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Prepaid or Postpaid
In a rough economy, many people are asking themselves if they're ready to renew that contract with a cell phone provider. While the lure of 'pay as you go' may sound good on the surface, it's not ideal for everyone. Before you dump your provider, ask yourself the following questions:
How many minutes am I using every month?
If your usage pattern is less than 150 minutes per month, then prepaid is a great value particularly those that charge 10 cents per minute, like Net10 or Tracphone. While these names might be unfamiliar to you, they offer a reasonable service at a very reasonable price, where as Verizon Wireless and other more familar carriers charge 20 or 25 cents per minute.
Do I use my cell phone every day?
If the answer is no, then consider prepaid. The bigger carriers, like AT&T, T-Mobile, Boost, and Verizon offer $1 per day plans with unlimited calls with other subscribers in the same network, but only charge you that dollar on the days you use the phone. Be careful who you call, as offnetwork calls cost 10 cents per minute additional.
Am I willing to pay the start up costs?
Prepaid phones need to be paid for up front, and you'll need to add money or minutes to your account right away. While postpaid phones require a contract, that initial payment is deferred and you can get phones for free.
Bottom line: Think before you act. Prepaid is great for the most basic of users, but if you're on a family plan or want to use text and mobile internet, then you might prefer a more robust postpaid plan. Instead of kicking your current carrier to the curb, consider reviewing your bill: Over 50% of all cell phone users are on the wrong plan, could be getting discounted services, or are being nicked for every text received or webpage browsed.
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