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Reader Ellen asked for advice on cell phone insurance.

Two phones ago I lost the capacity to (gasp) text message! When I went to the Verizon store they told me that there was nothing I could do except wait until my upgrade kicks in, buy a new phone ($$$) or wait it out. (Yes, I waited it out.)

They also mentioned that cell phone insurance may have taken care of the alleged damage. Cell phone insurance?

Yes for about $5.00 a month, you, too can “insure” your phone in the event it is damaged, lost, stolen, etc. One new phone later and I still declined, until I thought said phone was malfunctioning. This time I tried to give in and get the insurance but Verizon told me that I had to purchase the insurance within 30 days of my upgrade.

Yes, they were on to me. Phone breaks, get insurance, get phone fixed, drop insurance. During this process I also learned that cell phone insurance, like health or autho, also has a deductible!!!

Lucky for me my cell phone was not malfunctioning–operator error–but I definitely learned another lesson in all matters insurance. If you think you’ll break it, buy it.

Do you have cell phone insurance? I decided against buying the $70 per year iPhone insurance, but a generous friend shared his with me so my phone is insured.

What really sets Pure TalkUSA apart from the competition is its $10 a month Flex Plan that starts you with 101 minutes. Another $10 gets you 125 more minutes. Pay another $10 and you get 150 minutes, and so on. You can cap the total bill or let Pure TalkUSA add another $10 every time you use up your minutes. Get more info about Pure TalkUSA’s cheap cell phone plans. Remember, the plan prices already include taxes and fees.

Pure TalkUSA’s month-to-month plans come with a variety of handsets – from free handsets to others available for $11 to $65. You can also use your existing phone, as long as it is an unlocked GSM phone, and keep your current phone number for no extra charge. Pure TalkUSA will provide you with a FREE SIM card, which also comes with 150 minutes.

Pure TalkUSA is on the GSM network, same as AT&T and T-Mobile. Pure TalkUSA is a family-owned and operated business based in Georgia.

This is paid content. Want to take out an ad? Read my advertise page.

Get 20 percent off accessories of $30 or more at Verizon Wireless. Unknown expiration date.

Get free shipping on orders of $30 or more at Avon. Expires March 11, 2010.

Get $15 off $75 or more at Smashbox. Expires March 1, 2010.

Get 20 percent off orders of $50 or more with free shipping at Kate Spade. Unknown expiration date.

Get $10 off most orders of $64.99 or more with free shipping at GameStop. Expires March 5, 2010.

Now I’m not worried about buying more texts or going over my allotment. And this deal is not just for iPhones.

Smart phones like the iPhone and Blackberry have free instant messaging as part of their data plan. There is also AIM from AOL and Yahoo! Messenger.  Instant messaging is about as close to texting as you can get without paying for it.

For iPhones and other smart phones, I recommend downloading Google Talk on your phone. If you have a BlackBerry and want to chat free with other Blackberry’s, use Blackberry Messenger, which is part of the phone’s operating system if you have a data plan. The Pearl, 8800, and Curve models support Blackberry Messenger.

Now you can instant message your heart out, and not worrying about the cost of texting. Thanks, Dan!