| There was a time when prepaid plans were | | | | customer to weigh the costs and benefits of their |
| marketed mostly to people with poor or bad | | | | options. |
| credit. Now, prepaid plans are being marketed as | | | | Minutes are expensive |
| a great alternative to unlimited plans. Here are a | | | | Since prepaid plans are still primarily use by people |
| few things to consider before you sign up for | | | | with poor credit, the cost per minute for a call is |
| your prepaid. | | | | outrageous. Prepaid users can end up paying the |
| What is prepaid? | | | | same costs for all of their minutes that other |
| Prepaid usually involves buying a block of minutes | | | | consumers pay for over the limit minutes and |
| via online systems or replaceable cards, and you | | | | roaming costs. If you are an occasional cell phone |
| can use these minutes until they run out. Once | | | | user and don’t mind paying more, this |
| you are out of minutes, you make another | | | | might be a good option for you. |
| deposit or get a new card and you can continue | | | | Standard features are nonexistent |
| using your phone. | | | | Standard cell phone features such as free |
| No credit or poor credit | | | | roaming, unlimited nights and weekends and text |
| Prepaid Plans are the cell phone industry’s | | | | messaging might not be available on your prepaid |
| equivalent of secured credit cards. You can still | | | | plan. You can get the most incredible cell phone on |
| get a cell phone if you have no credit history or | | | | the market, but the costs to use these types of |
| poor credit. Plans purchased through one of the | | | | services will greatly outweigh the benefits. |
| major cell phone carriers might include free or low | | | | Renegotiate, if possible |
| cost cell phones, and you can also get discounts | | | | If you find that none of the cell phone carriers |
| on the standard accessories such as earpieces, | | | | nationwide (I’m assuming that you |
| headsets and faceplates. | | | | contacted everyone that provides service in your |
| Minutes Expire | | | | area) will give you an unlimited plan, your best bet |
| One of the major charges against prepaid cards is | | | | is to sign up for a prepaid plan and try to |
| that minutes expire after a period of time. That | | | | negotiate a new deal every six months. Call the |
| is, if you don’t use all of your minutes | | | | companies and ask if you can move to an |
| within two or three months, you lose them and | | | | unlimited plan even on a trial basis, or with a |
| you have to buy another card. Some people | | | | security deposit. You will have much more |
| consider this a rip off, but if you have an unlimited | | | | features and a lower bill in the end. |
| plan, you also lose your unused minutes on a | | | | If would like to get started with a prepaid plan |
| monthly basis, unless you have one of the few | | | | visit any major online cell phone retailer and sign |
| rollover plans that are available. It is up to each | | | | up. |