I am one of those people that never use up all their cell phone minutes.  Unlike Cingular, my plan with Sprint does not have minute roll-overs.  When I think about it, the Sprint plan was costing me way too much (per minute).  So it was time for a change or a new cell phone plan.

So when my contract was up (on a 2 year agreement) I decided to find other alternatives to saving on my cell phone bill.

I’ve heard mixed reviews about the pay as you go phone plan.  Some people who tried it never stuck with it for too long.  I think the concept is OK, but there are no free phone promotions here.  The phone isn’t too expensive, depending on which carrier you use.  Sending text messages cost about 15 cents, which could really add up.  And remembering when to refill the minutes (when they expire) are really more of a hassle.

Then I decided maybe I can live without my cell phone for a while - see how that goes.  This way I just make people call me on the land line instead.

It was time to cancel my service.  The first person I talked to at Sprint transferred me to another department.  It must have been the “customer retention” department.

The customer service representative told me that he didn’t want to lose me as a customer.  He said he could offer me a good deal if I decide to continue with the service.  The new plan was $10 for 240 minutes plus 1,000 text messages.  And no new contract (extension) necessary.

I have to say this was one of the cheapest (if not best) cell phone plans I have ever heard about.  The Sprint representative said it is not something they advertise, but would consider doing for their customers.

So my tip #1 on saving money is to call your cell phone representative and tell them you want to cancel the service.  But make sure your contract is up first.  I think they rather have customers then lose them, so it may just work out for anyone.

And despite the stories of bad customer service at Sprint, I have to say almost all of my experience with them have been very pleasant.  I usually email them first with any issues and they resolve it within 48 hours.  It saves me time on the phone and I never really have to speak to a customer representative.

Image source:

SlipperBrick - tech review.

Update:  Sprint also has 15% employee discount for most major companies.  Check and see.