How is it that just a few short years ago getting a cell phone was the coolest thing ever.  Now getting a new cell phone is the worst.  You have a cell phone, you know all its idiosyncrasies, you have all your contacts saved properly, and you get a notice that you are eligible for an upgrade to your current phone.  Often times there aren’t even any fees.   Who wouldn’t jump on that offer!  So you get the new phone that you’ve always wanted and for days you long for your old phone.  The phone that knew exactly what you wanted it to do and it did it.  Now you have this new fancy phone that doesn’t do anything right.
Purchasing a cell phone can be almost as difficult as purchasing a home these days.  There are so many options available that you never knew you needed, but you don’t want to miss out on anything either.  So you go to the wireless company of your choice (that’s an entirely different article), take a number and start looking around.  It’s best to know what you are really going to be using your phone for before you go into the store.  Although, if experience knows anything, it knows that you will have plenty of time to see all the options available in the store while you’re waiting for your turn.
Once you have determined the ‘must haves’ of your phone, you will want to look at the phones that offer these things.  Hold them, dial on them, ensure sure you able to set the font to something you can actually read, try sending a text if that’s important to you.  You will also need to determine what color you prefer.  Most phones now come in a plethora of different colors.  Not only will you have to choose a color, but you need to determine if you need to purchase any of the accessories.  The car charger, the hands free adaptor, an extra battery, an SD card to hold your pictures, etc.
Now you’ve chosen your phone, and all the accessories you need.  Your final step is to determine the best monthly plan.  How many minutes, free incoming calls, free outgoing calls, unlimited texting, do you need a data package to access the internet?  No to mention if you want any of the added services that are available such as insurance or a GPS function enabled; the options are endless.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at this point, that’s totally understandable.  Who would have thought that buying a phone could be so complicated?  The fascinating thing is that so many people have bought into this craze that if you don’t do it you will simply be left behind.  Pretty soon, most people will have gotten rid of their home phones and be totally reliant on their cell phones for all types of communications.  Phone calls, of course, texts, personal email, and work email at your fingertips at all times.  You’ll have to decide if this is a good thing or a bad thing.