If you really want to buy any of the new iPhone 14 handsets when they go on sale, it won’t be cheap. But it can be less expensive.

You probably either love or hate Apple, but if you love Apple you probably waited excitedly to see what the new iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Plus handsets would be like when announced at the annual Apple event.

I watched the (rather long and uninspiring) video so you didn’t have to, and I’ve shared below what the new handsets will cost and how you can make them slightly less expensive (though not necessarily affordable!).

Here’s what you need to know and a few tricks to help you save money on the latest Apple mobile phones.

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The new iPhone 14 range

These handsets are the third Apple models to be 5G compatible. You can order the new handsets from Friday 9 September, and they’ll be available to collect from 16 September 2022, or 7 October (for the Plus).

iPhone 14

The first phone announced was the iPhone 14. It’s a very similar design to the 13, and comes in five colours. There are relatively minor improvements to the camera and charging. The big change is the return of the Plus size version of the handset, starting at £949. There’s no Mini this time around.

The “standard” iPhone 14 jumps up to £849 – that’s £60 more than the entry-level 13 last year (for 128GB), and £149 more than the basic 12 when it launched two years ago (though that was 64GB). It’s then £959 for 256GB and £1,179 for 512GB. You’ll pay more again for the Plus version.

The iPhone 14 Pro & Pro Max

There are bigger changes for iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, most noticeably in the camera cut out on the screen and a faster chip.

As ever, you’ll really pay to get these Pro models. The iPhone 14 Pro is has a huge hike on last year. It starts at £1,099 for the 128GB model (up £150), and goes up to £1,649 for a huge 1TB of storage.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max beings at £1,199 (also up £150) for the same size and hits a massive £1,749 for the 1TB model (up £200)

Other iPhones are still available

Each time there’s a new release, Apple also removes a group from sale in its official range.

You can still get the iPhone 13, iPhone 12 and iPhone SE, all of which will fall in price. The 128GB iPhone 13 for example is now £130 less that at launch at £649.

Older models which are now gone from the official Apple range (such as the 11) could mean other retailers will possibly reduce them further to clear stock.

Should you get one of the new iPhones?

It’s tempting right? But you need to ask if you’re buying it because you like shiny new things (understandable), or because it’s actually going to be significantly different to your current handset.

Yes, there are improvements to previous models, but can you justify hundreds of pounds of expenditure to get them? I’d say it’s unlikely if you last got a new model a year or two ago.

I used to upgrade my phone every couple of years, but now I tend to wait another year or two. And you know what? My phone still worked fine and did everything I need it to for those extra years.

So if your current phone is absolutely fine then keeping it is going to be the best value for money.

There’s an argument that you’ll get more money by selling your current phone now rather than in a year – which is true. Even so, I still think waiting is the best bet.

But if you’re adamant you want (or need) to upgrade your phone when the new iPhones are available, here’s how to save some cash.

How to get a new iPhone for less

Avoid upgrading or buying on a contract

One of the most expensive ways to buy any new phone, not just the iPhone, is to buy it through your mobile network.

Instead, you should try to buy it upfront, and get a separate SIM-only contract. This is almost always cheaper. More on this further down the article.

I’m not even going to bother comparing contract prices at the different networks as there are far cheaper ways to get your hands on the new phones.

Why mobile contracts are bad for your pocket

Lots of people get a new phone as part of an upgrade via their network. That’s usually as part of a 24-month contract – or even longer.

This actually costs you more money! By doing this you’ll essentially be taking out a loan on the handset and paying interest each month. The extra they charge can easily be hundreds of pounds.

If your monthly charge is a combination of handset and tariff then it’s also easy to get caught in the trap of continuing to pay for the handset after the contract ends. Again, quickly adding up if you don’t switch straight away.

Buy the handset outright

Don’t be tempted to get a higher specification than you actually need. Most people won’t use 128GB storage, let alone 512GB. Realistically, last year’s 13 will probably be fast enough for most people, so it might be hard to justify paying more for any of the 14 series.

If you struggle to find the new iPhones in stock, then this iStock website is fantastic. It has near real-time updates on all the different models available in official Apple shops. You can also try Currys or John Lewis,

Even so, you’re probably thinking, how the hell can I afford a £849+ phone?!

Here are a few ways to make it more affordable:

Use your savings

If you’ve got savings, and they aren’t earmarked for something else, I’d normally suggest using these.

BUT this year is a little different. We don’t know what’s on the horizon and you might need to access that cash. There’s no point having to borrow money in a few months because you’ve spanked it all on a phone.

Pay with a 0% interest offer

It’s better perhaps to spread the cost out with a 0% interest deal.

Apple often has 0% finance on new handsets. You can always get this in Apple stores (take photo ID with you) with the iPhone Payments scheme offering 20 months interest free.

The online offer comes and goes, but it’s back for launch of these new handsets. Do this and you’ll spread the cost of the phone out over 24 months without any extra charges.

Or you could look at a 0% purchase credit card. As long as you make the minimum repayment each month and know you can afford to pay the card off before the 0% period ends, you can again spread the cost out.

Of course make sure with both of these that your credit report is up to date and your score reasonable. A rejection for the credit could hurt your score.

Watch out for “upfront” that costs more

If you buy the handset outright from Apple or another store like John Lewis, you’ll pay the real price.

However some networks, including O2, have the cheek to charge you even more when you do – even if it’s not part of a contract.

Get cashback on a contract

If you don’t want to go via the handset upfront/SIM only routes and really want a contract, then go via a cashback site like Quidco or TopCashback, even on upgrades. You might get money back.

Buy it abroad

This one won’t be possible for everyone, and it’s harder this year than any other year thanks to an awful exchange rate, but most years buying your phone abroad can be cheaper.

Prices for handsets in pounds and dollars are slightly different (eg $799 vs £849 for the 14, and from $999 vs £1099 for the Pro), and you have to add tax on top which varies depending on the state you visit, to work out the actual price. Even so, you can potentially save £100 or so, depending on the model phone you go for.

Of course, to save money you need to be going to the States anyway. But if you do have a holiday planned, wait until then and you’ll make a decent saving. I did this three years ago when buying an iPhone 11, saving me around £120.

If you are going to do this, make sure you pay with a specialist travel card, and if it’s on a credit card, pay it off in full ASAP to avoid interest charges.

Buy last year’s model

The iPhone 13 price has already dropped by more than £120 – and it’s only a year old. So you’ll get an improved handset but at a lower price.

Sell your old phone to fund the new one

If you really do want the new phone, then try to offset it by selling your old phone. From my experience, you’ll get the most money from eBay.

However as soon as a new phone is announced prices for older handsets fall in value, so don’t leave it too long. Here’s how to get the most money from selling your old handset

SIM Only

If you do buy the handset outright then you’ll need to get your network contract as SIM-only offer.

You can choose between a 30-day or 12-month SIM and most people should be able to get by paying less than £8 a month for your minutes, texts and at least 8GB of data. Here’s more on how it works.

Don’t forget to go via a cashback site to save even more money, and there are new member deals too.

> Some top SIM only deals