many student discounts Verizon offers for part-time and full-time students pursuing their undergraduate and graduate degrees. These discounts pay off for regular service plans but that doesn’t mean you can’t save if you choose a prepaid plan instead.
Note that Verizon does restrict this discount to accounts with two phone lines or fewer. Savings are about $10 per month per line.
8. Keep Your Phone
It doesn’t take a lot of math skills to know that keeping your old phone costs less than upgrading. Verizon will often break up the cost of your new phone over several months, potentially up to two years.
However, these plans often require a two-year contract. If you want to get out of the contract, you’ll often have to pay steep fees.
Keeping your old phone can be a bummer if you’re looking for the latest and greatest. All the same, a few months without those extra charges can go a long way toward making your budget balance better.
9. Mobile + Home Rewards
Verizon’s Mobile + Home Rewards program discontinued accepting new enrollments as of June 2022. Should enrollment open back up again, you can potentially take advantage of the savings this program offers.
For example, Verizon advertised that with Mobile + Home Rewards, you could save money on cell phone and internet services. If you’re new to Verizon Mobile and Fios (the internet service), you could get up to $20 off your monthly bill.
Customers could increase that savings by another $10 if they added both services within 30 days of one another. We’re not sure when or if Verizon will open up this program again or if there will be a new, similar program in its place.
10. Keep Your Personal Information Up to Date
Believe it or not, the area in which you live affects the rates you’re eligible for. To receive the correct rate for your zip code, ensure it’s up to date, along with the rest of your address. This is especially true if you’ve moved recently and haven’t had a chance to update your Verizon account.
11. Change Your Plan Completely
We mentioned reducing your internet plan earlier, but the option to do so stands for whatever services you have through Verizon. For instance, you might choose a lower-cost cell phone plan that limits your data so you’re not spending hours on Instagram or Tik Tok.
Speaking of cell phones, you can also choose a family plan if the option works out for you. Bundling the cost of cell service can actually save you quite a bit in the long run, especially if you have a large family.
If family plans aren’t an option, you can also downgrade to a more affordable plan that’s within your budget. This could also include choosing a prepaid plan that requires a large lump sum up front, but rewards you with a lower rate for that term overall. It’s a bit like paying up-front for car insurance, rather than a monthly rate that could potentially total more over the length of the term.
Finally, you can also do your homework when it comes to plans. For example, if you can’t live without cable, you could choose a plan that waives activation and/or upgrade fees. Sometimes these plans are offered in conjunction with a contract or long-term commitment.
12. Bundle Your Phone, Internet, and Cable Services
If you don’t already bundle your cell phone, internet, and cable services with Verizon, chances are you may get a decent discount from switching. It’s also a lot easier to remember to pay one bill for three services than three bills for three separate services.
13. Pay Your Monthly Bill with a Rewards Credit Card
Bills are those pesky costs of living that we often can’t live without. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get something out of the deal as well.
For example, if you pay your Verizon bill (or any bill, for that matter) with a rewards credit card, you could be earning cash back on your payment. That puts a little money back in your pocket, almost like a small reward for being a responsible adult.
We recommend looking into the Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card. There’s no annual fee and Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned within the first year. There are opportunities to earn up to 5% cash back on some purchases, but you’ll earn 1% cash back minimum.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.
- Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- Redeem cash back in any amount, any time. Rewards never expire.
American Express also offers the Blue Cash Everyday® Card with no annual fee and 0% intro APR. If you spend up to $2,000 in the first 6 months, you’ll receive a $200 bonus statement credit. You can also easily set up payments to pay off larger purchases over time.
Save More By Switching Phone Carriers
Sometimes getting a lower rate at Verizon is a bit like getting blood out of an onion: impossible. Here are a few other carriers you can work with to get a lower monthly rate for your cell phone service:
- Mint Mobile: By far one of the cheapest options out there, Mint Mobile costs $25 per month for 15GB of data. You can also pay upfront for a year to save as well. Mint Mobile offers family plans for even more savings.
- AT&T and Cricket: Between these two cell phone service providers, customers have access to plenty of discounts as well as fairly priced plans with respectable perks. Plus, you can purchase an unlocked phone and still save with Cricket.
- Consumer Cellular: Though it caters to a wiser crowd, Consumer Cellular offers affordable plans including an unlimited plan that only costs $50 per month. AARP members get a discount and service comes from both AT&T and T-Mobile towers.
- Tracfone: Pay $35 per month to send up to 100 texts, talk for up to 750 minutes, and take advantage of 1GB of data. It’s not much for frequent texters but it’s enough for basic coverage.
Make sure you read the fine print before you sign up for the cheapest plan out there. Introductory rates may be tempting, but they can hide higher rates that kick in after a few billing cycles.
Additional Ways to Save on Cell Phone Bill
No matter which cell phone service provider you use, you can still take advantage of savings to reduce your monthly bill. Here are a few common ways to save:
- Regularly review your cell phone plan: If you signed up for a plan with perks and haven’t used any, it might be time to downgrade to a plan that better fits your style.
- Remove your cellphone insurance: This one is tricky, especially considering how much phones cost these days. At the same time, insurance may not be worth the extra money, especially if you can save that money and earn interest instead.
- Use WiFi instead of data: Data plans can make it difficult to stay within boundaries. Choose an unlimited plan or just use WiFi instead. Make sure you have proper protection on your phone before you connect to a free WiFi network.
- Consider a family plan: Bundling is something we hear about all the time with insurance companies, but you can indeed save more if you bundle your phone lines with Verizon.
- Avoid upgrading: Consider the savings that come with waiting a year or two before upgrading your phone.
- Negotiate your monthly rate: It costs more for companies like Verizon to obtain customers than retain them. Speak with a representative to see how you can stay on Verizon’s service but pay less.
- Find unlocked phones: Many people save tons of money by finding an unlocked phone that they can use with any cell phone service carrier. Plus, you don’t have to wrap the cost of your new phone into the monthly rate.
Another great way to see if you can save more on your cell phone bill is by partnering with a bill-trimming app. Some of the best bill negotiation services include Rocket Money (formerly Truebill), Trim, Hiatus, and BillTrim.
FAQs
Verizon offers several ways to lower your bill. For example, you can sign up for paperless billing and auto pay, check your eligibility for discounts, review your plan, and call Verizon directly to see what options you might have.
Yes, Verizon offers special discounts for military and first responders, as well as teachers. You can also get $360 if you bring your own phone and meet the eligibility requirements.
The cheapest Verizon bill costs around $40 per month, depending on what plan you choose. That’s about average for the nation, no matter which carrier you choose.
Yes, Verizon does have a loyalty rewards program. You can earn 10,000 points for signing up and earn annual rewards each year you’re a customer.
There’s no charge to sign up for Verizon loyalty rewards. You can earn 500 points for each line as well as 2,500 points when you enroll in Verizon Selects.
Save More with Verizon
Paying for cell phone service is just one more bill we often add to our stack. If you’re trying to find more savings in your budget, reducing your cell phone plan cost can help.
We hope you’ve found this article helpful in figuring out how to lower your Verizon bill. With so many ways to save, we hope you found at least a few extra dollars to keep in your bank account each month.
If you’re already taking advantage of the discounts and promotions Verizon offers, it can be good to know that there are other ways you can save, no matter which cell phone provider you have. These days, it seems almost everyone needs to squeeze even more money out of their budgets.
For more advice on how to save and ways to supplement your income, check out our other blog posts. We’re here to help!
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