Most American families have come to rely on cell phones as part of their lives. Cell phones are convenient and can be very useful in case of emergencies. For example, if you were involved in a car accident, you can quickly pick up your cell phone and dial 911.

Unfortunately for many low income families, cell phone expenses can make having them out of reach. Most family plans start at 50 or 60 dollars a month. When you can barely make rent, having a cell phone might be the last thing on your mind. However, the government recognizes the importance of families having cell phones. So the government has pushed for a program that subsidizes cell phones for low income families. Free cell phones for low income families usually offer a certain amount of minutes each month for free. There are just enough minutes to make emergency calls when needed, but not enough for chatting. If your family plans on using more than the allocated amount of minutes, then you would have to buy more minutes.

Families can get free cell phones for low income families if they are in the low income bracket. For example, if you are collecting food stamps then you probably qualify for a free cell phone too.

To get the free cell phones for low income family, check the cell phone carriers in your state. Some states do not yet have the free cell phone programs. But once you do find carriers that have that program, apply for it. You will need to give them your pay stubs to show that you and your family are qualified as low income. They also need to check every year to make sure that you continue to qualify as low income if you plan on continuing to use the government phones for low income families.

Remember to keep a close tab on the amount of minutes that you are using each month. You want to space out the minutes used so that it covers the entire month. That way you will not end up having no minutes left before the month is over and need to use the phone for a real emergency.