Everyone I know has at least one cell phone. My parents have cell phones, and one of them is retired. Most of us will tell you we don’t know what we would do without a cell phone. It’s strange, because I clearly remember a time when none of us had cell phones, and we survived just fine.

We all have a schedule that pretty much dictates where we are going to be, and consequently, how to contact us.

So my problem is, do young people need the cell phone? Personally, I don’t think so, but I know that most of you would go nuts without them. My audience spends most of its time in school, where you shouldn’t have your phone on anyways (there is no reason to have your phone on during a lecture, no matter how inconvenient it may be to turn it off), or doing homework, where you can ill afford the distraction.

The biggest problem with cell phones that I see is the billing. I’ve become pretty good at saving on bills, but the temptation is there, because I know that I can make a TON of calls and worry about the bill later. As far as F4Y advice goes, you don’t need a phone. Reality says you are going to have a phone anyways. Do yourself a favor, forgo the 2 year plan, and go with prepaid service. This will eliminate the temptation to overspend, and you can more accurately predict your spending, fitting your cell phone usage into your budget.