Without going into alot of analysis I can say that Tracfone has saved me alot, as an infrequent cell phone user, and that's for the past three years. Martin's advice, to buy the double minutes for life card, seems key to the best economy, then every minutes package you buy is automatically doubled, regardless of the handset. I buy enough minutes once a year to have some left over, it nets out less than $9 per month for me. The coverage is very good, Tracfone uses almost any available cell provider, so I tend to get coverage where other providers don't have interconnect or sharing arrangements. Good cell coverage in the hills and mountains around the PNW too.

The one nit is international travel, Tracfone is not GSM, but buying a cheap unlocked handset (if I don't borrow a GSM phone from my brother) and a local SIM at a destination airport has always suited me better. Local hosts tend to appreciate having a local number at which to reach me.

Granted, I talk and text alot less than most folks, and I can live with alot less phone than others carry around, no smartphone for me. But if I get into an emergency situation and start using my minutes I can always buy more on the phone itself. And I really like not being tied to any particular carrier.