Settling on a single plan can be a daunting task. There are very many carrier companies in the United States, and on top of this, there are individual plans offering various bundles on minutes, texts and data. You also have WiFi networks at home and in the public making the decision to balance between data and WiFi a rather tricky one. This guide will make things easier for you as you seek to get a new phone plan or if it’s your first time and wondering just what to do.

Know Your Limits

With any new phone plan, there is an uncertainty over just whether we have signed onto enough minutes, texts or data. If moving from a previous plan, then your new plan is either an upgrade or a downgrade in terms of volume of any of these three things. However, if you are new to phone plans then there is virtually no way of knowing whether the bundles you have bought will last you till the end of the month at regular usage or whether you will end up with excess. Therefore the first thing you need to do before getting onto a new plan is to first understand your calling habits. If you call mostly via online call services such as Whatsapp or Duo, then your data needs are higher than your minutes. You will also likely rely on online messaging services instead of SMS for text communication.

On the other hand, if you use your phone mostly for making business calls, then you will likely need to shift your finances more towards getting more minutes than data. You will also need to pick a more flexible plan to cater to unpredicted volumes of calls, and therefore pick a plan that will shift more resources towards minutes rather than text or data.

What to look for in a good Phone Plan

First, you should check whether your carrier has coverage in your area, or in the areas you travel to. Some carriers are very local, and will inconvenience you if you are a constant traveler. Make sure your carrier has a good international package as this will reduce your roaming charges.

Also make sure your carrier is flexible and won’t force you to remain on a contract that will inconvenience you. Sometimes when choosing a prepaid mobile phone plan, we don’t expect a lot to change, but change is inevitable. You might get a job offer in a different country or state, or you could end up with free WiFi in your building thereby reducing your need for a data plan. Your phone plan should allow you to change your plan if circumstances change.

Finally, get a phone plan that will allow you plenty of talk time at reduced costs. Emergencies come at any time and you’ll need to have talk time in such situations. You don’t want a carrier or a phone plan that is strict and will deny you talk time during emergencies. Some phone plans will allow you to even call on credit assuming you are in an emergency and need immediate assistance.