Mobile Data and Allowance Tracker

Who this is for

Keep an eye on the allowance before the bill does. Each time you check the phone or the network's app, write down the data, minutes and texts used so far and the days left in the cycle, then note what was left and any charges at the end.

People and families on capped mobile plans who have been caught by an out-of-bundle charge, parents watching a child's phone, and anyone deciding whether their plan is the right size.

What this helps you track

• The allowances on each plan and when the cycle resets
• Data, minutes and texts used at each check
• Days left in the billing cycle
• Roaming days and add-ons bought
• What was left, and any overage charged, at the end of each cycle

How to use it

1. Write the phone user, the network and plan, the allowances from your contract and the date the billing cycle starts.
2. Check the usage in the phone settings or the network's app and write the figures used so far on a new row.
3. Add the days left in the cycle so you can see how fast the allowance is going.
4. Note any roaming or add-on bought, then at the end of the cycle fill a row in the cycle summary with what was left and any charges.
5. Use one sheet per phone, on paper or in the browser version, which saves in your own browser.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How much data do I need?

The tracker cannot say. It records what you actually use through each cycle, and a few cycles of real figures are a better guide to the size of plan than any estimate.

My phone and the network show different figures. Which do I use?

The network's figure is the one the bill is based on, so write that where you can. Note in the notes column if the phone's own counter is quite different.

Can I track a whole family on one sheet?

The sheet is laid out for one phone so the figures stay clear. Print one per person, or keep a browser copy for each, and compare the cycle summaries.

What counts as an overage?

Whatever your plan charges for going beyond its allowance, as shown on your bill. Write the amount charged in the summary; the tracker does not supply prices.