Let's face it: Broadband wireless can be an expensive business for the average consumer.

A fancy smartphone can run you anywhere between $150 to $500; newfangled devices like tablets are even more. If that weren't enough, you're often locked into an $80-a-month contract whereby your carrier can still charge you more if you go over its data caps.

Thankfully, for the money-minded who still want to live in the 21st century, there are options to go wireless on the cheap. Here are 10 ways to get yourself a mobile connection with varying degrees of money and dignity still intact:

1) Virgin Mobile's Broadband2Go
The prepaid provider's unlimited service coupled with a Novatel Wireless Inc. (Nasdaq: NVTL) MiFi hotspot will connect you and five other devices to unlimited mobile broadband for only $40 per month, less the cost of what you charge your five friends for the connection. (See Virgin Mobile Offers $40 Unlimited MiFi Plan.)
Total Bill: $149.99 for the MiFi + $40 per month

2) Clearwire Rover Puck
If you just need a quick data fix, you can pay by the day, week, or the month. And, like the MiFi, you can charge your friends for the same treatment. That is, if you're friends with the digital hipsters Clearwire LLC (Nasdaq: CLWR) is targeting with its 4G hotspot. (See Clearwire Pushes Pay-as-You-Go With Rover.)
Total Bill: $149.99 for the Puck + $5 per day, $20 per week, or $50 per month

3) MetroPCS's LTE
If it's got to be fast, cheap, and "4G," then MetroPCS Inc. (NYSE: PCS) is one of your best bets. Granted, it wins by default as it offers the only Long Term Evolution (LTE) proto-4G network live in the US so far. You'll have to stay in Las Vegas or Dallas, but if you're fast and cheap, you're probably already there anyway. (See MetroPCS Beats Verizon to LTE in Sin City and MetroPCS Saddles Up LTE in Dallas.)
Total Bill: $299 for the Samsung Corp. Craft feature phone + $55 or $60 per month

4) Boost Mobile's Motorola i1
If you're a bargain shopper but don't want anyone to know it, jump on the Android bandwagon, but pair it with a prepaid service. Boost Mobile offers the Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT) i1, a walkie-talkie enabled touchscreen device. Subsidy free, it's pricey up front, but then it's smooth, contract-free sailing with no hidden fees. (See Android Gets a Prepaid Boost.)
Total Bill: $350 + $50 per month

5) CherryPal Asia
At only $100, the CherryPal Asia is one of the cheapest netbooks on the market. Although, with Android prices falling, the computers will continue to get smaller and cheaper. (See Five Androids to Watch.)
Total Bill: $99 + tax

6) Unlock the savings
Verizon Wireless is pretty much out as your carrier of choice if you want a cool phone sans data plan. It requires a $10-per-month or higher data plan for any worthwhile handset. Even AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T)'s Quick Messaging Devices require at least $20 in texting per month. So, if you want a cool phone, but don't want the data, your best bet is to buy an unlocked version of your favorite smartphone and choose the plan and carrier you want.
Total Bill: Full retail for the phone

7) Best Buy's "Free Phone Fridays"
With the holiday season approaching, thrifty cellphone shoppers have more options. They could make a smartphone free by asking for it as a present, or they could purchase it from Best Buy on a Friday in October. The big-box retailer announced a promotion this week that will give away free smartphones from each US carrier at the end of each week this month. You will, of course, have to sign a two-year contract, but this week's options include the Samsung Fascinate from Verizon, BlackBerry Curve from Sprint Corp. (NYSE: S), High Tech Computer Corp. (HTC) (Taiwan: 2498) Aria from AT&T, or Samsung Gravity 3 from T-Mobile US Inc. .
Total Bill: Average $49.99 to $120 per month (cost of a two-year contract)

8) BillShrink.com's recommendation
If you would classify yourself as a medium data user (some Facebookin', lots of email, but less video streaming) who is a big texter and light on voice calling, BillShrink.com recommends you use the Sprint Everything Data -- with Any Mobile, Anytime 450 on the Palm Inc. Pixi. It represents a $65 savings over the iPhone, but you'd still be using the Palm Pixi...
Total Bill: Free phone, plus $69.99 per month + tax

9) Stolen work computer with Skype Ltd.
Cheap can often be synonymous with resourceful, and you won't save more than if you're "borrowing" your company's laptop with Skype on board. The calls may only cost you the price of your job. (See Skype Dials Into a Public Future .)
Total Bill: Free Skype-to-Skype calls and pay-as-you-go calling to non-Skype users starts at 2.3 cents per minute

10) Can and String
The trusty can and string is durable, made from materials you already have, and probably drops fewer calls than an AT&T iPhone in Manhattan.
Total Bill: About $5!

— Sarah Reedy, Senior Reporter, Light Reading Mobile