The first phone I got was a small phone where you had to purchase cards for a certain number of minutes and texts. I loved it! Although I ended up getting a more robust phone plan later on, for the time being, it was the perfect option for me.
In case you are wondering if a prepaid cell phone plan is right for you, here are a few prepaid cell phone benefits.
1) Emergency or Family Phone
Do you just need a cell phone for emergencies? A prepaid phone is a great option for that. You don’t have to worry about paying a monthly bill for a phone that you rarely use, but it’s available for those times that you really need it. Most prepaid plans have a variable amount of minutes and texts you can add to it, so you can easily purchase one of the more inexpensive phones. I know some people who have a family phone – so, their children don’t all have cell phones, but there is a phone available to take
2) It’s for your child
I know there’s a lot of debate on if/when a child should get a phone. I’m in the camp that the later, the better, and no smart phones until they can pay for them themselves (I know, how old fashioned of me.) Prepaid phones are a great way to make sure your child isn’t spending hours calling, texting, and surfing the web. As I mentioned, I had a prepaid phone as my first phone when I was 16, and I was responsible for refilling its minutes and texts. It’s a great way to teach responsibility and ease your child into the world of cell phones by having some control over how much they use it.
3) Need an inexpensive phone and plan
Cell phones and their accompanying plans can be pricey! Prepaid plans are a great option for those of you who need to have some kind of cell phone, but you can’t afford to spend tons of money each month. There are so many awesome options out there for prepaid plans, that you can easily find one that fits your budget and needs, and you won’t have to break the bank each month!
4) Income is variable
One of the hard parts of being locked into a two-year contract (or even if you are on a month-to-month plan, you may still be locked in due to paying for a phone in monthly installments), is that if you fall into hard times money wise, you may find yourself having issues paying for the phone. If you don’t have a reliable income that you can count on each month, a prepaid plan is a great way to make sure you don’t end up having to pay a bunch of money you don’t have each month. If you aren’t able to afford a cell phone one month – no problem! Just don’t buy any cards until you can load again.
5) Simplify
We live in such a digital, connected world, and to be honest…it’s not always a good thing! I know that I rely on my smart phone way too much (I often leave it at home so I’m not tempted to reply to emails or surf Instagram when I’m out with my family.) However, in the age where many people don’t have home lines anymore, and many of us are out and about, it sometimes does become a necessity to have a phone. Prepaid plans make it possible to have a phone, but you can get a simple one that isn’t tempting to get addicted to all the time!
6) Bad Credit
Often if you have have poor credit, you can have a harder time getting on with a cell phone plan, or you may be required to pay a much larger deposit or fee up front. If you are having trouble getting a cell phone plan, a prepaid plan can be a great option until you can raise your credit score, because they generally don’t require credit checks or deposits.
Where to Buy?
There are a lot of places that you can get prepaid wireless phones and plans – it’s hard to know what’s the best choice! Safeway stores have a great prepaid wireless program in place, and since it’s just a grocery store, it’s convenient to pick up more prepaid cards when you are doing your regular grocery shopping. They occasionally have extra deals attached to getting prepaid cards from TracPhone® and NET10® – for instance, through June 23rd, you can get 10x fuel rewards when you purchase these cards, which can add up to a lot of savings on fuel (especially right now with gas prices rising again!)
If you purchase a $50 wireless card, you’ll get 500 fuel rewards. That’s equal to $.50 off per gallon, which can add up! Fuel rewards can be redeemed at Safeway fuel stations and Chevron and Texaco stations.
Buy Prepaid Wireless Cards at Safeway and SAVE : Thru 6/23, Safeway is featuring 10x fuel rewards on all TracFone and NET10 prepaid wireless cards. Learn more about Safeway’s fuel rewards program here!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of TapInfluence. The opinions and text are all mine.
The post 6 Reasons to Get a Prepaid Cell Phone Plan appeared first on Clarks Condensed: A Family Lifestyle Blog.