Where do I start?

Always start with the essentials. If you intend using the cell phone in the car it is important to purchase a hands free car kit. In many states it is illegal to drive while on the cell phone unless you have the car kit or ear piece installed. Pricing will vary depending on the manufacturer but of all the accessories this is the most important and could be a life saver to you and other road users.

Leather covers are a good protective for your cell phone screen and I urge any person who works in the building industry or similar to purchase a cover. Just like a watch face your cell phone face will scratch and crack quite easily and especially for those who carry their phones while doing manual labour.

Cell phone keypads are ideal to protect the actual buttons on the cell phone. Once again they are not very expensive and are ideal for manual workers. They are simple to install but check with the cell phone manufacturer just in case they have recommendations.

Antenna's or boosters are ideal for people who travel such as sales people or any person for that matter who travels from state to sate. Different area's have different signal strengths and remote regions tend to have a poor signal. The booster is cheap and can help with the signal and stop the annoyance of dropped calls.

For Fun

If you are looking for cell phone accessories for fun you have plenty to choose from. Changing face plates is very popular and not expensive to do. There are endless amounts of face plates to buy from exotic colors to movie themes etc.

Ringtones are by far the most popular accessory to add to your cell phone. The ringtone industry is as large as the actual cell phone industry. Be careful when choosing ringtones, once you sign up to download many companies do not tell you that you need to unsubscribe if you do not wish for any more downloads to be sent. Each download is accompanied with a price and if you forget to unsubscribe you could be in for an unwanted expense. Apart from that ringtones are fun and ever changing.

Can you only buy brand named accessories?

All cell phone manufacturers will recommend their own brand accessories but shop around. You will find equal quality third party brands. Remember some of the well known cell phone manufacturers have these third party companies make their accessories only to badge it as their product.

Cell phone batteries:

It is always a good idea to have a second battery on stand by. Batteries do not last forever and many people get caught out when their battery fails to charge. A spare battery is ideal if you are using your cell phone as your main point of contact or if you simply cannot do without your cell phone on a daily basis.

Can you get third party batteries?

Yes you can but of all accessories I do not recommend buying third party batteries unless recommended to you from a friend who has tried it. They be up to 30% cheaper than the branded types.

Data Cables

Cell phones today are becoming more and more like computers with all the different functions available. You can upload your phone information such as notes or photos to your home computer but you do need a link or data cable to do so. Data cables are not expensive but are generally forgotten about until the last minute.

Overview

Accessories are widely available on the Internet and you can expect to get good discounts online. Remember to check with the manufacturer of the cell phone for recommendations on products such as car kits and antenna's etc but you will be wish to compare prices with the third party companies who will offer similar products with equivalent warranties.

About the Author
Declan Tobin is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of Prepaid phone plans which includes Cell prepaid plans, Carriers, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information for all of your phone interests and needs.