One of the many problems with getting a good cell phone plan that meets your needs is that there are a dizzying array of cell phone plans available. To make it even more confusing for the average person, the offers change constantly. The question becomes how to cut through all the static to find the best plan?

The first step is to take the time to assess your phone needs. How many monthly minutes do you really need? To get a good estimate, check your previous phone bills or call your current provider and ask how many minutes you used for each of the past three months. That should give you a pretty good idea of whether the plan you currently have is suitable. If you’re constantly using more than your allotted minutes and paying huge overage charges, you have two choices: upgrade to a plan with more minutes or cut back on your talk time.

Making a decision on a plan should take a bit of time due to the number of variables that you need to consider. These include such things as local or national coverage, individual or family plans, rollover minutes, in-network calls, favorite callers, text messaging, walkie-talkie capability, night and weekend hours, service provider, and, of course, the monthly fees (keep in mind that taxes are always extra and add a lot to your final bill). While you may want to make a quick decision, not factoring in these variables will likely cost you in the long run.

One of the best ways to compare apples to apples for cell phone plans is to use one of the online tools available at such sites as letstalk or e-wisdom. You start by providing your zip code, and then choose your desired features. You can easily compare the results side by side to make a more informed choice.

Still too many decisions? You could always try and live without a cell phone…

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