How to Make Your New iPhone Cheaper

In the early days, the only way to pick up a new iPhone is getting the iPhone. Today, with the release of the iPhone 12, you have four new options in addition to three previous options. That’s a total of seven new iPhones fresh off the assembly line. This brings us to the question: What is the best way to pay for them and how can you get that price cheaper?

How to Pay

Let’s start off with the two payment options.

Buy Now

The most obvious being, just pay off your new phone. If you have the money pay in full and get it out of the way.

Lease

If paying in full is not an option for you, you can also lease your phone by making interest free monthly payments over the course of two years. You can do this through either Apple or your phone carrier.

Upgrade Options

Now that you have an idea of a payment method it’s time to find the right device for you that fits your budget.

A New Phone

With the release of the iPhone 12, four new iPhones have been added to the current iPhone product line. Your current choices are:

All of these iPhones are fantastic options and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. Just find the one that best fits your needs and budget. Now I’m not going to go in-depth into each phone’s features and differences and which one you should get. Instead, check out this post of reviews from other YouTubers.

Trade-In

If you looking to get a little bit subtracted from the price of your new iPhone, try trading in your old one. Currently, you can trade in anything from an iPhone SE 1st Gen for $30 all the way up to $500 for an iPhone 11 Pro Max. Just remember these prices are only estimates. The real value will be based on the quality of the phone. Is the phone in good condition? Is the screen broken? Are their side scuffs? None the less, it’s a great option if you have no other use for your old phone.

iPhone Upgrade Program

If you have the money and always want the newest iPhone consider the iPhone Upgrade Program from Apple. Essentially you lease your phone for 12 months. After the 12 months, you have the option to trade in your current phone and pick up a new one, 12 months later you repeat that cycle. If you choose not to upgrade after 12 months you can continue to make payments for up to 24 months. After that the iPhone is yours.

Unlike just leasing the phone, Apple Care is included in the monthly price giving you discounted repairs. For instance, to replace a broken screen on a new iPhone 12 you looking at spending $279. With Apple Care, the price is cut down to $29. Just something to consider, especially if you’re someone who doesn’t use a phone case.

Many other carriers have some variant of the same program. But if you go through Apple’s iPhone Upgrade you won’t be forced to stick with your current carrier. You can move around to whichever phone provider you choose down the line.

The best time to subscribe to the iPhone Upgrade Program is around the first week of November. By this point, new iPhones have been announced in mid-September and usually shipping by the end of the month. Reviews and first impressions should be out to help give you an idea of which phone to pick up. You definitely don’t want to start this program any later than June. By then new phones are around the corner and your only option is to continue paying an extra four months until the new ones come around unless you decide to upgrade to an older device.

Buying a whole new phone every year is not cheap. But through the iPhone Upgrade Program, since you only have to pay for at least half the phone it may make it a little more doable. Nonetheless, you’re still looking to pay around $200 to $600 a year on your new phone. But only go with this program if you know you plan on upgrading yearly.

Apple Refurbished

If you want even more discounts look through Apple’s catalog of refurbished iPhones. Each iPhone is discounted up to 15% off its original retail price. But, before checking out double-check the pricing. Even though the phones are discounted the pricing may be on par with just getting a new iPhone. In terms of the quality of getting a used device from Apple, parts, like the battery, are replaced when needed with genuine Apple parts, it’s thoroughly cleaned, it will be running the latest version of iOS, and it’s repackaged into a brand new box with accessories. Essentially, it’s like a brand new phone.

When shopping for an iPhone you no longer have just one choice. There are so many out there, and no matter which one you choose you can’t go wrong. There are different payment options, multiple tiers to choose from, and multiple places to buy your new phone. Whatever your budget there’s an upgrade path for you.

Links:

Apple.com: iPhone
Apple.com: Trade-in iPhone
Apple.com: iPhone Upgrade Program
Apple.com: Refurbished iPhone