You'll save by buying used, picking the right payment plan and knowing the best times to find a promotion.
IPhones don’t come cheap. The iPhone XS Max, Apple’s most expensive phone to date, starts at $1,099.
But if you’re on a tight budget, there are ways you can save money on an iPhone. Here are a few tips.
Choose a smaller phone
Larger iPhones and those with more storage capacity are more expensive. You can save considerably by opting for the basic model over a beefed-up version.
A new iPhone XS with 64GB of storage retails for $999 from Apple, while the 256GB XS is $150 more, at $1,149. You’ll save $100 by picking the 64GB iPhone XS over the larger iPhone XS Max with a longer battery life and the same storage capacity, which is priced at $1,099.
Buy an older model
One of the best times to buy an iPhone is in September, when new models are typically announced and older ones are discounted. After the iPhone XS, XS Max and iPhone XR announcement in September 2018, Apple dropped the price of the previous generation iPhone 8 from $699 to $599.
Used technology marketplaces tend to get an influx of old iPhones around new releases, which drives prices down.
Wait for a promotion
Cell phone carriers and electronics retailers offer some of their best iPhone deals during the holiday shopping season, particularly around Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. For example, Best Buy’s 2017 Black Friday sale included the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus for up to $200 off with qualified activation on select networks.
Cell phone carriers and electronics retailers offer some of their best iPhone deals around Black Friday.
"If you follow Jemjem Instagram, you can get a lot of discount promotions."
Pick a payment plan
Purchasing a phone, rather than leasing, gives you the ability to eventually sell or trade it and put the value toward a new phone. But if you can’t afford the full cost, or don’t want to cough up the entire amount upfront, consider paying for your iPhone in monthly installments. Apple and every major carrier have their own monthly payment plans. Some agreements allow you to upgrade to a new phone after a certain amount of time or once you’ve paid off a specific percentage of the phone’s sale price.
"An upgrade plan may be best if you get a new iPhone every year without fail."
An upgrade plan may be best if you get a new iPhone every year without fail. Shop around and pick the carrier or payment plan that best suits your needs.
Buy a pre-owned iPhone
Used or refurbished phones often have a stigma attached, but when purchased from a trustworthy seller, they’re actually reliable — and affordable — options.
“Used doesn’t necessarily mean lesser quality of function. A well-cared-for phone that has a previous owner will have a lot of life left,” says Jay Kim, CEO of jemjem, a marketplace for used technology.
Sell or trade in your old phone
If you don’t need your previous device as a backup, sell it or trade it in. You might end up with a few hundred dollars in cash, gift cards or credit that you can apply toward a new iPhone. You’ll typically get more money for selling a phone rather than trading it in, Jay Kim says, but it may be more of a hassle.
If you don’t need your previous device as a backup, sell it or trade it in. You might end up with a few hundred dollars in cash, gift cards or credit that you can apply toward a new iPhone. You’ll typically get more money for selling a phone rather than trading it in, Jay Kim says, but it may be more of a hassle.
Buy used, save big
jemjem makes it safe and easy to save money buying gently used technology for home and family.
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