I am currently trying out a new cheap wireless plan as part of a compensated project for Collective Bias®. This article shares my experience and thoughts about the new Family Mobile unlimited plans.
It’s been a month since I switched over to Walmart Family Mobile’s unlimited plan, and I wanted to check back in and give you guys an update. I already told you all about their reasonably priced phone selection and how easy it was to activate my service so I won’t waste your time by repeating myself. Instead I’ll be sharing my experience with using their service, and 5 ways my Family Mobile plan is helping me save money.
Family Mobile unlimited plans are great for big families like ours!
I have to tell you, I have been really pleased with my service overall. The low price rate plan is great for my family’s budget, their customer service has been wonderful, and I have better coverage than I did when I was with Boost Mobile. Oh, and I love my awesome new smartphone too!
I’m pretty excited about my new phone, can you tell? 😉
One thing I heard several times from you guys was that you needed more than 1GB of data each month. Something Walmart Family Mobile can definitely improve on is explaining their data services better. As you can see in the picture below, you DO have unlimited data, but the first 1GB each month is considered “Speed Boost” data, meaning it’s much faster. (Why it says 250MB, I have no clue)
If you exceed 1GB, then your speed will be slowed down, but you can still use all the data you want for no additional fee. If you have a need for speed (hahaha!), you do have the option of adding on more of that faster data each month.
I blew through that first gig pretty fast, as I am a heavy data user. As in all. day. long. How else am I supposed to pin all the things, and watch all the things, and share all the things?! Yes, I have noticed that speeds are a tiny bit slower now, but not enough to really make a difference or get on my nerves. Especially when I can use all the data I want!
As far as coverage is concerned, from what I initially saw on the Walmart Family Mobile maps, things looked pretty great compared to my old service. Now that I’ve used the service for a month, I can say that I really do think the coverage is better. I can use my phone in areas that I didn’t have service in before, like at my in laws house. I also don’t randomly lose service like I was doing before.
The really big test will be later this month when we make a trip down to south Georgia. Some of those areas are REALLY rural and have no service period, by any providers. From the maps on the Family Mobile site, it looks like we should have coverage the entire trip, so I’m pretty sure I won’t be disappointed.
Another thing I really like about my new phone plan is the great customer service I have received. When I called to port over my old number, everyone I spoke with was very polite and helpful. When I had a question about my bill, again, everyone was super nice. That seems to be unusual with cell phone providers these days, so I was honestly pretty surprised.
The account management section of their site is very easy to navigate, so paying my bill or making changes to my plan is quick and easy. I also like that they send me texts to remind me when my bill is due, as well as the receipt and confirmation number once a payment is made. I hate having to print our receipts and save emails or write down confirmation numbers, I always lose them! This way I have it right in my phone, ready to access, just in case there is a problem.
This makes me happy, it’s one less thing I have to remember to do!
The only complaint I have about the myTouch smartphone I am using is that there aren’t very many cases to choose from. As someone that has a tendency to drop things rather frequently, I like to have extra protection for my electronics. While I was a little bummed about the lack of selection, I am still more than pleased with the phone and service overall.
So now that I’ve told you what I like and dislike about my new smartphone and Family Mobile unlimited plan, I’d like to share with you some ways that I am saving money by using their service. It’s not just from the monthly bill, there are quite a few other things too!
1. Comparison shopping on-the-go – With the use of a smartphone and my unlimited data, I can compare prices while I’m out shopping. I can be in the aisle at Walmart, checking the price at Kroger, Kmart, Amazon, etc. to make sure I get the best price. Many stores will price match now if their competitor is offering a better deal. Or, if I find a way better deal on Amazon, I can go ahead and use my one-click ordering and buy it right then! Without an unlimited data plan, that’s not really an option for savvy shoppers like myself.
2. No late/reconnect fees for not paying bill on time – If I forget to pay my bill, my phone may be turned off, but I don’t have to pay late fines or reconnect fees to turn it back on. I just have to pay my bill. And that’s not even an issue anymore, because I get texts to my phone to remind me to pay each month! I am the worst about forgetting to pay things, and always end up paying extra because of that. (And let’s not even get started on library fines, eek!)
3. Money saving apps like Scoutmob and Gas Buddy – Just like with the comparison shopping on-the-go, I can also find the best deals on gas nearby, or for a bite to eat, all with different apps I can download for free from Google Play. Unlimited data lets me search for those deals close by, without having to worry about going over my limit and getting stuck with big overage fees.
4. Cheaper home internet service – With a limited data plan, you can still get online as long as you are using wifi. Most people just use their home wifi and save their data for when they are on the go. That really slows down the speed if you have multiple people connected, and then you end up paying more for upgraded home internet that can accommodate everyone’s wifi needs. With the unlimited data, you don’t have to connect via wifi ever again, and can use a less expensive plan for home instead!
5. Unlimited plan for a low monthly fee – I took a moment to check out the pricing for a similar phone and plan with AT&T since they are one of the most popular companies today. Most people go with a 2 year contract to get the free phone, so I decided to base the numbers off that. Check it out:
AT&T is almost 3x more than Family Mobile’s unlimited plan! That’s a pretty huge difference, wouldn’t you agree? And there are no early termination fees with Family Mobile, because it’s a month-to-month service with no contract.
So what do you think, are you ready to give Walmart Family Mobile a try? You can set everything up online in minutes, or you can do it in person at pretty much any Walmart Supercenter. It took me less than 10 minutes to grab my activation kit and have my phone turned on when I visited my local Walmart last month.
Could you use more money in your pocket every month?
Are you overpaying for a limited wireless plan?
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--Barbara
**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**
Once I got past the envy (kind of 😉 of your fantastic savings with this plan, I was impressed by the great customer service you experienced. After being with my contract carrier for YEARS, I am always baffled by the hoops I have to jump through when I have a need or request – simply to use my plan or address a billing error on their part. The solid service coverage is also important, as my family travels frequently for the kids sport events. Thanks so much for sharing your experience – makes me much more comfortable about making the switch myself!