Are You PAYG Bound?

Are you a good fit for PAYG (Pay As You Go)?  So you've read about the different types of prepaid wireless plans, and you're still not quite sure which plan is right for you.  I think it's important for you not to feel confused or stressed.  Or at least not to worry if you do, because it's perfectly natural.  Prepaid wireless plans have become so plentiful, and even complex, that employees working within prepaid companies themselves have trouble understanding them all.  Believe you me, I've worked in such companies and have experienced this first hand!  So please don't be concerned, you're not alone!

So what types of things should you consider when thinking about whether or not a PAYG plan is the right fit for you?  Here are some questions to ask yourself, and tips to keep in mind as you evaluate your particular situation:

• If you're only an occasional user, and even go days or weeks without using your wireless phone, then a pay-as-you-go plan is most certainly your best choice.

• If you want the flexibility to add as much or as little money onto your prepaid account balance whenever you want, either when you have a few extra bucks, or you know you're going away for the weekend and want some extra minutes on your phone, pay-as-you-go is almost always one of your best options.

• Look for two things when comparing costs for PAYG wireless providers:
• The price per minute (obviously the lower the better!)

• The expiration time per reload.  For example, does $20 last 60 days or 90 days before it expires?  If there's no benefit (i.e. longer expiration date) for adding more money, you won't want to add more money than you know you'll need for that period of time.  Keep in mind that if you don't use it (or topup prior to your expiration date), you lose it!

• You'll want to find the balance between the lowest price per minute and the longest expiration date.  If you plan to use your phone very infrequently, you'll want the longer expiration date over a lower price per minute.  This is because even if you have a great price per minute, if your money expires sooner, you'll end up having to add money more often to your account.  This will end up costing you more in the long run compared to paying a higher price per minute but having your account last longer before having to add money.

Overall, if you're going to want to have conversations (even just five minutes at a time) with a number of people on a daily basis, then chances are a Pay As You Go plan may not be the most cost effective for you.  On the other hand, if you see yourself more as a truly occasional user, a pay-as-you-go plan could be a real money saver!

IMPORTANT NOTE:  This plan type is almost extinct!  Most carriers have eliminated it, as it's one of the least profitable plan types.  Some still make it available to feature phone users, however, I don't know of ANY smartphone plans that support this plan type.  I personally use this plan type as an emergency phone for the family/kids as we don't have a home phone.  It cost me $0.33/month to maintain!

Be Heard!  Let prepaid wireless providers know what you want; fill out the survey now.