How do you select what is best for you in the jungle of prepaid mobile offers and plans? Read this guide - regardless of where you live in the world, it will help you to choose the plan that will make you spend less.

 

Make no mistake - there are in fact big differences between one prepaid cellular offer and the next. Often these differences are hidden in the contract’s fine print or disguised by the operator’s advertising, but don’t let yourself be fooled by this and read on to find out about the main distinguishing points.

 

As for the handset, you will not get a subsidised one as offered with lock-in contracts by opting for a prepaid mobile. But even if you get an expensive mobile phone the cost savings will make themselves felt in the long term, as prepaid mobile plans are usually cheaper. But remember that you will have to pay the full price of the handset right away.

 

Prepaid mobiles work by there being a credit sum that you need to pay in advance, and you can then call as long as the credit is positive. You can usually recharge different credit amounts. But you need to be aware of the fact that recharging less frequently, but for bigger amounts, will often result in gaining added perks that will make you save money in the long run.

 

One important thing to check is rollover. The amount of time that your credit will be valid could be several months, but it could also be for only a week, depending on the operator or plan. Also, with some carriers any remaining credit’s validity is lengthened if you add some more credit. This is especially important if you don’t use your phone a lot.

 

If you phone a lot but not during normal office hours, for instance because at that time you are at school, work, or at home, you should check out off-peak prepaid mobile rates. These can be a great money-saver if you mostly call in the evening or on Saturday and Sunday.

 

Some carriers offer cheaper international calls than others. And for US prepaid mobile carriers, not all have the same prices for long distance calls. These rates are usually buried in the fine print, but make sure that you compare them across operators. 

 

There are several other points that you may want to check out in the fine print, depending on your usage pattern, such as internet connection price of voicemail calls, or cost of prepaid mobile content such as ringtones and music videos.

 

Make sure to compare the prepaid mobile options of all carriers, and check the smaller and newer operators, who are often cheaper. Putting offers side by side is the key to cheaper prepaid mobile calls.

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