You are in the market for a cheap cell phone plan and you start the research process, browsing the internet and even the sale ads in your local newspaper. The problem is deciphering the difference between plans that offer free phones if you sign a contract, which companies offer the lowest call rate pricing and factoring all the other bells and whistles that are available for cell packages these days.

Wading through the Mess

With all the hype these days over cheap cell phone plan options, it can be hard to truly understand what the best deal may be. Do you go for the ones that offer free cells phones with your service plan or do you pay for your phone and choose a service plan that has the lowest rate per call? The consensus is you want to choose a cheap cell phone plan that presents you with the lowest bill at the end of the month to pay it makes sense right?

First of all, you will want to factor in the retail cost of the cell phone and how much it would be per month if you signed a service contract and then add that total to your monthly service rate. Do those offers of free cells phones with a signed service contract beat the service contract where you buy your own phone?

Understanding your Needs

To narrow down your options for a cheap cell phone plan, you have to understand your basic calling needs. If the phone will only be used in emergencies, perhaps a prepaid plan is the right choice for you where you pay as you go for service. Using the phone as a lifeline to keep in touch with extended family members and friends means you may want an unlimited cell phone plan which has a lot of anytime minutes in addition to long distance.

The bells and whistles such as camera phones, text messaging, three-way calling, email and internet options will boost the price of service but you could still find a cheap cell phone plan with a few extras thrown in. It may mean that you sign a service contract for one or two years in exchange for these extras but that is the price you pay, as long as you are comfortable with it.

The term "cheap" is relative, meaning it holds different meanings for different people so what may be affordable to one person may be an outrageous expense to another. Therefore, a cheap cell phone plan is what you feel comfortable paying for each month for the predetermined options you sign up for in the plan.

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