Meet Google Fi, a different kind of phone plan
Part of buying my time back is me saving money by switching to Google Fi. For those who don’t know what Google Fi (formerly Project Fi) it is Googles cellular carrier service. It has a MUCH simpler pricing plan and pretty awesome coverage. Back when it was called “Project Fi” it was only available on a handful of devices. Just recently they made it available to MOST devices and those pesky iDevices.
Why The Change?
I made the change for a few reasons. There are plenty of devices in my arsenal I was paying a lot of money to AT&T. Granted I have a 22% discount as a perk from my employer that helps a lot but after running the numbers for my needs, Google had them beat. So I decided to give it a shot. After having my device for almost 2 months now I realized I made the right choice.
Google Fi Coverage
My real estate investing business takes me all over GA. I visit quite a few rural areas where coverage is nowhere to be found with AT&T. So far I have yet to drive in an area where I didn’t have covered with Fi. My Pandora keeps playing and I keep rolling.
Google Fi uses other carriers to handle their voice and data. It’s comprised of Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular (in the US). Fi-certified devices switch between wifi and the networks seamlessly. This will pretty much guarantee you will have the best coverage and speed. Me likes!
The Savings Over AT&T
My data usage for the month of September in 2018 was 14.77GB. The data usage for my iPad was < 1GB. That bill was $82.15 just for my phone. My iPad (LTE) bill was $13.24 which brings the total to $95.39 (not including fees). As you can see it is not THAT expensive but still a line item that can be taken down some.
Let us put this together. I used 15GB total (phone and iPad) and paid $95.39 with AT&T. Had I been on the Google Fi plan at the time, I would have paid a total of $60 saving me $35.39 (not including fees). It might not sound like a lot of savings but remember $35 a month for 12 months is $420 (my fav number). What if I don’t use 14+GB a month and only use 3GB? Good question! The bill would be $30. #winning
VPN
There are some really neat things that come with having Fi. As part of the service, Fi offers a free VPN (Virtual Private Network). I always keep mine on so no matter what I am connected too (wifi or data network) my information is secure and encrypted in transit. This is especially good when using un-secure networks like in a coffee shop or the airport.
Data Only SIM
Another cool feature they offer is a “Data Only” SIM card that I use for my iPad. This is a card that I put in place of my AT&T carrier SIM that is registered with my Fi account. It will use the data in my plan and I’m only charged for what I use. Sure I could always tether the devices but why bother. I’d rather save the battery life on my phone and use the iPad. If there are months where I don’t use it, I won’t get charged as I do with AT&T. Pretty neat eh?
Conclusion
I really enjoy this service and my nifty Google Pixel 3. That thing is super awesome and I don’t miss my old iDevice at all. The service is great and the money savings speak for itself. It might be a good option for those looking to gain coverage, simplify their bill and save some cash along the way.
Before making this move I Cut the Cord on Cable and Said Hello to Streaming TV. It was a better bang for the buck but not much in savings. Another interesting way to save money while getting the best bang for your buck is using the IRS to pay for things. Check out I Paid Off My SUV using IRS Section 179. There are ways to write off the Pixel and Google Fi for your business too!
Hope this helps!