In this time of economic difficulty, it seems that more and more people are getting the short end of the stick when it comes to paying what’s fair for the basics — which in this day and age means a cell phone. I’ve had my fair share of through-the-roof cell phone bills myself, but a report in The Christian Science Monitor this week made my jaw drop: according to a consumer advocacy group, cell users in San Diego are paying a whopping $3.00 per minute for their calls. Excessive text messaging can also make your bill go through the roof. Are unlimited cell phone plans the answer? It depends on your usage, according to experts.

This average is driven up by a small slice of consumers who buy large plans but rarely use them. If you cut out these big-spenders, the average falls somewhere between 50 cents and $1 per minute – far more than the “10 cents a minute” claim made in many ads.

That means if you are a big talker/texter an unlimited plan is the way to go. But if you aren’t, you’ll be selling yourself short.

I experienced sticker shock a few years back when I went over my minutes on my cell phone: a $300 bill was my punishment for not watching the clock. That decreased when I went on an unlimited plan but the problem was I wanted to use the Internet, and an unlimited data plan was also really expensive on my carrier. I sucked it up and paid — and continue to pay.

As people start looking for creative ways to cut costs, some are turning to pre-paid cell phones. That sector has reportedly grown some 13% this year, as a result of the economic downturn.

If I weren’t on contract with another company, I’d be interested in this offer, which came to us via Boost Mobile, and that you might find attractive as well: an unlimited plan WITH Internet for only $50. Check it out.

Are you cutting back on your cell phone use as a result of the recession? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Via / Chicago Tribune