Once upon a time, cell phones were considered luxuries and mostly used for emergencies. These days, they're necessities and allow you to do nearly everything right at your fingertips. Many wireless plans are pricey, which isn't always feasible. These are eight reasons why prepaid phones are great for a budget.

1- Saves You Money

Prepaid cell phone plans are cheaper, which is great when you're on a budget. Some plans start at $10 to $15 per month and give you minutes, text messaging, and data. Although the latter is slower when you go prepaid, you still get the same service.

2- Appropriate for Children

If you have a young child, you might not want to get them a cell phone plan with typical bells and whistles. Prepaid allows you to get something basic and cheaper for calls, texting if they're old enough, and playing a few games.

3- Lets You Control Your Usage

A prepaid phone is ideal if you don't need unlimited minutes, messages, and data. You can control your usage and buy as much as you need month-by-month and customize as you like. For example, if you normally only use your cell phone for texting and browsing the web, you can pay for minimal call minutes.

4- No Credit Check

Unlike the major wireless carriers that require contracts, this isn't a concern with prepaid phones. That means you're not subject to credit checks that could negatively impact your credit score. You can even get prepaid cell phone service if you have no credit.

5- No Overage Fees

One of the best reasons why prepaid cell phones are great when you're on a budget is that you don't have to worry about overage fees. This is an issue with usage on the major carriers when you go over your call minutes, messages, or data. In that situation, you have to pay extra until the next billing cycle, but this isn't a concern on a prepaid plan. Instead, your service is stalled and you don't pay added fees.

6- More Freedom

Prepaid phones give you more freedom: financial and otherwise. You aren't tied down to any contracts or carriers, so you can come and go as you please. You're free to switch to a different prepaid service and can swap out a different SIM card at any point. This means you can even travel overseas and get a temporary SIM in the country you visit and use it on your phone as long as the network is compatible.

7- Inexpensive for Business Use

If you own a small business, prepaid phones are friendly for your budget and cost less than landlines. They even have an edge over those phones because you can do the same things with them and even more. With prepaid options, you can focus your money on more important aspects of your business.

8- No Multi-Line Requirement

Another good reason to get a prepaid phone when on a budget is that there is no multi-line requirement. Adding more lines to a contracted account on a major carrier is cheaper if you split the bill, but prepaid lets you stay solo for cheap. This is more economical as you can pay as little as $10 or $15 monthly.

There are plenty of options available if you're looking to switch to a prepaid phone plan. Research a few to find the best one for you.