Like many of you, I am always looking for an affordable cell phone for personal use. But how much should an affordable phone be, with a service contract? $100, $50, or $0? Does an affordable phone have to be plain and with little advanced features found in smartphones? A new cell phone that you paid over $100 a year ago can’t match what a newly released $0 phone offers today.

Wireless carriers are actually making cell phones more affordable than ever. Of course, you have to sign up a 2 year contract with them. But what good is a phone without service plans? And thanks to competition, phone prices have dropped significantly in recent years, while more advanced features have been added to new phones. $0 now can buy you a brand new Blackberry without any rebate. With holidays and special promotions, you might be able make some money after rebates. So, how much should an affordable cell phone be? Let us know what you think.