Stupid Cell Phone Questions

Post your stupid cell phone questions and answers here.
Here's mine:
Can I go up to a service provider and ask for a phone number, a sim card, and nothing else -- i.e. no outgoing minutes whatsoever? Is this a plan that anyone would advise?

in the UK all the small independant phone shops will sell you just a sim with a number for about £5.  No need to buy minutes or anything and nothing registered in your name or traceable to you.  Drug dealers fav