Very Cheap Mobile Phones
From LoveToKnow Cellphones
When you are looking to stay connected, opting for some very cheap mobile phones for your family can be a good idea. Inexpensive handsets can still be used to make phone calls and send text messages, but they can make a much smaller dent in your wallet.
How to Find Very Cheap Mobile Phones
While it is easy to swoon over the Apple iPhone and the T-Mobile G1, not everyone can afford to have these higher end smartphones. At the same time, not everyone will be making use of the advanced technology and functionality found in these kinds of products. It can be a severe waste of money and this can be a huge damper on your budget.
At the same time, staying connected with your friends and family is of great importance. While it would certainly be nice to always have the latest and greatest, it is still reasonable to invest in very cheap mobile phones.
Where can you find these inexpensive alternatives? There are a few different avenues for you to take. For example, the cheapest kind of phone would the be free one. If someone in your family recently upgraded to a new handset, you may be able to receive the old phone as a hand-me-down. You really can't beat the price of free.
Saving Money on Prepaid Phones
A good way to keep that budget in check is to consider cheap prepaid cell phones. The prepaid market was designed with your wallet in mind, so it is unlikely that you will find any high-end or even mid-tier feature phones that are being offered directly to prepaid customers.
In this way, most of the phones sold through the prepaid phone channel will be of the inexpensive variety. In fact, you can oftentimes find what are known as prepaid bundles. These will include some airtime credit along with very cheap mobile phones.
From the AT&T GoPhone service, it is possible to get a lower-end phone with $25 of airtime (plus $10 in bonus airtime) for about $30. In effect, AT&T is paying you $5 to take this phone. Similar offers can be found through other providers as well.
Have You Considered Used?
What if you want a phone that is little fancier? A great way to save a sizable amount of money is to consider buying used cell phones.
A nice new phone can cost several hundred dollars with a new service agreement, but you can save $100 or more by taking a used model instead. As with all of these kinds of transactions, of course, the old caveat of buyer beware still applies. Make sure the phone is still operational and the battery still holds a charge. Check its overall condition and see what extras are included.
Used cell phones are available from a number of different venues, but some of the most popular sources are eBay, online buy-sell forums, and online classifieds. Shop around and ask a lot of questions. You will want to make sure that the phone is compatible with your chosen provider, of course.
Getting a Phone Free with Contract
What's the cheapest deal you can get? How about zero dollars and zero cents?
While there are certainly some opportunity costs and potential hassles involved, it is very much possible to get a cell phone free with service. Signing up for a contract (or service agreement) with a wireless provider ties you down to that provider for the length of the contract, but you can be awarded with a free or discounted handset.
This is known as an operator subsidy. If you were to purchase a certain phone without a contract, they may charge you $400 for it. Sign a two-year contract and it may only be $100. This is a good way to save money, especially if you know that you'll be sticking with this provider for that period of time anyway.
Very Cheap Means Very Cheap
More often than not, especially when a new service agreement is not involved, very cheap mobile phones will offer much lower-end features than their higher priced counterparts. Looking at some of the most affordable cell phone deals, you will find that the features and specifications are not the most impressive things in the world.
The phones may or may not have a camera. They may or may not have memory card slots, music players, or the ability to play video. They may or may not be able to handle email, instant messengers, or downloadable games. They'll be let you make phone calls (and let you spend your money elsewhere).
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This page has been accessed 742 times. This page was last modified 05:56, 22 February 2009.
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