Why You Need a Prepaid Mobile Phone

I know there's a significant portion of the population that wouldn't dream of using anything other than an Apple iPhone, Blackberry Bold, or Google Android for call, texting, emailing, and web browsing on the go. These folks don't mind paying hundreds of dollars for the handset, and many hundreds more for the duration of their contract. Then as soon as their current contracts expire, they upgrade to the latest handset model and begin the entire cycle again. But that seems like such a massive waste of money to me, which is why I switched to a prepaid mobile phone a long time ago.

There are several reasons that I prefer having a prepaid mobile phone to a traditional service contract. For starters, with a prepaid mobile phone, I never get surprised by hidden charges or fees. This is a very important feature for anyone on a budget or for parents with teenagers in the house. How many times have we read news articles about a teen who unwittingly racked up a $1,000 bill due to excessive texting and a lack of understanding about monthly charges? If you want to eliminate that kind of risk, then you need an alternative to traditional contracts.

Another reason I prefer having a prepaid mobile phone is that I have complete control over every aspect of the experience. In addition to determining how much money to pay up front for calling minutes, I can also decide when to get a new handset and how often I recharge my plan. I no longer have to wait two years or more for a current contract to expire before I can make these moves. With a prepaid mobile phone, I can upgrade (or not) as I see fit. This is the kind of control that all consumers should have, so I cannot imagine entering into a long-term agreement that penalizes me for changing my mind or wanting an early upgrade.

One of the old knocks against owning a prepaid mobile phone is that the handset itself usually isn't anything great. This goes back to the time when you could buy these devices at a convenience store or gas station and go on your merry way. But that argument doesn't hold true anymore, as you can get a prepaid mobile phone SIM card that will work with just about any handset on the market (so long as it is "unlocked"). This gives you a wide range of choices, and allows you to use the most current GSM cell phones and trendiest smartphones even when on a budget.

The bottom line here is that using a prepaid mobile phone instead of getting mired into a very long contract would be highly beneficial to most people. Business users might have a different agenda, but those of us dealing with daily budget issues and limited resources would do well to prepay for this type of service.