We had Virgin Mobile for years. Paid $15 every three months for minutes and continued activation. The only reason we switched was because in our rural area, the Sprint network used by VM did get the best coverage. We ended up switching to Tracfone. With the Tracfone scheme, they lease cell tower access from many different providers. So if one of the big cell companies has coverage where you are, you'll get reception. It has improved coverage for us immensely. The thing that made us switch from VM in the end (which we used without a problem in our local area) was when we hit a deer in a remote area. Our car needed towing and we had no reception on the cell. The kind folks who picked us up did have cell reception. Using their cell phone to make our emergency call was our wake up call. Still, we didn't want the high cell bill because we only use our cell when traveling or during the summer when we drive regularly to less well covered cell areas, (read rural). So we went with tracfone. We've used it since January 2010 and so far no issues. The are so cheap we each have one now. Tracfone carried over our old VM number too, so now I don't have to remember a new number. (This is called 'porting' your current number. New provider, same phone number) To buy and set up an new phone for a year with about 700 minutes cost about $125. After that it will be less because we just have to buy the minutes and not the phone. Tracfone has various schemes for minutes and keeping your account active. These are explained very well at the site I've linked below. The site is also wonderful for explaining how the Tracfone system works, how to get the most for your money with the Tracfone, where to find promo codes for bonus minutes when you activate a purchased minutes card, also how to make the most of the official Tracfone website offers. Frankly it's better than Tracfone's own site. There is also a coverage map the site owner has created using Google maps showing where people have reported they get reception. It really is a wonderful site, like a kind person explaining the ins and outs of pay-as-you-go phones --who also realizes you aren't a total dope. It is very thorough. Good luck with your search! Don't forget to check Net 10, and the new Walmart "Straight Talk" plans either. The linking option doesn't seem to be working today, so here you go for cut and paste: http://www.fone-review.com/

This is reprinted from the Dollar Stretcher-I have been a subscriber for years. Great publication. http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm My Story: Cell Phone Hardball contributed by Gordon Reeder Be prepared to negotiate the best deal possible Play hardball when it comes to selecting a cell phone plan. And don't buy the standard offering. Several years ago, I had to update my AT&T (now Cingular) cell phone plan. I also needed a new phone. Unfortunately, new phones are only given to new customers. Existing customers have to pay for new phones. I balked. I decided I wanted the new phone free. First, I tried pleading with them. That didn't work. Then I appealed to their sense of customer satisfaction and loyalty. That didn't work either. Then I realized that my best hand was to let them know that I was willing to walk away, so I did my homework. I went to three of the biggest cell providers in the area. I got details of their plans and the free phones they offered. I took notes. Then I walked into the AT&T store, carrying their competitor's pamphlets in my hand. Let the game begin. "Hi, I need to renew my cell plan." "Yes, Mr. Reeder, I see that you have our 'blah, blah, blah' plan. Is that what you want to renew?" "Hmmm, I see that night and weekend minutes begin at 9:00 and XYZ starts theirs an hour earlier. I really like that." "I see, well we can offer..." And just like that I got unlimited nights and weekends starting at 8:00pm instead of 9:00pm. And so it went until I also had an additional 200 bonus minutes and free mobile-to- mobile calling. But I still didn't have that free phone and I wasn't leaving until I got it. And so... "Well there is only one more thing before I agree to renew my plan. I need a new phone." "Of course, Mr. Reeder, we have a great selection of phones. This one is only $49.95, and this one is $99.95, and..." "No! No! You don't understand. Phones are free if I switch carriers." "Right. We can offer..." And out came the credits and rebates. By the time it was over, the $99 phone was free. Yes! I win! I walked out with a better plan than I went in with and I got a free new phone. So don't just settle for what is put in front of you. The cell phone market is very competitive. You can use that to your advantage. Be prepared to negotiate for what you want.

I have the Moment and just plain love it. I had two Smart phones before this, and didn't care for either of them. The Moment is not difficult to learn, and the Sprint Store where she gets it should walk her through the basics of setting it up. It's got some wonderful apps that you can EASILY download for free ... including Shop Savy, which lets you 'scan' a bar code of something you're thinking of buying, and if it's in the database it'll pop up with prices of the same item near where you are to confirm whether you're getting the lowest price. Fun! I've used it for a spool of CDs and a memory card for my camera. LOL. I access both work and personal email accounts with it, and have synced my work calendar to it so it gives a little tone at 15 minutes before my next meeting. I even access Facebook with it! It sure wasn't easy to do that with my other Smart phones. Let me know if you have any other questions, I'll answer them if I can!

Unlimited is fine if you live on the phone. I have other things going on in my life so a phone is a tool, not a lifestyle for me. If you don't use it much, the prepaid is the way to go and you can easily go less than $10/mo. I don't look at the per-minute cost since to me, per month is what you're really paying. Actually, per year since I buy over a year's worth at a time. My cell use has now cut way down from before so the "per minute" rate is higher since I buy less but still when I look at per month it's cheap enough. I can't see not having one for $5-$7 a month. Joan_mn mentions a point that I always try to stress. With prepaid phones you need to check coverage areas. I have a CDMA which I wanted since it's better coverage in MN than AT&T, T-mo and Sprint's prepaid. My Tracfone cost me less than $7/mo last time I added. I didn't even do much searching for a deal. I've gotten time for as little as $2/mo when I worked the specials. This time I needed to add time quickly so just added some minutes and added extra months since I don't use it too much. I average about 30-35 min/mo use these days.