After all the festive-season spending, the budget struggle is real at the beginning of a new year. Fortunately, there are many ways to make your data last longer, making it less of a burden on your pocket. Here are our go-to data-saving tips for lean times. 

1. Check your data usage 

Of all the data-saving tips to try, this should be your first step. Your phone may have default settings in place – or settings from a happier time when you were feeling flush! – that eat up data.  

Android: Go to Network & Internet in your Settings app and tap Internet. Tap Settings next to your network provider. You should see your overall data usage. Tap App Data Usage to get a break-down of what’s sucking the most data. 

iPhone: In your Settings app, find the cellular/mobile tab, and click it. Scroll down to the section named cellular/mobile data and you'll find your data usage stats.  

2. Change The Settings Of Your Apps 

Now that you’ve identified your biggest data vampires, go back to Settings and tap Apps. Tap on each of those individual apps and disable mobile data, so that you can only use them in WiFi and avoid unwelcome surprises.  

3. Disable Mobile Data Syncing and Updates 

Next up, make sure your phone isn’t spending data on automatic uploads and downloads behind your back.  

• Turn off auto sync: This doesn’t delete the app but prevents it from automatically refreshing your data. Back in Settings on your Android device, Tap Passwords, Passkeys & Autofill. Tap Account Sync. Turn off individual apps. On your iPhone, tap on iCloud in your Settings app. Where it says Saved to iCloud, tap See All. Select an individual app. Where it says Sync this iPhone, toggle that off. 

• Turn off mobile data for app updates: Make sure the automatic mobile data downloads setting is switched off for the Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhone). Your phone will only download and update apps when you’re connected to WiFi. Do this by tapping Settings in the App Store or Play Store itself. 

• Turn off WiFi Assist: Most phones come with this feature switched on as a default –when WiFi is dodgy, your phone will automatically switch to mobile data. For data-saving tips, you want it off. In your Settings app, simply toggle it off. 

• Turn on Data Saver/Low Data mode: In this mode, your phone will automatically optimise how apps run in the background to use minimal data. On Android (Android 7 and up), find Data Saver under Network & Internet in your Settings app. On iPhone, open Settings then find the Cellular tab followed by Cellular Data Options. There you will find the Data Mode option where you can turn on Low Data Mode. 
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4. Turn Off Mobile Data  

This is the easiest blanket solution. In your Settings app, switch off mobile data entirely. You will only be able to access internet services when you’re connected to WiFi. In an emergency, simply switch mobile data back on. 

5. More Quick Data-Saving Tips  

Don’t feel like changing your phone settings? Use these data-saving habits instead: 

• Save streaming and gaming for when you’re connected to WiFi 

• Download directions in Google Maps before leaving WiFi instead of using real-time navigation 

• Don’t get emails to your phone 

• Make use of public WiFi areas, like your office, university or school. 

 

These tips are ideal for when you’re away from home and your WiFi. But while you’re home, as advised above, it’s best to do all of your necessary browsing, streaming and downloading on the WiFi. If you need to get home internet, try one of the Vodacom home internet options.