I recently saw an advertisement for Straight Talk cell phone service on the TV. Oh no, not another wireless carrier trying to get their grip on me! It seems EVERYONE constantly does their best to sway the unsuspecting consumer to their side of the fence.

But Straight Talk caught my attention

Straight Talk promised me 1,000 minutes AND 1,000 text messages AND 30MB of mobile web access for $30.00 dollars a month! If that wasn’t enough, UNLIMITED minutes, UNLIMITED texts, AND UNLIMITED mobile web access for $45.00 a month!

If you’re like me, you are more than likely accustomed to paying close to a hundred dollars or more a month for your cell phone service.

I have been with Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T since wireless service had been introduced to the public. I have been averaging OVER $100.00 a month now since I can remember, and I really don’t understand why! I don’t go over my minutes, I have unlimited texts thrown in for another $20.00, so what gives?

Maybe I need to look into Straight Talk

Curious as to whether this cell phone service would really deliver what they are telling me, I began to check it out.

Straight Talk is really TracFone on Verizon’s wireless network, marketed by Walmart

Okay, you just caught my attention!

• TracFone has been in the prepaid cell phone market now for years
• Verizon has one of the most established wireless networks
• Walmart is one of the most trusted names in business

Straight Talk was a No Brainer

Needless to say, I made the switch to Straight Talk, and haven’t looked back since! This is perfect for me, especially during the current economic environment. Although this fits nicely for me, it may not be for everyone, so I will attempt to list the pros and cons of Straight Talk.

Pros for Straight Talk

The following list is from my personal experience with Straight Talk.

• COST…need I say more!
• Wireless Network is really Verizon
• Customer Service. I had initially purchase the cheapest phone to test the service with, after I had decided to stick with it, I picked out another model. Going to Walmart to make the exchange was no problem, they exchanged the phone, and transfered any time I had left on to the new phone.
• Number portability. I was able to transfer my cellular number to the new service.

Cons for Straight Talk

There aren’t really any cons per say, rather what I would consider minor inconveniences.

• Limited models and styles of cell phones. My phone does plenty for me, and is better than the Motorola KRZR that I used to have. But for others the selection may prove limited.
• Upfront cost of phone. You have to purchase the phone separately. I had no problem, because after the first month most of my upfront costs would be absorbed compared to the plan I used to have.
• Before each call you are forced to hear a recording of how much time you have left on your card. This may or may not be an issue. For me, it is a little irritating, though a small price to pay for my savings.
• You have to purchase another card/airtime every 30 days whether or not you used all the time from your previous card or risk losing your cell phone number.

Straight Talk Summary

I am very happy with my switch! I recommend anyone who is trying to stick to a budget to check out Straight Talk for yourself. Check out Straight Talk now

What cellular service are you using? Are you happy, got gripes? Let us know!

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