There is more to getting the cheapest cell phone service for your unique situation than just price. When usage comes into play you'll find that getting the right cell phone plan will also provide you with the most cost effective solution to your cellular calling needs. So what are your options?

Before exploring your options in cellular service, you'll want to know the differences between pre paid cell phone plans, pay as you go, and monthly cellular service plans. Most people are fairly familiar with the differences between monthly and pre paid, but the difference in pre paid and pay as you go cell phone plans aren't always so clear.

First up is pay as you go cell phone service. With a pay as you go cell phone plan you only pay for the minutes you want to use up front. There is no reoccurring monthly charge, or contract and some pay as you go cell phone companies allow you up to 90 days before you will need to recharge your minutes. You can almost think of pay as you go like a calling card but for use with a cell phone.

With pre paid cell phone service you still have a set amount of minutes but are usually billed for the same amount monthly. You cannot go over your monthly minutes so your bill is always the same. Also with some prepaid cell phone companies you'll enjoy extras like mobile to mobile and even free nights and weekends.

Monthly cell phone plans usually come with more minutes than pre paid or pay as you go and also provides the flexibility of being able to go over your monthly minutes without having to recharge, and they will just bill you for the extra minutes later. You'll need good credit in order to get a monthly cellular plan.

Now that we understand the major differences between pay as you go, pre paid, and monthly cell phone service, it makes it much more clear which of these mobile calling plans are cheapest. It should also be clear by now that while price is still important, it certainly isn't the most important factor in selecting a wireless phone service plan.

So which mobile wireless plan is best for you? If you will not be using your cell phone very often, or mostly for emergencies, a pay as you go cell phone plan is just the ticket. As mentioned before, its like having a calling card, but you won't have to hunt down a pay phone or good Samaritan to make your call. Plus you only need to recharge your minutes about once every 90 days.

Do you have kids at home or in college? Maybe you are on a tight budget. If this sounds like your situation, a pre paid plan would be best for you. If you get a pre paid plan with mobile to mobile, and nights and weekends, your kids and college students can always call you for no charge, and your monthly bill will always be the same.

Of course there are those people who just love their cell phones, and also those who find it best to have a cell phone to replace their landline phone service. If this is you, a monthly cell phone plan would be great providing you can pass the credit check or pay a sometimes fairly hefty deposit. Get a monthly cellular plan from the right company and you may even get your cell phone for free.

So if you're shopping for the cheapest cell phone service, don't just look at price. The key to getting the best cellular plan for your situation is to look at your usage and calling habits first to decide on what kind of plan you need. Always look at price last. After you have decided your best cell phone plan.