If I buy an unlocked iPhone 5, can I hook it up to other services?

I really want an iPhone 5, but the prices are way too much! 80 bucks for unlimited texting and data, but only 300 minutes of calling? Uh, no. Unlocked iPhones are more expensive up front but can pay off in the long run. If I buy an unlocked one, can I hook it up to Virgin Mobile or Cricket?

Yes so long as it is sim free unblocked you can

Probably not. Those are CDMA carriers & the unlocked iPhone concerns GSM carriers like AT&T or T-Mobile.