| You can save money by purchasing a pre-paid | | | | saving them up. |
| cellular phone. Pre-paid and pay-as-you-go cellular | | | | Pre-paid plans usually come with the basics of call |
| phone plans allow you to buy time as you need it. | | | | waiting, voice mail and national long distance. |
| Minutes are usually purchased via a voucher card | | | | There may be restrictions to calling within certain |
| that is worth so many minutes. You simply | | | | areas or other restrictions. Make sure you read |
| activate the minutes when you need them. | | | | the fine print thoroughly. You know, with pre-paid |
| You may have already looked at a pre-paid plan. | | | | cell phone plans, no one should have to ask you |
| You will notice that you aren't saving per minute. | | | | to put them on your account. They are a great |
| In fact, pay-as-you-go plans cost you more per | | | | option for your children, or for those who rarely |
| minute. The plans are ideal for emergency use, | | | | ever use a cell phone. |
| for those who don't make hardly any calls per | | | | Compare the price of the pre-paid service |
| months and for teenagers and children. | | | | minutes with a regular cell phone package. You |
| With a pre-paid plan, you aren't locked into a | | | | might find that one is absolutely cheaper than the |
| typical cell phone contract that lasts two years. | | | | other. But make sure you look at all the details |
| You are free to stop purchasing minutes at any | | | | before you make your decision. |
| time. The main advantage to pre-paid cells is that | | | | Yes, a pre-paid plan costs you more per minute. |
| you can't go over your minutes and run up | | | | But it keeps you from going over your plan and |
| several hundred of dollars without knowing it. Your | | | | having $.40 a minute tacked onto your calls. For |
| phone won't use more minutes than you have | | | | example, if you pay $80 for 400 minutes, you |
| dollars. | | | | are basically paying twenty cents per minute. You |
| In general, this is what makes pre-paid cell phones | | | | could purchase a cellular contract plan for around |
| ideal for teens and pre-teens. It seems as if you | | | | $39.99 for 400 minutes. That equals around ten |
| are old enough to talk on a phone, you have your | | | | cents per minute. |
| own cell phone. With a pre-paid plan, you know | | | | But if you were to go over your contract |
| exactly how many minutes your children are | | | | minutes, you will most likely have to start paying |
| using. Some cell phone companies offer phones | | | | $.40 per minute on all calls over your plan. You |
| for children that only dial three or four numbers | | | | would only have to go over by 100 minutes to |
| that you preset. This also helps to eliminate a | | | | break even with the pre-paid plan. With the |
| large cellular phone bill out of the blue. | | | | pre-paid plan, you can't go over. |
| Most pre-paid plans will cost you from $10 for 30 | | | | With a pre-paid phone, you may be paying more |
| minutes to $80 for 400 minutes, depending on | | | | per minute, but you have a control set in place |
| the company. Minutes often expire after one | | | | that prevents you from spending more than you |
| month to a year, so make sure you know how | | | | budget for your cellular phone. |
| long your minutes are good before you start | | | | |