You want to shift to a prepaid cell phone plan. After all you have been fully convinced of the things you read and heard about prepaid cell phone service. And you want to benefit from the unique features that prepaid cell phone plans offer.

You can always buy second hand phones that will carry prepaid plans that you want to benefit from. Still, you need to be careful in choosing and buying used phones, especially when you plan to buy it online. This way you can prevent getting ripped off by unscrupulous merchants that sell defective cell phones. Below we have enumerated some tips that you can use in securing second hand cell phone units online.

Tips on Buying Used Phones Online

1.Make sure that you don’t buy stolen items. Before you buy a used phone, check the records of the phone. Review the receipt of the phone and validate whether the name of the seller matches that name of the buyer in the receipt. This way you can be assured of buying only legitimate items and not the stolen ones.

You may also investigate on the background and license of the online cell phone shop. Conduct researches on the service level and products of an online shop. Ask for customer reviews and testimonials. Contact the shop and ask for an assurance that they do not sell stolen phones.

This way you can be assured of purchasing phones that have proper documents and not the stolen ones.

2.Research on the features of the model you plan to buy. Perform a thorough research on the features and specifications of the phone model you want. This will serve as your guide in selecting and buying a used phone that will meet your expectations and needs.

3.Ask to hold the unit first before buying it. Remember that you are buying a second hand phone to take advantage of the features of a prepaid cell phone service. If you will buy a phone that will not be durable enough, for sure your money will just go to waste. So never rely on the pictures and descriptions provided online. Rather schedule a meet up with your prospective seller. This will give you the opportunity to inspect the phone being sold. What are some things that you need to check?

• Phone Casings. Check for scratches and dents. And see if the physical condition of the cell phone cover still allows you to recognize the phone model.

• Keypad. Check whether all the keys work. And see whether there are missing or faded keys. If you see some, better look out for other sellers.

• Screen. View if the screen is still in good condition or if it has defective pixels or lines.

• Battery. Inspect whether the battery is still performing well. If not, you may ask the seller to provide you newer phone batteries or negotiate a lower price.

• Other features. For more contemporary phone models, check on the following components: software, stylus, slide or hinge mechanism, touch-screen, headphone jack and speakers, and card slots. Inspect the condition of each of these components for you to get assured that the phone you will be buying will be worth the asking price of the seller.

4.Ask for at least a one-week warranty from the cell phone seller. Ask your seller for at least a short-term warranty. This way, should the used phone fail to live up to your expectations, you can still ask for a refund. And you can still buy another second-hand phone from a new online shop.

By employing these steps, you can surely find a second hand phone that you can use to benefit from prepaid cell phone services.

About the Author

Tara Tiemann is a credit analyst for Go-prepaid.com which has been a resource site for people who want to live debt free. If you are on a budget using prepaid debit cards,prepaid credit cards and prepaid cell phone service can save you big money!

Now that times are tough, many are switching from a post-paid cell phone plan to a prepaid cell phone service.  What are the advantages and disadvantages of using prepaid cell phones?  Should you get a prepaid phone as well?

Advantages of Prepaid Cell Phones

Pay only for your call/text usage. A common complaint with post paid phone plans is that subscribers find additional charges on their bill for calls they never made.  With a prepaid phone, there’s no need to worry about incurring extra charges, missing your due date of payment, or paying late penalty fees.

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Easy to acquire. There’s no need to fill out application forms or sign up for the 1 year contract to get approved.   If you want to have your own prepaid cell phone, all you have to do is visit your chosen carrier and make a purchase.

Put a limit over your spending. It is easier to exercise control over your call expenses using a prepaid cell phone.   You can only reload a limited amount of credit that you can use for the whole week or the whole month.  With a post paid plan, you can always make a call at anytime or make your calls a little bit longer than necessary, racking up your bills for the month.

Disadvantages of Prepaid Cell Phones

Now that we have discussed the advantages of owning a prepaid cell phone, let’s tackle the disadvantages that you should consider as well.  Remember, if you need to make frequent calls from your cell phone every day, then you may be able to save more with a post paid plan.  Prepaid phones are great for those who only make phone calls occasionally.
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You always have to reload new credit. Once you’ve used up all your available credit, you will need to buy a new prepaid card or transfer funds to your cell phone to be able to use it for new calls or texts.

You can’t use a prepaid phone to build credit history. Cell phone companies do not provide credit reporting for their prepaid plan subscribers.  If you want to build up your credit history, then what you need is a post paid cell phone service.

The cost per call is higher than a post paid plan phone. Since prepaid cell phones charge calls by the second, not by the minute, you could end up paying for more if you make longer calls frequently.  If you need a longer airtime, then a post paid plan may be a better choice for you.

About the Author

Tara Tiemann is a credit analyst for Go-prepaid.com which has been a resource site for people who want to live debt free. If you are on a budget using prepaid debit cards,prepaid credit cards and prepaid cell phone service can save you big money!

Prepaid Cell Phone cards can really save you money. Especially if your home phone doesn’t have a good international phone plan, you can get a phone card instead of having to cancel your whole service.

Not all prepaid phone card services are alike. You really need to make sure you are working with a reputable company.

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Some of the complaints I’ve heard and experienced have been

• bad (or no) customer service
• Shorted minuted
• Bad connections
• Being charged a minute even if the call didn’t connect
• Hidden fees for using a pay phone
• Maintenance fees in super small script!
• Pin numbers that don’t work – but you can’t get a hold of the issuerer since their 800 number is always busy

If you want to avoid this type of trouble, before you buy your next prepaid phone card, make sure you know the answers to these questions:

• Read the information provided carefully. They have to disclose all maintenance fees up front. Be on the look out for surcharges, fees for calling from a pay phone, fees for making calls to cell phones or 800 numbers.
• Look for expiration dates. Some cards have them and whatever minutes you haven’t used on the card when it expires are forfeited. You won’t get them rolled into a new card
• Look for a customer service phone number on the card. Call it if you can before you buy the card. Try to see how easy it is to get your questions answered. If you can’t get thru that can be an indicator of trouble ahead
• Is the rate really low? Much lower than most companies, BEWARE! That can mean that there maybe hidden fess that more than make up for the savings.
• Make sure the card comes sealed in a package with the pin number hidden. Its too easy for someone to write down pin numbers and activate a card without it ever leaving the store. Wouldn’t you hate to buy a card, get it home and find out there are no minutes left on it!
• Make sure you understand how to use the card and the instructions are clear
• Make sure you know what the rates truly are. International rates are generally more than the domestic rates.

About the Author

Tara Tiemann is a credit analyst for Go-prepaid.com which has been a resource site for people who want to live debt free. If you are on a budget using prepaid debit cards, pre paid credit cards and prepaid cell phone service can save you big money!