Pay as you go phones have become cheaper over the last couple of years, but you might still feel as if you have overpaid for the minutes or the data or that you have not adequately utilized them. Due to the availability of so many network providers along with many cell phone manufacturers in the market, the prices for pay as you go phones have become very competitive. Yet, there are ways to ensure that you still get a better and cheaper deal out of them.

Choose a good carrier : The market is glutted with carriers, each offering services that are almost the same as each other. Yet among their differences is the key to ensure that you get the best and cheapest deals. Check their coverage maps, and their general reviews before you select a carrier. Do not get sidetracked by attractive deals certain carriers emphasize on. The first step is carrier selection based on the quality and limitations of the carrier itself and not on the plans they offer. That should be your first step while choosing a prepaid phone.

Choose your phone : Coming in a variety which includes flips, sliders, QWERTY and smartphones, choose a phone you require (not like) and one which is compatible with the carrier of your choice. Do not buy the phone from the carrier as it will be more expensive than you buying the phone yourself. Besides that, certain carriers will have you sign up with them for a year or two in lieu of providing a phone for a bit cheaper.

Used phones are getting reliable : After choosing your type of phone, it is a good idea to browse on Amazon, Glyde, and Swappa for used phones being resold. Most of them are in mint condition and come at very affordable prices. It is important to read the reviews of second-hand phones as they usually reveal the truth about the concerned product.

Choose your plan : After the phone and the carrier have been settled, choose the plan which works best for you. Even within carriers, there are many plans available and it is advisable to go through them all before you decide which one suits you best.

Do not consume more minutes than what your plan entails : Consuming minutes beyond your limit is the easiest way to get overcharged very fast and very heavily. As a rule of thumb, under no circumstances should you consume more minutes than what you are entitled to. This is why step 4 is so important.

There are many pay as you go phones available in the market today. That means there are many permutations and combinations in terms of both the phones and the plans they come with. The real trick to the cheapest prepaid phone is to know your own requirements and how much you wish to compromise on that. Using that as the foundation, implement the 5 steps mentioned above and you will get the best deal possible!