Tracfone Prepaid Cell Phone – How to Get Started


On the Tracfone website, there is a quote that reads as follows: “The cheapest way to own a cell phone in America.”  This article is about how to get started with a Tracfone Prepaid Cell Phone.

Prepaid cell phones are an optimal choice for people who like to have more control over their minutes, don’t want to sign a multi-year contract, want to avoid expensive cancellation fees, or just like to have a phone around for emergencies. The Tracfone prepaid cell phone is a good option for those who opt to use a pay as you go mobile service model.

Here are some steps to get you started with this particular phone company.

The first step is purchasing the phone and phone card.  You can buy your prepaid Tracfone at Target, Rite-Aid, and most other similar big stores.  You also need to purchase some minutes you can actually use the phone.

tracfone-prepaid-motorolaA word of advice for those who purchase the Tracfone.  You can often find very good deals on the actual phones and the minutes at the official company website.  It is worth spending some time looking for sales or other discounts with this company, as they are frequetly available.

If you are a savvy consumer you may even be able to find the best deals by doing simply search engine queries for discount codes.  You may be able to increase your savings this way.

The next step in the process of getting set up with a Tracfone prepaid cell phone is to choose which plan you want to get started with.  This is where you get to decide how many minutes you are going to purchase in the beginning of your plan.  Don’t worry if you buy too few minutes because you can always purchase more.  One benefit to buying more minutes for your phone on the front end is that you can often get a discounted rate.  But don’t buy more minutes than you think you’ll use in a years time.  That would defeat the purpose of a prepaid cell phone, which is to only pay for the minutes you use.

But if you are keeping the phone in case of emergency and don’t use it too often, it is never a bad thing to have ample minutes you can use in dire straits.  There’s nothing worse than having car trouble and a phone with no minutes left.

Here is a brief rundown of some of the plans available with the prepaid tracfone:

1) Individual Plan: With this plan you can automatically have minutes added to your phone each month.  $9.99 for 50 minutes a month or 100 minutes for $19.99.

2) Family Value Plan: This plan is a low-priced monthly plan created for the entire family.  On this plan, you automatically receive minutes for every TracFone in your home every month.  You pay $9.99 for the first phone and $5.99 for each additional phone and get the use fo 50 minutes per handset.

Members of these Tracfone “value plans” can add minutes in bundles of 50 or 100 anytime they get low on call time.

The bottom line is if you are not a heavy cell phone user, if you use right around 150 to 200 minutes a month, then this company is a very good fit.  Also, keep your eyes open for tracfone promotional codes that can give you free minutes.  You can find these on the internet. There are also often generous offers of free phones or bonus minutes that you can find at the official site.


Find the best deals on Straight Talk phones and plans at Wal-Mart.com

Related posts:

  1. Getting Started with T-Mobile Prepaid
  2. Tracfone Prepaid Offers Great Savings
  3. How to Transfer Tracfone Minutes to a New Phone
  4. Where to Find Tracfone Promotional Codes for Free Minutes
  5. Buy TracFone Samsung T301G, Get Double Minutes for Life Free

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  1. #1 by Rick on November 23, 2008 - 9:10 pm

    Don’t forget Double Minutes for Life. I do not recommend buying or even adding minutes to a phone without DMFL. The phones are as cheap as $20 with DMFl. I have written an article on the Most Expensive Tracfone Mistakes. Here is a link to it.

    Thanks
    Rick

  2. #2 by Liz Ellerbe on April 28, 2009 - 11:11 pm

    I’d like info on your free cell phones for the needy. Does this offer include free service as well?

    Thank you1

  3. #3 by Debbie Hanson on May 22, 2009 - 5:00 am

    I want to add minutes to my tracfone. I called the toll free number but the person that came on was not a live person. I tried to do do what she said but I’m not famiular with cell phones. The only reason I got one is I have MS and should have a phone when I go outside if some thing happens I can call some one. Is there a real person I can get to help me add minutes? Can you get back to me ASAP? Thank you, Debbie Hanson

  4. #4 by admin on May 22, 2009 - 6:41 am

    Debbie,

    I am not an employee or affiliate with Tracfone–I just review some of their products. I found some information online that may help you reach a customer service rep to get some live help. Find it here: http://www.contacthelp.com/directory/Phone%20Companies/Cell+Phones/Tracfone?ListingID=275

(will not be published)

MetroPCS Wireless, Inc.