How to Make Your Prepaid Minutes Last Longer

Running out of minutes for your prepaid cell phone is no fun, so here are a few tips to help make those minutes last longer

5 Tips for Managing Your Prepaid Minutes

Use these practical tips to help control how fast your minutes escape from your cell phone. 

1. Always Use a Promo Code

When you add a new minutes card to your prepaid cell phone, always make sure you use a promo code to get free bonus minutes. 

Most promo codes give you 20-50 bonus minutes.

While 20 or 30 minutes does not seem like much, it actually does make a difference.

With 30 bonus minutes you can send 100 more texts, or enjoy a few longer talks on the phone. 

Check out our full list of updated Tracfone Promo Codes and find one to use next time you add minutes to your phone.

For some minute cards, like the 400 minute and 1 year of service card, you can get as much as 250 bonus minutes! That is a huge boost to your minutes, so go check out those promo codes!

2. Get a Phone with Double Minutes (or Triple Minutes!)

Double Minutes is a feature from Tracfone that doubles every minute you buy for your phone. So if you buy a 60 minute phone card, when you enter it you will get a total of 120 minutes.

Double Minutes comes on almost all Tracfone prepaid cell phone and is a must have. If you don't have it with your cell phone, we suggest you buy a Tracfone that has it. A new Tracfone cell phone with Double Minutes included can be as cheap as $10.

Some newer Tracfone prepaid phones have Triple Minutes included with the phone. If you are looking for a nicer phone, and are planning to use it often, we strongly recommend Tracfone's Triple Minutes phones. 

3. Don't Answer Calls from Telemarketers

While you might be tempted to answer every call you get, this quickly uses up your minutes. 

So check the phone number before you answer, and if it is unfamiliar  or from a 1800 number, think twice before answering it. 

It might just be a lot easier to listen to any message they leave, and then determine if it is worth your time. 

4. Don't Give Your Number Out to Everyone

Avoid as much as possible giving your number out online. Try not to post it on any websites, or when you signup for accounts unless it is required. 

The more often you give your number out online, the more likely it is a telemarketer will find it, and try to call you.

Also be careful who you give your number out to. If you are checking out at a store and they ask you for your number, think twice before giving it. Offer your email instead.

We are not suggesting you stop giving your number out to friends and family, that would eliminate the whole reason you got the cell phone! 

Just be mindful who you give your cell phone number out to, and if you think they don't really need it, then don't give it.

5. Know When to Text

Texting using Tracfone prepaid cell phones costs much less then a phone call, about .3 minutes epr text vs 1 minute per minute talking.

So when you just have a simple question or statement, try sending a text instead.

Do recognize that if you start carrying on a long conversation through text messages, you could probably have had the same conversation using less minutes if you had called.

So just be aware when sending a text is better than a phone call.

Interested in more information about Triple Minute phones from Tracfone? Check out our Tracfone Cell Phone Reviews Page!