If you have bad credit and are looking to buy a cell phone there are a few things you should know that can help you along towards that goal. If you have bad credit you probably already realize how hard it can be to get credit to buy anything. Cell phones are no exception to this. But don't lose all hope yet, cell phones for people with bad credit are available. There are two main ways to go about getting a cell phone with bad credit: a pre-paid plan or a billing plan. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. Hopefully by the end of this article you will have a better understanding of how bad credit cell phone plans work and how you can get an affordable cell phone with bad credit.

Bad Credit Cell Phone Billing Plans

Credit checks are essential for cell phone providers who do billing plans. These billing plans are very similar to a credit card and as such the company providing the service needs to make sure that you will be able to make the payments required of you. Each month the provider lets you use the phone services for the month and collects payment at the end of the month in good faith that you will pay your bill. So you can see how having bad credit can be detrimental to you here.

They will check to see your past payment history, which if you have good credit wouldn't be a problem. But for those who have bad credit, even if it is not your fault and you still make payments on time, it will make it difficult for the cell phone plan provider to give you their service in good faith. So they will usually make you pay a hefty deposit of x amount and two months of service in advance. If you have the extra money this may not be a big deal for you, but most people with bad credit are those who struggle to make their current payments and can't afford to pay hundreds of dollars upfront. So what can you do if you are in that situation?

Well you could decide to go with Cricket rather than one of the top providers like Sprint or AT&T. Cricket doesn't do any credit checks at all so it doesn't matter if you have terrible credit, really bad credit, no credit, or even good credit. Everyone pays the same. But that means that you can expect to pay more upfront. An extra $100 or so is nothing though compared to the over $500 deposits that some providers will charge you. Cricket doesn't require any deposits so there's nothing to worry about there.

Pay As You Go Bad Credit Cell Phones

Go phones or pre paid cell phones are the perfect choice for those with bad credit who need a cell phone and can't afford to pay hundreds upfront. No credit history check is required for these phones as you pay for each month before you use them. Pre paid phones are also great for managing your budget and making sure you don't go over on minutes. Since you pay for them in advance you can't use too many minutes and get charged extra fees. It can be a good way to limit how long your children can talk on their cell phone per month without worring about them charging up a huge bill.

Another great thing about pay as you go phones is that their is no yearly contract to worry about. If you don't need to use your phone one month, you don't have to pay for it. If you decide to get a monthly plan and get your own cell phone, then you can. Go phones can be a great way to still stay in touch as you repair your credit so you don't have to try to find a cell phone with bad credit.

The only downside to these go cell phones is that they don't have all the new features that most new cell phones have. So no you won't be getting a iPhone with bad credit unless you can afford a very large upfront deposit and a expensive cell phone plan. But the important thing is to be able to call who you need to, not the latest app that tells you if your drunk or not.

Now that you understand what your options are you need to make the decision as to which is your best option and if you will be able to pay what is required of you. Knowing what you do now should allow to choose one of the two options available to you: monthly billing or pre-paid cell phones. Just remember that even if you get turned down in one place, that doesn't mean you will everywhere. And if all else fails you can get a pay as you go phone.