BlogGetting a phone
How to choose a phone you can actually afford every month
By the Mobilistan team
, 3 min read
Start from the monthly amount, not the phone. A simple way to pick the plan and the advance.
Most people pick the phone first and then worry about the qist. Try it the other way round. Work out what you can pay every month without stress, and let that choose the phone.
Find your monthly number
Take your monthly income, subtract rent, bills, school fees and food, and keep something aside for surprises. What is left over, comfortably, is the most your qist should be.
Then use the plan to fit it
Every phone can be paid over 3, 6 or 9 months. A longer plan means a smaller monthly amount.
You also choose between three advance amounts. The more you pay at the start, the less you pay each month. If you have some savings, a bigger advance can make a better phone fit your budget.
The Qist Calculator shows all of this for any phone: the advance, each month, and the total, before you apply. To compare phones side by side, see the best phones on installment in Pakistan, by budget.
Buy for how you use it
If you mostly call, use WhatsApp and scroll, a simple phone will serve you well. If you take lots of photos and videos, go for more storage. If you are out all day, a bigger battery matters more than the camera. If your work runs on your phone, a solid mid-range model is usually money well spent.
Before you sign
You will see the total price, the advance, how many months, each amount and the dates. Read it once. That price is fixed, and it won’t go up even if a payment is late. If anything isn’t clear, ask. That is what we are there for.
What changes the total, and what does not
The number of months sets the total price: a longer plan has a smaller monthly amount and a higher total. The advance does not change the total for the same number of months. It only moves money from the months to the start. The Qist Calculator shows the total next to every choice, so compare totals as well as months.
Start from a list that fits
If you already know your monthly number, open the phones by monthly qist or by advance: each list shows only the phones that fit. The Qist Index puts every phone’s 3, 6 and 9-month amounts in one table.
Questions people ask
How much should my monthly qist be?
No more than what is comfortably left after rent, bills, school fees and food, with something kept aside for surprises.
Is a 9-month plan cheaper than a 3-month plan?
Each month is smaller, but the total is higher. The Qist Calculator shows both for every phone.
Does a bigger advance lower the total price?
No. For the same number of months the total is the same. A bigger advance makes each month smaller.
Can I finish paying early?
Yes, at any time. The price is fixed, so paying early does not by itself reduce it.
Which phone is best for my budget?
Still stuck? Call us on 0370-8199951.
Open the Qist Calculator
