The best mobile phone tariffs!

If you're looking for a better deal on your mobile phone, you've come to the right place!

I often wonder how I ever managed without my mobile phone. It's quite pathetic how I've come to depend on it so much.

But with many of us using our mobile phones to call or text every single day, have you ever wondered whether you're actually getting the best value for your money?

With so many different tariffs on the market, knowing which deal is the most suited to your own personal needs can be a tad tricky.

So to give you a helping hand, I'm going to run through some of the best deals around to suit everyone's needs...

Cheap and cheerful

If you don't use your mobile too often and simply want something cheap and cheerful, pay-as you-go is usually your best option.

At the moment, the best pay-as you-go deal on the market is from Asda, where each text will only cost 4p, while calls will cost just 8p per minute.

But another great deal to consider is with Tesco. If you sign up to receive a free SIM card, you'll also be given either double or triple your top-up. So if you top-up by £10, you'll be given another £10, if you top-up by £15, you'll receive an extra £30, and if you top-up by £20, you'll receive an extra £40!

Calls cost 20p per minute, while texts cost 10p each, but for your five favourite UK numbers the price will be halved to 10p per minute and 5p respectively.

If, on the other hand, you'd prefer to sign up to a monthly plan and get a free phone thrown into the bargain, you still don't have to pay through the nose. The fabulous Orange 5 plan only costs £4.89 a month and includes 50 anytime minutes as well as 50 texts.

The only drawback is that you'll have to sign up for 36 months. But you will get a free phone, as well as a replacement after 18 months.

You could also consider the Orange 10 plan which costs £9.79 a month, and includes 100 minutes and 300 texts.  What's more, because you've signed up to Orange you can make the most of two for one cinema tickets every Wednesday and two for one at Pizza Express*! Bonus!

Medium users

If you use your phone fairly regularly but are only prepared to pay around £15 to £20 a month, you can still pick up some great deals - many of which throw in a basic phone for free, or a slightly better model if you pay a bit extra.

Here's what some of the top providers are currently offering for around £20 a month:

** Or 200 minutes and 400 texts if sign up to 24 month contract.

If it's flexibility you're after, 3 offers great value for money. With its Mix and Match plans, one minute equals one text, so you can use any combination of the two to make up your total allowance of 700.

However, if you're a true textaholic and the idea of unlimited texts appeals, the Orange Dolphin 25 and the Virgin £22 are definitely worth considering.

There is another way

Most providers have introduced SIM only deals over the past year or so, and these offer great value for money. You won't get a new phone, but if you're happy with the one you've already got, you'll get many more minutes/texts for your money.

What's more, you don't have to get tied into an 18 or 24 month contract. Instead, you can choose to be on a 30-day rolling contract - so if something better comes along you can switch at a month's notice.

Here's what the big networks are offering for £15 a month:

All of these deals come with unlimited texts, so if you're a keen texter, this could be the perfect solution! But if you also like to chat fairly often, T-Mobile's Solo 15 deal should be right up your street, offering 350 call-time minutes - beating all the other players.

That said, 3 is offering free Skype to Skype as well as unlimited 3 to 3 calls as part of the deal, while O2 is offering unlimited O2 to O2 calls - so it could be worth checking out what network your friends are on before deciding.

The whole hog

Finally, if you rarely spend any time away from your phone, here are some of the best deals for heavier users:

*Unlimited O2 to O2 calls.

Overall, I think Orange comes up trumps, offering 1,200 minutes as well as unlimited texts for just under £40 a month on an 18 month contract.

However, if your main goal is to get your hands on a snazzy iPhone, sign up to O2's £44.05 a month plan and you'll get the phone for free. As part of the 18 month deal, you'll receive 1,200 minutes and 500 texts (compared to the 1,000 texts you would get on the standard monthly tariff above).

If that seems a little pricey, commit to a 24 month contract with O2 and for £34.26 a month, you'll receive your free iPhone, 600 minutes and 500 texts.

What's more, if you order a new iPhone through Quidco at Mobiles.co.uk (a member of Carphone Warehouse), you'll receive £60 cashback!

However, if it's the Nokia N97 that tickles your fancy instead, you can get your mitts on one absolutely free if you sign up to Vodafone's £40 monthly plan. This plan includes 1,200 minutes and unlimited texts for a 24 month contract.

Finally, if you'd prefer to maximise your calls/text limits and are happy to keep your current phone, Tesco's £30 a month plan might be right up your street, offering you unlimited texts, calls and internet! (Up to a fair usage limit of £300).

So there you have it, a selection of mobile tariffs to meet everyone's needs. And don't forget - shopping for your tariff online instead of on the high street can work out to be much cheaper. You're far more likely to find a competitive or discounted deal sitting on your laptop than you will in your local high street.

Happy hunting!

*Wednesdays only.

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