Nowadays, wireless cell phones are considered to be an essential part of everyday life. There are basically two ways to get a wireless phone service. You can either subscribe to a post paid plan or get a prepaid cell phone package. Which one is for you? In this post, let us compare the advantages of a prepaid phone plan over a post paid one.

Prepaid – Pay As You Use It

Wireless prepaid phones are perfect for people who need a mobile phone but seldom make calls or send text messages. Although the per minute call charges are much higher with a prepaid plan, you can save a great deal if you are a limited cell phone user.

Prepaid call cards range from as low as $10 to as high as $100 and up. At .10 cent per minute, a $10 load will give you at least 30 minutes of talk time that will not expire up to 30 days. The higher the denomination of your call card is, the longer lifespan of your credit would be.

What’s great about prepaid phone plans is that you are not bounded by any contract. If you are not satisfied with your carrier’s service, you can easily make the switch to a different prepaid cell phone service provider without any hassle.

Prepaid Phone Limits

Are there disadvantages to using a prepaid plan? If have been used to using a post paid cell phone, switching to a prepaid plan may be inconvenient at first. Remember that you will have to buy a new call card and reload each time you run out of balance. For some people, this could be a major drawback especially during times when you need to make an emergency call. Nevertheless, one solution to this problem is to reload your account immediately before or as soon as your last load expires.

Set a definite monthly budget and stick to it. If you don’t, you may end up spending more with a prepaid phone than with a post paid package. Be conscious about the expiration date of your balance each time you reload your account. There are prepaid wireless service providers that will automatically carry over your unused calls or texts as long as you reload the day before your balance expires. If your carrier does not have this provision, load only the exact amount that you can use to avoid wasting your credit.

When Post Paid is a Better Option

If, after considering your situation, you feel that a post paid plan is a more practical choice, you can save more money by choosing the right plan and service provider. Spend time reading the fine print before signing up your contract. Compare the rates and the services offered. You can also ask your friends and family members who have a firsthand experience in subscribing to a particular phone plan and carrier or check out cell phone reviews online.

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!

Residents of the state of North Carolina are eligible for free prepaid cell phone service thru a little know government sponsored program called Lifeline.

TracFone.com is the first prepaid cell phone provider to open a program to meet the needs of those who are eligible for this program.

TracFone.com’s program is called Safelink, under this program if you are at a certain income level and live in North Carolina, you can receive free cell phone service. Currently most people who have applied for Safelink are actually paying 50% of the plan cost and the government is paying the rest. I believe the amount you pay is based on your income.

Currently Tracfone is the only provider with a program, but Virgin Mobile plans on rolling out a similar program this coming summer.

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Click here to go to TracFone.com!

About the Author

Tara Tiemann is a credit analyst for www.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!