Compare Cheap Cell Phones

Cellular phones are such a big part of daily life that functioning without them can be difficult. There are so many choices these days that it can be frustrating when shopping for a new phone or replacing an older model. However, with a little patience and a bit of research, you can find the phone that is right for you and appropriate for your budget.

How many features are appropriate?

How much you spend on a new cellular phone is entirely up to you. Some cheap mobiles are great for simply sending and receiving calls while others can do everything but walk the dog. Before you begin your search, ask yourself how much you are truly willing to spend and how much you can afford to spend. Then ask yourself the same questions regarding how much you can spend in a month on those special features you desire. Once you have your list of wants and needs ready, you can begin looking online at different models and compare prices. Phones tend to cost more as you invest in more bells and whistles.

Texting costs you on average about 20c per message unless you sign up for unlimited texting. Picture and video mail can cost between 50c and $3 per message while data plans can cost you up to $30 extra per month, depending on your contract or pre-paid plan.

Contract plans

If you find the phone that best suits you, then you can run into the newest dilemma of the 21st century: contract or pre-paid? Both have their pros and cons. With a contract, you agree to spend a minimum of two years with a wireless company. Every company has only certain phone models available for purchase. Then you must pay activation fees and taxes and decide if you want a full plan complete with data, text messaging, picture mail, video mail and other features. You can change that plan later on, but some companies require you to start the contract all over again. If you are not happy with anything, you may only have 10 to 30 days to get out depending on who wrote the contract, which is why you should read every single line on that contract and ask as many questions as you like before signing! On the other hand, you can get unlimited this and that while having a much better signal than most pre-paid services. The customer service is usually better and you do not have to pay to check your voicemail.

Talk to friends and family members about the wireless companies they use and ask for their honest opinion. If you decide to go with a contract, do it in person at the wireless store. The sales staff is usually very helpful and knowledgeable.

Pre-paid plans

With a pre-paid phone, you have a much more limited choice of mobiles as well as features. You also pay sometimes twice as much for minutes as well as texting and data. The coverage is usually scant, and they can charge you minutes for checking your voicemail. You may also run the risk of getting some other person's phone number, which can result in multiple texts and late-night phone calls from unknown numbers. However, you do not commit to a contract and if you decide you are not happy, all you have to do is use up the minutes and recycle the phone. Since the phones usually run a range of $10-50, ditching them is not a major problem.

If you decide to go with a contract, do it in person at the store