A few weeks ago I wrote a post asking you to ask 5 questions before buying a new iPhone. I was inspired to write that post because a friend of mine was trying to figure out how she could get off of work early to buy the new phone. I wrote the article and then asked her to read it, and interestingly enough she waited to buy the phone. Side note: I would like to believe that it was because she was so ridiculously inspired by the blog article! Well, this same friend texted me today to tell me that she finally ordered the phone, and she didn’t need to take off of work to do it. Also, because she waited, she was able to buy the new phone and it only cost her $11 out of pocket and she had to sign a new 2-year contract!

When she shared this information, I immediately started asking her how she did it, what carrier she has, and if she could share her secrets!!! She told me that with her plan, she builds upgrade credits over time. She kept her existing phone so long, that when she upgraded she received $400 in credits. Then she traded in her existing phone, and received additional credits. The combination of these two actions allowed her to walk away with a brand new cell phone with little out of pocket cost. When she told me her story, she asked that I share it with you all, so you can leverage this knowledge.

I agreed to share this story with you even though I just wrote a similar article, because I wanted to show you what is possible if you take action on some of these tips and ideas. I also wanted to show you how you can have the things that you want without breaking the bank. The key is having patience and doing a little research. For example, my friend decided to pass on the model released last year, because she knew that if she waited another year, her out of pocket costs would be drastically reduced because of her plan’s upgrade benefits. She also decided not to hoard her existing phone, and instead claimed the remaining value left on the phone.

I totally understand that the temptation to upgrade annually is so prevalent. When the new phones are released, many of your friends and co-workers wait in line or try frantically to order the latest device online. It’s so easy to want to join in and show off your new phone with everyone else. However, is it worth it? If you have patience you can save a lot of money, and still get what you want.

Be sure to leave a comment. I would love to learn your takeaways and what you will do differently!

Aisha Taylor is a #1 Amazon Best Selling Author of the book “5+5 FNPhenomenal Ways to Save $100 This Week Without Killing Your Lifestyle”, and the Founder of FNPhenomenal (Frugal –n- Phenomenal). FNPhenomenal helps women to break the vicious cycle of making money, but not keeping it. FNPhenomenal provides education about money management, empowers women to take control of their lives, develop a healthier relationship with money, and pursue being phenomenal.

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