A fan of money-saving guru Martin Lewis has told of how she cut her mobile phone bill by £575 by sending off just two texts.
On a previous episode of the expert's Money Show Live, he had revealed how people can save money on their phone bill by finding out a couple of key details from their provider.
Once you've done this, you may be free to move to a SIM-only deal, saving the pounds - which is what one viewer, named Carole, detailed as she contacted the show earlier this week.
The Mirror reports that before making the switch, you need to check if you're still in a contract with your current provider. To do this, text INFO to 85075 for free.
You'll then get a message back which will explain if you have any exit fees to pay if you leave your supplier.
If you’re out of contract, then that means you can look around for a cheaper deal, saving you money annually.
And if you want to keep your existing number after switching, you can text PAC to 65075 on your old phone. Your current provider will then send you your PAC code, which you’ll need to give to your new provider - which is also free of charge.
In this week’s episode of the Martin Lewis Money Show Live, viewer Carole got in touch to explain how well it had worked for her.
She said: "I sent INFO to 85075 as advised by you, my current provider contacted me and I’m now on a SIM-only deal.
"I have unlimited calls and texts, 15GB of data, free EU roaming - and I keep my own number - for just £8 a month, saving £575 a year."
Martin responded: "I’m glad to hear this worked at home. You should try it and then, if you know you’re free to leave, it means you’re out of contract - either you can try and see what your provider’s cheapest deal is, haggle with them, or go on a comparison website and see what the cheapest you can get is.
"Just look at the size of the savings. So many people stay on high rates and you can slash it by 70% or 80%."
It's estimated that phone bills will increase by around 14 percent either at the end of March or start of April.
How to get a mobile phone deal for less
If you're not in a contract currently, you may be paying too much for your mobile phone usage.
Price comparison sites are a really useful tool for checking if you can get a better deal with a different provider. Go back and check how many minutes and data you're currently using, so you know the type of package that's best for you.
The cheapest phone tariffs are typically SIM-only deals. This is because you're only paying for your minutes, data, texts and any other allowances, not the phone itself.
If you're not keen on switching, speak to your current provider and explain that you've seen better deals elsewhere - they may be able to lower what you're paying.
However, keep in mind that some providers charge exit fees for leaving.
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