You need to embrace the savings that come with being a student. Cell phone businesses are routinely cutting back prices with student plans and promos. But you have to know what to ask and where to look.
As you get ready to go off to college this fall, make sure that you're shopping around to find the best deal on a cell phone plan. We've covered the best cell phone plans for college students before - so today's article is all about discounts!
Your cost savings could be anywhere from $5 to $20 per month, so take the time to compare the best deals before you sign up for a cell phone plan.
Student Pricing by Cell Phone Provider
As of July 2017, this list of cell phone plan rates for students is current. These rates are subject to change and other fees may apply, but this should serve as a basis when comparing your options between mobile providers.
AT&T Wireless
AT&T is one of the costliest cell phone providers when looking at plans with unlimited data usage. Their monthly wireless plans run $60-90 per month for a single line and $115-145 a month for two lines.
However, you should still check here to see whether you qualify for any school-based savings through the AT&T Signature Program.
Sprint might be the best deal on the market if you want multiple lines. Their plans run $50 per month for line 1, $40 per month for line 2, and then line 3-5 are all free.
This deal makes it possible to have five lines for only $90 per month -- versus at least around $200 monthly elsewhere.
Students do not receive a discount on monthly plans. However, there is a reduction in the amount you pay for their phones. Under the "campus exclusive," a student will save $60 on their smartphone purchase through T-Mobile. This provider offers unlimited calls, data and messaging with all fees and taxes applied.
To get the discounted phone price, call 1-844-703-1366 and mention to your T-Mobile agent that you want the Campus Exclusive offer.
The monthly price for T-Mobile plans is pretty reasonable. A single line will cost $70 per month, but savings are massive if you can get three others on your file -- with four lines, you pay just $40 a month per line.
U.S. Cellular
America's fifth-largest cell phone provider -- U.S. Cellular -- is flying under the radar, yet roughly 1 in 60 people use their service.
Their monthly plan deal is the same as T-Mobile where you pay as much as $70 monthly for one line and as little as $40 per month for four lines.
Verizon attempts to offer the same great deal as T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular, but the rates are slightly higher.
Instead of paying $40 per month per line on four or more, you actually pay $45 per line -- plus fees and taxes.
Final Thoughts
Picking the right cell phone plan can be difficult when you need a monthly contract on a new smartphone. Some providers will give you a discount on the phone price, while others will make the monthly payment lower.
The latter is preferred both in the short-term and long-term. However, you should always push for further student savings opportunities before choosing the right provider for you. Don't settle when you pay your phone off; call your provider's customer retention line to request a discount on your service.
Regardless, in 2017 the hottest provider is Sprint as they offer anywhere from two to five lines for a flat rate of $90 per month. You will pay roughly double this amount for five lines with any other provider.
Find a group of family members or friends to partner with and you'll have one steal of a deal on your hands!
Do you feel like your cell phone bill is too high right now? Would you consider trying any of these providers?
Robert Farrington is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him on the About Page, or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.
He regularly writes about investing, student loan debt, and general personal finance topics geared towards anyone wanting to earn more, get out of debt, and start building wealth for the future.
He has been quoted in major publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Fox, ABC, NBC, and more. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes.