Are you married or single?  If you have no SO, a hobby phone may not be necessary.  If you are attached, get an anonymous hobby phone, it's not overkill, it's safety.  I'm unattached, so I just have my one phone, as I have no one to hide anything from.

Outcalls to your home are not generally considered a good idea until after you have seen the provider several times, and feel comfortable around her.  Def not a good idea if you have an SO.  You are prob better off doing incall, as opposed to renting a room for a date.

Swim

I never had a hobby phone even when I was married but that decision is really a personal one.

As far as seeing ladies in your home, I don't recommend it unless it's a lady you know well and no, an agency girl is no exception. Letting a total stranger into your home who also happens to be comfortable with illegal activity is never a good idea. You can get a hotel room look for ladies or agencies that do in calls.  

When I first started hobbying I used my regular cell, but I had some issues with a provider, and ended up having to change my number. After that I got a hobby phone.

For all of my sessions I always do incall, whereI go to meet the provider. For over night sessions, I'll get a hotel room. I just prefer to keep my hobby life seperate from my real life 100%.

Get a smart phone just for hobbying. The monthly charge is small. Don't have anyone in your home unless you have developed trust for that person or the person works for a reputable agency.

When you go to an appointment, just act normal. You are no different from any other person walking on a city street. Avoid some traps like motels or small apartment buildings. Go to incalls only at large apartment complexes or hotels.

Book only well reviewed providers or providers that work for reputable agencies. It something looks to good to be true, it likely is too good to be true and you will get ripped off, or worse.

Buy a VIP account. You can buy one with a money order, a credit card, or some prepaid credit cards.

If you use your head, you won't get caught or risk your job.

many other topics are covered quite well. What is not there can be found by reading several pages of this board since certain topics repeat every 5 or 6 days. Graduate level course in hobbying includes learning how to use the search key,  by subject (i.e. "hobby phone") would have worked here.

Then I realized that using my own cell was dumb.  The more I hung here the more I realized how I'd been LUCKY & luck is NOT a plan.  There are so many reasons for hobby phones... and they are cheap.  If you can afford to play, you can afford the phone!  Shut it off when not in use.  I erase all calls after the meeting, too.  (Means I must access the internet to make my call...  but at least I've not left a trail if it's ever found...  which I am doing my best to never let that happen.)

One guy got all POd at a girl...   he emailed her to set something up...  from a joint email account he shared with his wife.  Ms Provider answered his email, wife found it & went all Tiger Woods on him.  He got divorced and BLAMED THE PROVIDER!  I feel for him...poor sap never even got got some...  but it was his own fault he got caught.   Hobby email with any free service.  

You should take some time & read back on this board until you can answer ever question yourself.  It's a free education.
skb

Think of it this way, the tiny outlay for a hobby phone plus an occasional $20 month-long use fee for the months you need it, is a great deal of insurance against:

* A provider and agency getting raided and your number going up as "known to frequent prostitutes"
* Your phone number appearing on an escort blacklist.
* A provider going crazy and harassing you by phone (unlikely if you use TER).
* Someone scanning your phone for past calls/texts finding out something you'd rather they not.

Basically would you care if your phone number showed up on Google in relation to escorts?  If the answer is anywhere close to yes or ever might be yes, get a hobby phone.  It turns potential issues into minor nuisances at best.  The cost is so low compared to even one session it makes no sense not to take that most basic step.

For similar reasons just don't have escorts come to your house, unless you really trust them (but even then there's a chance if they get busted she might have your address on her).

Thanks guys.  I live alone and I was more concerned about getting caught with LE than a SO.  I mean even if I use a highly reputable agency or well reviewed provider, I'm just concerned that if THEY gets picked up by LE, then LE can go after clients by tracing cell # or home residence location.

she rents a room & you go to her.   Generally, providers work n a 2 call ( or more) system.  you get a general location, even a hotel name.  You arrive & call & get the room number or other directions.  
You can rent a room, and have her come to you...  you'll have to show a CC & ID to rent the room even if you settle in cash.  Remember never to leave a provider in possesion of a room in your name.  Damages or mini-bar bill will go to you.  She could do incall in "your room" and get busted...  explain that!
If she does not offer incall, you can offer to reimburse her for the room in cash.  I did that once, we met in front of the coffee shop next door, she got the room, drove around back.  She did no want to get stiffed for the room if I no showed.  I followed a minute later.  
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Just starting out too... New Year's resolution!  LOL

I can't risk getting caught in this either.  I have a great family, friends, career and social circle.  My only problem is between the sheets right now.  I don't want to take my nuts out of the freezer, just to throw them into a frying pan.  So I'm going slow, and trying to take it 007.

From what I'm reading, a hobby phone is critical, especially if you have any kind of relationship going.  It's short money considering the risk here.  Buy everything with cash, and leave it at work without the battery in it until you need to use it again.  I'm still trying to figure out the best one regarding sign up.  But do it anonymously no matter which one you get.

As for me, I could never, and would never bring this into my home.  Shit... so much could go wrong.  But I'm married, so my concerns are probable different than most who are single.