If you're in the market for a new cellphone, now is a great time to go shopping. Cellular carriers and resellers are constantly offering special offers. Some companies offer free cellphones (after rebates), calling plans with thousands of minutes, etc.

With all these ads, where do you start? You can go to a local wireless store and see the latest makes and models. You can also research a variety of cellphones on the Internet. If you go to a wireless store, be prepared to spend some time, energy, and gas.

If you want to shop from home or the office, and avoid any sales hassles, you can shop for a new cellphone on the Internet. You'll save time, money, and gas, and possibly get a better deal on a new cellphone.

Three factors will determine how much you will pay for a new cellphone: 1.) PRICE, 2.) FEATURES, and 3.) CALLING PLAN.

If you're on a tight budget and don't want to pay anything up front for a cellphone, look for cellphone offers with instant rebates. The instant rebate amount is deducted from the cellphone's purchase price when you order.

If the cellphone you want costs some money up front, look for cellphone offers with mail-in rebates. You'll pay the purchase price of the cellphone when you order, and receive a mail-in rebate coupon.

Some cellphone offers promote rebates as much as $100.00 or more. Mail-in rebate checks can take several weeks to arrive, and they're great if you don't mind waiting for them. If and when you get a rebate check, it's like getting cash back. For example, if your cellphone's purchase price was $100.00, and you receive a $100.00 rebate check, your cost after the rebate is zero.

Cellphones with few features cost less than cellphones with advanced features. If you just want to make calls, you don't need a cellphone with advanced features. If you're going to take pictures, download videos, music, and e-mails, you'll need a high-end model with advanced features like a QWERTY keyboard, camera, large video display, MP3 player, and more.

The last and most important factor is the calling plan. Plans differ from carrier to carrier and you have to decide which plan is best for you. Think how you will be using the phone regularly before choosing a plan. You should estimate how many minutes you will use each day during peak hours, which are typically from 6am-9pm, Monday to Friday. For example, if you can limit your talk time to 30 minutes a day, that comes out to approximately 600 minutes per month.

To get the best deal, look for a plan with the lowest monthly rate and the most minutes per month. Get a plan with more minutes than you'll need to avoid costly overage charges. Monthly rates of some plans offering the same number of minutes per month could vary. Make sure to look for a plan that offers free long distance, weeknight, and weekend calls. This plan allows you to talk nationwide for a long time at night and on weekends.

If your relatives, friends, and co-workers use the same carrier, you might want to select that carrier. Some carriers offer unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling to other people on the same network or other money-saving features for free or a flat fee.

Some plans don't offer certain cellphone models, and not all plans are available in all areas. If the plan you choose doesn't offer the cellphone model you want, search for other cellphones that are offered by the plan. The cellphone you want may be offered by another plan from the same carrier or by a plan from a different carrier.

Great cellphone deals are out there, if you take the time and effort to look for them.