| According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, | | | | the phone. It could be a combination of a fixed |
| the number of people who buy prepaid cell phone | | | | amount, for example, $1 a day, and then 10 cents |
| services has grown rapidly in the past year. Given | | | | for each additional minute of talk time. Or it could |
| the current uncertain economic climate, more | | | | be a small fee like $3 a day for unlimited use for |
| people are choosing to spend less and save more. | | | | the whole day. In this case, you prepay for the |
| It has been estimated that half of all cell phone | | | | service, usually once every 3 months or once |
| minutes paid for in regular contract-based plans | | | | every year, and the usage amount will be |
| are never used and go to waste. Prepaid cell | | | | deducted from your prepaid balance every time |
| phone users do not need to waste money like | | | | you use the phone. This is suitable for people who |
| that because they have the flexibility to pay only | | | | may not need to use the phone everyday but on |
| for the minutes that they plan to use. Heavy cell | | | | the days they use it, they use it quite a bit. For |
| phone users can save by choosing to go with a | | | | this option, T-Mobile's Prepaid and AT&T's |
| low priced prepaid unlimited use monthly plan. | | | | GoPhone are good choices. |
| With the proliferation of prepaid plans, there are | | | | 3. Monthly plan |
| now numerous plan options available and some of | | | | A third type of plan is the prepaid monthly plan. |
| them are hard to understand. As a result, even | | | | This is similar to regular contract-based cell phone |
| though people generally save money over | | | | services in that you pay once a month on a |
| contract-based cell phone services when they buy | | | | recurring basis. An example would be a plan for |
| prepaid cell phone services, they may not be | | | | $15 a month with 150 minutes. Since there are no |
| aware of the best plan that fits their needs. | | | | contracts, you can stop it anytime with no |
| Before you make your purchase, why not take a | | | | penalties. Another benefit is that your phone |
| little time to familiarize yourself with the options | | | | automatically gets topped up with new minutes |
| available so you can choose the best plan for | | | | every month, so you do not have to take time |
| yourself. Here are the 4 main types of plans: | | | | out of your schedule to purchase refill cards. For |
| 1. Pay as you go | | | | this option, Net10 and T-Mobile's FlexPay plan are |
| Pay as you go is the most basic way is to buy | | | | good choices. |
| prepaid service. You buy airtime - a term that | | | | 4. Super usage/Unlimited monthly plan |
| means a fixed number of phone minutes and a | | | | This is a high-end variation of the monthly plan |
| period of active service. For example, you could | | | | and has attracted new converts who are |
| buy an airtime card for 20 minutes and 3 | | | | accustomed to high volume usage on a |
| months of service, for $20. That means service | | | | contract-based plan. For $50 or less a month, you |
| will stay active for 3 months and you have 120 | | | | can find prepaid plans that offer unlimited talk, |
| minutes during that period for use. The minutes | | | | text and data access. For $30 a month, you can |
| are depleted every time you use your phone. | | | | find plans offering 1,000 minutes of talk time and |
| The bare minimum to keep service active is to | | | | 1,000 text messages. This is perfect for you if |
| have unexpired service time, even if all your | | | | you use your cell phone all the time. For this |
| minutes have been used up. For light occasional | | | | option, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, MetroPCS and |
| users of a cell phone, this is the ideal choice and | | | | TracFone's service are good choices. |
| would keep costs to as low as $7 a month. For | | | | There is no one best prepaid cell phone plan that |
| this option, TracFone and Virgin Mobile are good | | | | fits all needs. Hopefully, with the choices classified |
| choices. | | | | and explained above, you will be able to identify |
| 2. Pay by the day | | | | the type of plan that will most benefit you. |
| A second type of prepaid plan that has been | | | | Free tips on how to buy the best prepaid cell |
| gaining in popularity is the Pay by the day option | | | | phone services - click here . |
| where you pay only for the days that you use | | | | |