Martin Lewis has shared a handy phone hack to save money on bills. With bills hiking up, many of us are looking for ways to save a bit of money each month. The Money Saving Expert has shared a simple way to figure out if it is the ideal time to swap out to a cheap SIM deal and save money for other treats. All you need is five digits.
How the five-digit code works
Uploading a video to TikTok last weekend, Lewis said: "There is a way to find out if you can save on your mobile bill just by typing five digits into your phone." He explained that all you need to do is text the word INFO to 85075. This is a free OFCOM mandated service that details the exit clause of your current smartphone contract.
He explains: "The mobile network has to reply with whether you have any early termination or early cancellation charges. If it says you don't, so £0 early termination, it means you are one of 14 million people who are out of contract and you are therefore free to ditch and switch."
Why it's worth checking
Martin warns that the majority of people who are out of contract are "seriously" overpaying for their phone. Therefore, it is the best time to quickly send the text so you can start saving extra cash. If you do find out you are out of contract, Martin advises that you look on comparison sites for a new SIM such as MoneySavingExpert's Cheap SIM Finder.
Exceptions and tips
However, he does note that this hack will only work if you are on a single person contract. If you are instead on a multiple phone contract with family, you will need to track your personal contract in a different way such as through the mobile network's app. Additionally, if you are currently with Three, Smartie or ID Mobile, you will be asked to give your date of birth when you send the text. This is just a form of ID check and won't be used for other purposes.
If smartphone users are unsure about using the code or are on a multiple phone contract, Lewis says there is a simple rule of thumb you can follow. He said: "If you have been on the same deal for more than two years, you are almost certainly out of contract." So if you are wanting to save some extra money each month, it may be worth taking a couple of minutes to try out this simple phone hack.
