How do pre paid cell phones work?

You pay a provider a certain amount of money. Some amounts get you one month service, some 3 months and for $100 you have service for one year. They you choose a plan, the cheapest is 10 cents per minute anytime, all the time. This is a good plan if you hardly ever use the phone. Then they have add ons like data, etc. which you can prepay each month also.

You buy one of their phones permitted on pre pay (many are not) and they give you a sim card and you are good to go.

There is no contract or account with them.

Every month, you put your desired amount of money on them and if it's not used up by the end of 30 days, it expires and you have to add more.

ok step by step

one, buy phone

two, activate phone

three, buy top up card

four, scratch off back

five, go to phone menu

six, select top up

seven, enter revealed numbers on back of card

eight, select enter/done

and then you are ready to chat or text or whatever

you buy it then use it....that was easy!