Bail Out of Your Cellphone Contract by Trading It [Cellphones]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/kPw2UmFJpBE/bail-out-of-your-cellphone-contract-by-trading-it

Buried in the fine print of many cellphone contracts is a bit about how you can transfer your plan to someone else—and you can find that someone online.

The NY Times reports on Celltradeusa.com and Cellswapper.com, two web services who match up people who want out of their contracts with folks who want in.

Why exactly would you want someone else's cellphone contract? Simple: you can get fairly new devices and accessories, often free, without having to swallow a two-year commitment or pay an activation fee of $35. This is especially useful to those who are waiting for a new device to hit the market but do not want to spring for a new phone in the meantime.

The two sites charge a service fee, but one that's a lot less than the penalty for ending your contract prematurely. Anyone use either swap site to get out or into a cellphone contract? Let us know in the comments.

Phone Smart - Want to Dump That Cellphone Contract? Trade It [NYTimes.com]