Recently, I was catching up with a close relative when the topic of phone bills came up. During our conversation, I got to know that they are spending over 1,000 LKR every month on their secondary SIM card. To be honest, I was genuinely shocked.
The reason is simple: my primary carrier is also Dialog, yet I only pay Rs. 463 a month.
If you convert that to USD, it is exactly $1.50 for the entire month. Consequently, I realized that many people are shelling out unnecessary amounts simply because they don’t know that about the existence of better options. Furthermore, if you have access to Wi-Fi at home or work, you might be overpaying by double or triple what you actually need.
Here is the exact strategy I use to keep my bill under Rs. 500 while staying fully connected.
The “463 Strategy” Breakdown
Earlier, there were “Combo” packages that offered great value. However, Dialog discontinued those for obvious reasons. As a result, I had to get creative. The trick isn’t one magical package; rather, it is stacking two specific budget-friendly packages and automating them.
Here is my monthly stack:
- The Communication Pack (Rs. 198):
- What you get: 250 Minutes (Any Network) + 250 SMS (Any Network).
- Validity: 30 Days.
- The Data Pack (Rs. 265):
- What you get: 2.5 GB of Anytime Data.
- Validity: 30 Days.
Therefore, the total cost is Rs. 198 + Rs. 265 = Rs. 463.
For someone like me, who spends most of the day connected to Wi-Fi, 2.5 GB is sufficient. For instance, it easily covers my commute, checking emails, or light browsing when Iām out. Additionally, the 250 minutes cover all my necessary calls to local landlines and other mobiles.
The Secret Sauce: Automation (Standing Orders)
The reason many people fail to stick to budget plans is the hassle. Remembering to reload Rs. 198 on one day and Rs. 265 on another is annoying. Fortunately, I have solved this by setting up Standing Orders.
By automating the activation of these packages, I don’t have to manually reload or activate them every 30 days. In fact, it happens entirely in the background, giving me zero hassle with this approach.
The “One Day” Caveat
However, there is one small thing you need to be aware of. Because of how the 30-day cycles work, there might be one day a month where the package expires before the standing order kicks in for the renewal.
Since I am already aware of this, I keep an eye on the SMS notification that says the package is over. If I happen to be outside on that specific day (which is rare), I might manually activate a tiny data pack. Otherwise, I just wait for the automation to trigger. Ultimately, it is a small trade-off for the annual savings.
What If You Are a Heavy User?
I understand that 2.5 GB isn’t enough for everyone. For example, if you don’t have constant Wi-Fi access, the “463 Strategy” might be too lean for you. Nevertheless, there are still better options than just topping up randomly.
For heavy social media users, I recommend looking at The Fun Blaster 797:
- Cost: Rs. 797
- Benefits: Unlimited Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, & Instagram.
- Extras: 4 GB Anytime Data + 100 Any-Net Minutes.
- Note: Videos are capped at SD quality (360p).
Conclusion
Every carrier in Sri Lanka has packages hidden away in their apps that offer incredible value. Unfortunately, they aren’t always advertised on the front page.
If you are paying 1000+ LKR a month just to keep a secondary SIM alive, you should reconsider your plan. Instead, switch to a manual stack like the 198 + 265 combo, automate it, and use that extra money for something else.
That’s it! See you again in another post. š