Experts are warning everyone with a mobile phone that they risk overpaying by as much as £352 a year if they aren’t careful this month.

Hundreds of thousands of mobile phone contracts are due to expire this month, according to Uswitch.

Mobile customers who signed up for a 12-month deal during last year’s Black Friday sales or a 24-month deal in November 2022 will soon see their contracts expire, meaning they will be out-of-contract and at risk of overpaying if they don’t take action.

The biggest savings can be made for customers who will be out-of-contract on a pay-monthly handset deal, which could see them continuing to pay for a phone they have already bought during their contract.

Customers on an expired mobile handset deal can save £352 a year on average if they hang onto their current handset and switch to a new SIM Only deal.

Uswitch, the comparison and switching service, encourages all mobile customers to text INFO to 85075 to check if their contract is due to expire and see if they can save by switching to a cheaper deal this Black Friday.

Simrat Sharma, mobiles expert at Uswitch shared her tips for shoppers looking for the best deals this Black Friday,

Reflect and research

In the first instance, consider what you actually need - don’t fall into the trap of impulsively buying the first deal you see.

Keep an eye out for the latest deals across different retailers. Price tracker sites such as CamelCamelCamel and PriceSpy can show you the price history of products so you know you’re getting a genuine deal.

 Stay ahead of switching

If your mobile or broadband contract expires soon, you’re well placed to take advantage of the deals available at this time of year. Set a reminder in your diary for when any of your fixed contracts are up, to keep ahead of any rolling contract price rises.

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Remember: if you sign up for a 12-month contract this Black Friday, you can take advantage of next year’s deals too.

Buy older products

Many of us want to get our hands on the latest tech products, but providers often offer the greatest reductions on older devices to shift older stock. Consider which features are your priority - rather than just going for the newest model out of habit.

Stay safe and watch out for scams

Black Friday is a prime time for scammers to target shoppers, so it’s important to stay vigilant during this busy shopping season.

One of the most common ways fraudsters may try and catch you out is through phishing emails, for example, pretending to be a retailer and asking you to verify your account or click a link to claim a special offer. If you’re suspicious of an email, don’t click on any external links and go directly to the retailer to check the legitimacy of the offer.

Be wary of any “too good to be true” deals. Instead, compare prices across multiple well-known retailers to get a sense of the average cost.

Make the most of perks

If you want extra bang for your buck this Black Friday season, look out for special bundle deals. These often include additional incentives, for example, pre-paid vouchers or streaming subscriptions. Alternatively, look at cashback sites such as Quidco and TopCashBack to get the best out of your Black Friday purchases.