Hello? Hello? (You're wasting money!) - A call from my cell phone bill

Although cell phones have made our everyday lives much easier in many ways, the ease doesn't always mean cost efficiency. My parents agreed to buy me my first cell phone in my early high school years, allowing me to pick out my very own "Tracfone" which operated through buying monthly minute cards and adding them by calling a certain number. At first, this was fine. But then I had to pay for my own minutes and when each text equaled .5 units and one minute equaled 1 unit, texts and chatting added up pretty quickly and I found myself spending more than I'd hoped.

So, I followed the masses and signed my name on a piece of paper that chained me to Verizon Wireless's talk and text plan. At first I was blinded by the so-called benefits: free night and weekend talk-time as well as unlimited talk and text with other Verizon users. Sounds pretty great, right? Yeah! Until you realize that your friends with Verizon are friends you don't talk to all that often and that you're paying more to have texting benefits with everyone else!

While I just loove Verizon (sarcasm? no, of course not), after a year and a half into my 2-year contract I've made the decision that I won't be renewing my contract. Instead, I will be going cell phone free and can be reached by mail pigeon or Facebook.

Just kidding. I'm probably going back to a prepaid phone plan (gasp). But definitely not the same one I had before. Upon searching, I found that a company called Virgin Mobile sells some pretty sweet phones and for over $30 less than with Verizon, I would be getting the same phone services and more! PLUS, there is no contract to sign my cellular-life away for two whole years.

Yay for saving money!