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How Do I Choose the Best Cell Phone Family Plan?

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

In choosing the best cell phone family plan, you may do well to compare options based on the number of anytime minutes and the unlimited calling features you are offered. Your decision-making process will likely include consideration of the features you need versus those you can do without. Additionally, you can compare plans based on cost in an attempt to get the best service you can for the least money.

The number of included anytime minutes are important when you are trying to choose the best cell phone family plan. You will typically need to make sure each family member will have enough minutes to make calls without going over the free minutes included with the plan. Although it may not seem so at first, it is very easy for extra minutes to rack up and translate into a major extra expense. It’s also important to read the fine print before choosing a plan. By doing so, you can avoid the unpleasant surprise of unexpected charges on your phone bill.

A cell phone family plan may need to include texting.
A cell phone family plan may need to include texting.

While preferences may vary, many people find unlimited calling one of the most important features of a cell phone family plan. This type of feature can take many forms, however. For example, a cell phone plan might offer unlimited calling to several of your favorite numbers or unlimited calling on nights and weekends. There are also some cell phone plans that offer unlimited calls to other numbers on the same network. In some cases, you might even find a plan that allows you to call all other cell phones for free, all the time.

A cell phone family plan is one phone plan that includes numbers and phones for the entire family.
A cell phone family plan is one phone plan that includes numbers and phones for the entire family.

You will also have to consider the features you want when you are trying to choose the best cell phone family plan. For example, if you have teens or a lot of tech-savvy friends, you might want a texting plan. You should also consider features such as Internet access and email capabilities. It’s important to be realistic when choosing a plan, however. If your family members are unlikely to use a feature frequently, it may be best to skip it, even if it does sound like an interesting option.

Family plans with younger members may need additional texting and data limits.
Family plans with younger members may need additional texting and data limits.

Of course, cost is one of the most important considerations in choosing the best plan. A family plan can save you money when compared to paying for cell phone services separately. There are, however, some plans that are more affordable than others. To get the most satisfaction out of a cell phone family plan, you will likely want to choose the plan that offers most of what you need at a monthly price that isn't hard on your budget. In some cases, this may mean choosing to forgo some features for the sake of staying within a specific budget range.

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a WiseGEEK writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a WiseGEEK writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

AnswerMan

One thing our family had to consider was responsible usage of the shared data plan. My mother-in-law didn't even know how to log into the Internet, so she obviously didn't use much data. My wife limited her usage to times when free Wifi wasn't available or during emergencies when the power was out. It was another family member who routinely ran up the bill due to data plan overages.

If you have a family member who is likely to play a lot of online games or surf the web while out of Wifi range, then look for the family plan that offers the largest data plan for a reasonable price. Otherwise, someone in the plan will want to monitor the data usage of all other members.

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    • A cell phone family plan may need to include texting.
      By: Antonioguillem
      A cell phone family plan may need to include texting.
    • A cell phone family plan is one phone plan that includes numbers and phones for the entire family.
      By: xiaofoto
      A cell phone family plan is one phone plan that includes numbers and phones for the entire family.
    • Family plans with younger members may need additional texting and data limits.
      By: Andres Rodriguez
      Family plans with younger members may need additional texting and data limits.
    • You should be sure all family members have enough minutes so that they don't go over their limit.
      By: svetamart
      You should be sure all family members have enough minutes so that they don't go over their limit.