Help is at hand with your mobile options

WORKING out which mobile phone to buy and which tariff to use is more difficult than playing roulette.

At least with the wheel there are only 37 numbers that you can pick and after that it's up to you how you bet.

In respect of mobile phones, there are over 10 different networks, each of which have as many as 30 tariffs which have variable prices. Add in the cashback deals, the free T-shirt and the sometimes free upgrades and the whole programme becomes frighteningly daunting.

But there are ways of cutting the costs and finding the best deals.

If you're on a contract with your provider, you have the whip hand. As you approach the end of the contract, ask the provider for the best possible deal to suit your usage.

If you don't think the offer is good enough, threaten to leave, at which point you'll be put through to the guys who make the disconnections. Loyalty is a powerful tool and these are the people who are authorised to offer the really best options available.

Always try to use the cheapest possible tariff. Before you start the hunt, ask yourself how you use your mobile. Work out how many texts you send every day and how long you spend talking. Then use a comparison site.

Probably the best of these sites is at www.onecompare.com. Fill in the details on the simple form to get a list of possible options from which you can choose.

For those strange people (like the Avenger) who are mobilophobic, the site also has an easy guide that leads you through the process step by step.

Onecompare also monitors the deals for you and can send reminders when you should post your cashback redemption forms. Cashback needs to be handled with care but if treated properly can be worth a year's cover in monthly fees.

If part of the deal includes a new mobile, make some extra money by selling your old model on an internet auction site, or get up to £150 for it at a site such as www.envirofone.com.

If you use less than 150 minutes of calls and 100 texts per month, dump the contract phone and move over to pay as you go. The higher call costs will be offset by the absence of monthly fees. You won't get a big shock because there won't be any bills and if your phone is stolen, the biggest hassle will be the SIM card.

If you take your mobile abroad, avoid making calls with it. A global SIM card from Geosim at www.globalsimcard.co. uk will cost around £14.99. It's coverage is fairly comprehensive but if you plan to stay in one particular country for a period of time, it makes sense to buy a local card.