Unless a family member hands you an activated cell phone and announces it as a gift, you will more than likely learn that no cell phone is free. You always see the advertisements for free cell phones being offered on the Internet and on commercials however there is no such thing.

Okay, so maybe the phone is free however there is a catch as is usual with most things. This catch is called a contract. Service contracts are the life blood of any cellular carrier and as long as they can entice you into that contract they will continue to offer newer and more cool "free phones". Now, I'm not saying carriers are evil or deceptive, but you must become more conscious of your consumer behavior.

Depending on your needs and uses of a cell phone not all free phones are created equal. You may want to ask yourself exactly what you want from a cell phone before leaping into a free cell phone contract. Ask yourself if you are going to want to text message a lot, check email, surf the web, take pictures, or how big of a calling list you are going to have on your cell phone.

Each cell phone will have it's strengths and weaknesses which may include ear piece sound quality, speaker phone quality, mega pixel quality (for both viewing and taking pictures) as well as other features you may want to utilize in a cell phone. It may make more sense to buy a phone instead, but don't be swayed by the possibility of actually paying for a phone based on retail pricing, there are still benefits to forking out some extra cash for the cause.

Buying a cell phone may not be as drastic an option as you might think, and to be honest, you are more likely to have a better quality phone for it in the long run. The reason many higher end phones aren't free is they actually do have higher quality standards in the manufacturing process that allow for more reliable voice and Internet communications. The best part is, if you are going to be getting a new phone and going into a new 2 year contract, you can get a great discount on a higher end phone in place of a free phone. Trust me, the carriers don't mind giving a heavy discount to get you into the contract with their calling services. Remember, it is the contract they make their real money from.

So depending on what you plan to use your phone for, it may make sense to spend some extra cash to get the phone you really need and want. Most importantly though is what carrier you choose. What good is a cell phone without the right area coverage? Consult with friends, family, and colleges in your area and ask them what carrier they prefer or wish they used for their area. The answer may not always be what you would have expected, so ask. Never ask a carrier sales person themselves due to the fact that they are after your money. You might not get an honest reply.

There are many different types of phones out there, and who knows maybe a free phone is what will work best for you, however a little bit of research can go a long way. Do a bit of digging and get the most for your money aka contract.