Do you and your family have a limited amount of data that you can use every month as part of your smartphone plan? If so, it’s important for you to learn how to not use data so that you’re able to conserve as much data as you can.

Studies have shown that the average person on a limited phone plan consumes about 1.6 gigabytes of data each month. The average person on an unlimited phone plan, meanwhile, consumes about 6.1 gigabytes of data.

The discrepancy in these two numbers illustrates how hard those without unlimited phone plans have to work to keep their data usage down. It can be very easy for them to get carried away throughout the course of a month and use more data than they think they’re using.

Here are seven tips on how to not use data on your limited phone plan.

1. Connect Your Phone to Wi-Fi Whenever Possible

The easiest way to learn how to not use data on your limited phone plan is by connecting to Wi-Fi whenever you’re able to do it.

Using Wi-Fi at home as opposed to using data is obviously a no-brainer. But why stop there? You can also connect to Wi-Fi in most other places these days.

Your workplace probably has a Wi-Fi network set up. There are also Wi-Fi networks available at most schools, restaurants, and even airports.

Check to see if a Wi-Fi network is available when you’re using your phone in a public place. As long as you’re able to locate a safe network, you should opt to use that over using your data.

2. Limit the Amount of Data Being Used in the Background on Your Phone

Are there apps on your phone that are always running in the background? Is your phone always checking your email to see what new messages may have come in? Do you have your phone set up to automatically scan for and download updates?

All of these things are going to chew through your available data without you even realizing it. They might only use up a little bit of data at a time. But that little bit of data will add up quickly over the days, weeks, and months.

Take a look at the settings for your phone to see what might be running in the background. Adjust your settings so that your phone isn’t wasting data unnecessarily.

3. Avoid Using Maps on Your Phone When You Don’t Need Them

There are a lot of people who plug their phones in when they get behind the wheel of their car and immediately pull up their maps. Even if they don’t need a map to get around, they like having the option to look at a map if they happen to need it.

If you have maps downloaded directly to your phone, they won’t waste any data. But if they’re not downloaded, you’re going to be using data when they’re opened up.

Unless you plan on using one of the maps on your phone, you should keep them closed. This will prevent them from burning through data that you can’t afford to waste.

4. Be Careful About How Many Videos You Watch on Your Phone

Watching videos on your phone has never been easier than it is today. Whether you’re watching viral clips on YouTube or binge-watching TV shows on Netflix, it’s simple to stream videos on your phone with the push of a button.

The problem, of course, is that these videos are going to use up a lot of data while you’re watching them. It’s why you should try downloading them rather than streaming them.

Learn how to download YouTube videos on Android and see what a big difference it makes in the amount of data you’re using each month.

5. Download Songs to Your Phone Instead of Streaming Them

Videos aren’t the only things you can download to your phone in an effort to conserve data. You can also download songs that you would normally stream through your phone.

Most of the music streaming services out there today offer people the chance to download songs to their phones at home while they’re connected to Wi-Fi before taking them out into the world and listening to them. This is a great option that you should take full advantage of if you love listening to music.

6. Monitor Your Data Usage on Your Phone Throughout Each Month

How closely do you watch how much data you’re using each month? If you’re not in the habit of doing it, change that now.

Most cell phone service providers have apps that are designed to let people keep tabs on their data usage. By taking a look at how much data you have left every month, you can adjust how much data you’re using on a daily basis.

7. Put Your Phone Down Every So Often

If you’re like most people, you touch your phone a lot on a typical day. Studies have shown that the average person picks up their phone for one reason or another more than 2,600 times per day.

If you’re touching your phone anywhere close to that often, cutting yourself off from it cold turkey and not touching it at all each day is probably out of the question. But you can strive to use your phone a little bit less than you are now.

By limiting your phone use, you’ll be able to trim your data usage by a significant amount. You’ll be amazed by how much data you’ll have left over on the last day of each month.

You Can Save a Lot of Money by Learning How to Not Use Data on a Limited Phone Plan

Are you tired of using up too much data with your limited phone plan every month? You can make sure it doesn’t happen anymore by learning how to not use data.

The tips found here should be a great start. They should allow you to consume less data and save money on your cell phone bill each month.

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