Giving up a Great Mobile Plan - Rock and a Hard Place !

LIrrumaboRex on 07/10/2022 - 18:35
Last edited 07/10/2022 - 18:51

Prior to covid ,I operated as long haul aircrew and managed to hook on this beauty of a mobile plan with unlimited calls/text with 80gb that was replicated in roaming in every country I flew to except for 4gb data instead of 80gb. Also unlimited to calls/text to 35 countries both locally and overseas when roaming !!

All for 40 a month (usually 50). Every time it reverted back to 50, I rang them and they would apply another 12 months discount. That's gold !!

I am no longer flying as a result of redundancies. I have staff travel benefits but flying overseas will probably be limited. Not really keen to see another security checkpoint/customs/immigration or really an airport for as long as possible.

Here's my dilemma, this plan will never come around again and while I have it, I will (probably) never lose it based on experience with telcos. I can ,for comparison, go on a Coles 99 or 120 a year plan and save myself 30 a month. I have a part time job, financially secure but have been advised to trim where what's not needed.

What do the brains trust of Oz Bargain think I should do ?

Mobile Phone Plan

Comments

  • Hardlyworkin on 07/10/2022 - 18:42
    +9

    So you want to hold onto a plan that costs you $30 more a month so you can keep benefits that you don't use?

    • Ade99 on 08/10/2022 - 08:04
      +1

      always new plans…if you can afford the bill keep it. If not dump it and see what is "new" when you next need it!

    • HeWhoKnows on 08/10/2022 - 17:54

      I think only OP can answer this

      Do a list of pros and cons for both plans
      Maybe also put a weighting on each

      Then work out which one serves you best

  • IrrumaboRex on 07/10/2022 - 18:46

    Will use but not all the time as I used to.

  • Hybroid on 07/10/2022 - 18:56
    +3

    save myself 30 a month

    You can get roaming plans that allow you to use your inclusives for $5/day abroad. So as long as you're not abroad 6 days each and every month, you don't need it anymore.

    Oh and they absolutely do deprecate plans. One day they'll turn around and say your current plan is no longer available and you'll need to move to another current one. They did it for my grandfathered $40 80GB after 4 years dropped me to 40 GB.

  • IrrumaboRex on 07/10/2022 - 19:12

    Thanks for the input Hybroid. I would definitely drop this plan if I was no longer working, but at 20 quid a fortnight, it's not hurting the wallet as I am still working part time. What is stopping me from changing is also that the new plans especially with roaming charges are shockingly expensive ! Try looking up a plan like mine and see how much it cost's ?

    • cwongtech on 07/10/2022 - 20:42
      +10

      $40 a month equates to $480 yearly for 80gb per month x 12 = 960gb total / 48gb overseas roaming data (not sure how the quota works) but its not cumulative and resets every month.
      Woolies Mobile is $150, which provides 100GB data yearly, AND 10% discount once-a-month grocery shopping at Woolies, on Telstra network (vs Coles $120 which is Optus)

      This provides additional $330 of money in your pocket (post-tax)
      This would be worth approximately $488 pre-tax income (assuming tax bracket of 32.5%, not inclusive of medicare levy or any further applicable tax)

      So let's say you'll definitely need to spend $120~$150 (post-tax income) a year anyway (unavoidable, we all need a mobile) on your mobile plan.
      What can you do with $488?

      If you're at home, most likely you have WiFi anyway.
      Check how much data you actually require outside of your home.
      $488 is a huge budget for occasional overseas travel data, or you could do the prepaid $5 roaming optus thing..

      • IrrumaboRex on 07/10/2022 - 23:24
        +1

        That's sooooo cooool !! Am I dumb or you just soooo smart ?

  • mja65 on 07/10/2022 - 20:42
    +1

    I think it's the same Optus plan I am on - so run for the hills before they lose even more of your data?

    • IrrumaboRex on 07/10/2022 - 23:25

      What happened there ? Been with them for years and no issues.

      • thrillhouse on 08/10/2022 - 07:40
        +5

        Are you seriously unaware of the data leak that occurred a couple weeks back?

  • elgrande on 07/10/2022 - 21:34

    What was your most memorable long haul flight?

    This is an AMA right?

    • IrrumaboRex on 07/10/2022 - 23:04

      South Africa bro !!

  • JimmyF on 07/10/2022 - 21:37
    +1

    Sounds like the Optus deal from a while back. It was an amazing deal at the time for those that travelled often!

    Honestly if you're not flying regularly then ditch it and just buy a 2nd prepaid SIM/Plan for the times you do fly. Most countries $30 will get you at least 4GB of data and with esims its so easy to do now. So you're not really missing out on much, but saving up to $360/yr for the years you don't travel.

    • IrrumaboRex on 07/10/2022 - 23:07

      Yes, yes and yes ..can't mention the idiot's for now but you are right

  • lgacb08 on 07/10/2022 - 23:12
    +1

    You get too sentimental, that plan will be worthless in a few years, remember 20 years ago those with family members overseas spent at least $50 a month on scummy overseas calling card that never delivered the advertised minutes, 10 years ago dialling some satellite mobile number would give you to free overseas calls and all the major telco tried to blacklist them or charged you exorbitant amount to call into those numbers. Fast forward now telco struggle to seduce you to spend $30 a month even with unlimited overseas call to almost anywhere.

    Skype, FaceTime and zoom has turned international DID into things of a pass, with the current stage of VoWi-Fi and VoLTE, it won't be long before international roaming became the dinosaur too, Boost has already done it.

    It made me laugh every time I see some bloke tried to sell the Optus Dollar Day sim for a grand, with the current data allowance it won't be long before those sim become the money pit.

    • IrrumaboRex on 07/10/2022 - 23:32

      You are not wrong and I do believe a lot of people feel that sentimental way. Especially when the company does no wrong and provides great service for the ongoing commitments. There is no service provider out there willing to do what's in this deal now.

      So my friends, save 30 or pay an extra 10 for quality ?

      • spackbace on 08/10/2022 - 02:11
        +1

        Especially when the company does no wrong

        Wait, and you're referring to optus?! 😂

        Short-term memory loss?

  • jace88 on 08/10/2022 - 01:36

    I'd use a cheaper plan given you have no intention of travelling, and even if you did, it's not like you need the whole multi-location sim deals. Might as well lock in the savings now, and then if you do travel, presumably for leisure, just buy a cheap local prepaid sim for when you do.

    Also work out if you actually need more data allowance or not as well since it sounds like you're pretty comfy with your allowance at 80GB.

  • Bitplay33 on 08/10/2022 - 10:45

    I had this plan and let it go. And somewhat regret that I cancelled. Why not keep it and hotspot the data instead of NBN.
    I'm sure any replacement plan at $10 will be disappointing.

  • Wiadro on 08/10/2022 - 11:12

    i pay 29.50 for my 100gb optus plan

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