Buying a Cell Phone Plan

We all grieve in different ways. When some of us open our cell phone bills we let out a blood-curdling shriek that sends the cat under the couch for days. Some of us just lie down gently and try to will ourselves to die. If this happens to you, perhaps it’s a cry from your bank account for help. Here it is.

Thing No. 1

If you're freaking out at your bill, you don't have enough minutes.

Maybe 1000 minutes sounded like an awful lot when you signed up. What is there to possibly say that can take that long? A few “yeah, yeahs” here, a few movie dates there, a few drunk dialing voicemails on Saturday nights – how long can that take? Apparently too long. You've got to buy over to come in under. If you've gone over more than once and there were no mitigating circumstances, you need to up your minutes. It costs a lot less than overages do. Many of the plans are allowing roll-over unused minutes from month to month that takes away some of that buyer's remorse if you get a bigger plan.

Thing No. 2

Sometimes, a different plan will give you more minutes for less.

Depending on what the wireless company is trying to push at the moment (things like faves or circles or family plans) you might even find one that works better for you (usually depending on whether you call the same people all the time or not) and costs you even less than your regular plan while giving you more minutes. These are tricky though. For reviews on the best plans check: Consumersearch.com. They do a nice job aggregating all the reviewers out there.

Thing No. 3

Bicoastal Grifting.

For you true grifters out there (and you do hold a warm spot in our hearts) legend has it that if you live on the West Coast but get an East Coast area code, your free night minutes start on East Coast time giving you a full 3-hour advantage. Pretty shifty but perfectly legal.

Thing No. 4

You're supposed to give yourself a cell plan physical every 6 months.

Yeah right, like after you go through this and realize how many different options there are you will ever willingly do it again. Nevertheless, the really organized people with lots of time on their hands (presumably because they’re so organized) say that you should check in on current cell plans being offered on a regular basis so as not to miss out on hot new deals. This will have to be within the range of plans offered by your existing carrier for the duration of your contract because they’ll charge you through the nose for early termination (usually 2 years and between $100-$300). If you do upgrade your plan, your contract will be extended so, if you’re looking to get out because you have a special and even deeper hatred for your carrier than the garden-variety hatred the rest of us have then, be aware that this will only extend the duration of your carrier marriage.

Thing No. 5

It is possible to pawn your plan off on someone else.

You might be able to find someone to take over your plan and therefore, get around paying the termination fee. Celltradeusa.com is $19.99 for sellers -- due after you receive messages from interested parties (and free for buyers). Most carriers allow transfers although some of the terms may vary. The carrier will do a credit check on the potential buyer but you guys will have to carry out the transfer yourselves (celltradeusa acts merely as a matchmaker) and you can still keep your number.