Living without a smartphone

[harllee]

OK I am one of these over 60 year olds without a smartphone (I am 67, DH 68). We retired at age 50 and live well but we have a pretty strict budget (we spend money on what we really enjoy like travel). We are pretty tech savvy, have an iPad, MacBook, smart TV, etc. Our issue is budget. We currently pay $50 per month for 2 dumb phone lines with Verizon, unlimited talk and text, no data. We bought our current phones for almost nothing a few years ago. Our phones have to be on the Verizon system because at our mountain cabin Verizon is all we can get (even Verizon is hard to receive sometimes here in the mountains.). We use our dumbphones quite a bit --we talk on them a text alot. We have no landline. We use the iPad like a smartphone when we travel and pay $20 per month for Verizon data.

I am willing to look into a smartphone if it would fit in our budget of $50 per month, I am sure the smartphone would be handy for maps, Uber, etc. Several people on this thread have said there are cheap smartphones and plans out there. I have not been able to find such cheap phones and plans, certainly not from Verizon. Would it be possible for us to get 2 smartphones with unlimited talk and text and a little data for $50 per month? I would not want to pay anything out of pocket for the smartphones, the cost of the 2 phones themselves would have to be included in the $50 per month. Thanks!

 

[kgtest]

the cost of the latest and greatest smarty has now creeped up to over $1000. I paid $600 for my phone after DW washed my old one...I paid about the same for DW replacement iphone after I drove off with it on the bumper...within a week of eachother.

The old phone was MS, and my signal was terrible at the end. With the new phone, signal is better.

Anyone remember what a landline phone cost? I remember when those super big "cordless" phones came out and I could pickup my neighbors channel and subsequent conversation. We've come along ways from the 90s.

I wouldn't be able to fly my drone (well) or control some of my camera's without the smartphone. And more and more events are requiring an APP to validate the tickets barcode. I had two events last year where I had to borrow DW iPhone just to get into the event with that proprietary android/iphone App the venue used.

I think soon enough the question will be, what can't you do with the smartphone?

I'll tell you what, without internet, the phone is not smart at all in most situations.

 

[explanade]

OK I am one of these over 60 year olds without a smartphone (I am 67, DH 68). We retired at age 50 and live well but we have a pretty strict budget (we spend money on what we really enjoy like travel). We are pretty tech savvy, have an iPad, MacBook, smart TV, etc. Our issue is budget. We currently pay $50 per month for 2 dumb phone lines with Verizon, unlimited talk and text, no data. We bought our current phones for almost nothing a few years ago. Our phones have to be on the Verizon system because at our mountain cabin Verizon is all we can get (even Verizon is hard to receive sometimes here in the mountains.). We use our dumbphones quite a bit --we talk on them a text alot. We have no landline. We use the iPad like a smartphone when we travel and pay $20 per month for Verizon data.

I am willing to look into a smartphone if it would fit in our budget of $50 per month, I am sure the smartphone would be handy for maps, Uber, etc. Several people on this thread have said there are cheap smartphones and plans out there. I have not been able to find such cheap phones and plans, certainly not from Verizon. Would it be possible for us to get 2 smartphones with unlimited talk and text and a little data for $50 per month? I would not want to pay anything out of pocket for the smartphones, the cost of the 2 phones themselves would have to be included in the $50 per month. Thanks!

For both of you it would be tough to find a plan for under $50 a month.

T-mobile offers 2 lines with unlimited data, talk and text for $70 for users over 55 but their coverage may not be as strong in your area as Verizon. If there are T-Mobile stores near where you'd be using your phones most of the time, you can go in and see if there's good coverage.

In most large metro areas, they have good coverage.

https://www.t-mobile.com/offers/t-m...lRnPZnKTezEtmnWTIfUaAvAwEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds


I believe there are MVNOs which use Verizon and offer lower priced plans.

Straight Talk Wireless, available online or in Wal Mart stores, used to offer specific options with either AT&T or Verizon but now, it's not clear which network they offer.

They have a number of plans which are $50 or less but it would be only for one line and it wouldn't be unlimited data. But I'm not sure how much they allow in the way of tethering or personal hotspot.

With personal hotspot, you no longer need to subscribe to the Verizon data plan for your iPad.

https://www.straighttalk.com/wps/portal/home/shop/serviceplans

I just Googled "verizon mono" and this page lists a number of plans under $50/line.

https://bestmvno.com/compare/verizon-mvnos/


Your biggest outlay is going to be a phone. There are cheap Androids out there.

iPhones are expensive. They start at $349 for an iPhone SE, which has a 4-inch screen and uses chips which are 3 years old.

Move up to a 5.5 inch screen of the 6S Plus and it starts at $549.

You can likely find used models at better prices and maybe some carriers, including MVNOs, will have even better promotional pricing. You have to shop for it.

You can buy any phones on an installment plan but that would add $20-40 a month to your plans, depending on what you get.

 

[ivinsfan]

Verizon's a tough one, we need to use them out here on the farm. I looked high and low and couldn't find a good lower budget option. I ended up just being the third phone on my DD and SIL's plan..they didn't even make me split the bill 3 ways they are just charging me the 25 dollar add on fee for a phone line. We share data and always have leftover at the end of the month.

If you have a family member or close friend on Verizon this might work. They don't see who you call but they can see the amount of data you use. I use so little my SIL is always telling don't be afraid to use more data, we have plenty.

 

[explanade]

Verizon has an app. which will tell you how much data you're using.

With Personal Hot Spot or tethering from your phone's data plan, you wouldn't need to keep paying for iPad data plan.

 

[audreyh1]

I'm glad my Dad has always had a computer and emails just fine. We sometimes use FaceTime with him. But he has had a computer since the late 70s (old Apple computer then) so it's not been anything "new" for him.

He never really did use a cellphone, nor a smartphone. He doesn't go anywhere on his own anymore, so he doesn't need one.

 

[audreyh1]

My iPad - I just tether from my phone now.

 

[youbet]

OK I am one of these over 60 year olds without a smartphone (I am 67, DH 68). We retired at age 50 and live well but we have a pretty strict budget (we spend money on what we really enjoy like travel). We are pretty tech savvy, have an iPad, MacBook, smart TV, etc. Our issue is budget. We currently pay $50 per month for 2 dumb phone lines with Verizon, unlimited talk and text, no data. We bought our current phones for almost nothing a few years ago. Our phones have to be on the Verizon system because at our mountain cabin Verizon is all we can get (even Verizon is hard to receive sometimes here in the mountains.). We use our dumbphones quite a bit --we talk on them a text alot. We have no landline. We use the iPad like a smartphone when we travel and pay $20 per month for Verizon data.

I am willing to look into a smartphone if it would fit in our budget of $50 per month, I am sure the smartphone would be handy for maps, Uber, etc. Several people on this thread have said there are cheap smartphones and plans out there. I have not been able to find such cheap phones and plans, certainly not from Verizon. Would it be possible for us to get 2 smartphones with unlimited talk and text and a little data for $50 per month? I would not want to pay anything out of pocket for the smartphones, the cost of the 2 phones themselves would have to be included in the $50 per month. Thanks!

Your combo of a dumb phone + iPad with Verizon data package is the equivalent of a smart phone.

 

[bmcgonig]

OK I am one of these over 60 year olds without a smartphone (I am 67, DH 68). We retired at age 50 and live well but we have a pretty strict budget (we spend money on what we really enjoy like travel). We are pretty tech savvy, have an iPad, MacBook, smart TV, etc. Our issue is budget. We currently pay $50 per month for 2 dumb phone lines with Verizon, unlimited talk and text, no data. We bought our current phones for almost nothing a few years ago. Our phones have to be on the Verizon system because at our mountain cabin Verizon is all we can get (even Verizon is hard to receive sometimes here in the mountains.). We use our dumbphones quite a bit --we talk on them a text alot. We have no landline. We use the iPad like a smartphone when we travel and pay $20 per month for Verizon data.

I am willing to look into a smartphone if it would fit in our budget of $50 per month, I am sure the smartphone would be handy for maps, Uber, etc. Several people on this thread have said there are cheap smartphones and plans out there. I have not been able to find such cheap phones and plans, certainly not from Verizon. Would it be possible for us to get 2 smartphones with unlimited talk and text and a little data for $50 per month? I would not want to pay anything out of pocket for the smartphones, the cost of the 2 phones themselves would have to be included in the $50 per month. Thanks!

Very close. I use Google Fi cos I do a lot of international travel. Excellent reception everywhere I've tried it and great data rates too. It uses either t mobile or Sprint or US Cellular when in the US.

https://fi.google.com/about/faq/

Unlimited calls and texts for two people is $35/mo.
Data costs $10/gig and you only pay for what you use.


https://fi.google.com/about/plan/


You can get one of their phones for 199 or $8.28/mo. It's the Moto G6 and it's an excellent mid range phone.

https://fi.google.com/about/phones/

So a little over 50 if you include two excellent phones and use no data, but only $10/gig more if you do.

 

[harllee]

Your combo of a dumb phone + iPad with Verizon data package is the equivalent of a smart phone.

That's what I have always thought, and we like the larger screen on the iPad better than a small phone screen. But I just thought I would ask about these great cheap smartphone plans several people have mentioned. Someone mentioned Tracfone, does anyone have experience with them?

 

[harllee]

Looked at Google Project Fi and put in the address of my summer home (where we spend 6 months of the year) and there is no coverage so unfortunately Google Fi is out. Actually the Google Fi coverage looks pretty nonexistent for most all of western North Carolina.

 

[bloom2708]

OK I am one of these over 60 year olds without a smartphone (I am 67, DH 68). We retired at age 50 and live well but we have a pretty strict budget (we spend money on what we really enjoy like travel). We are pretty tech savvy, have an iPad, MacBook, smart TV, etc. Our issue is budget. We currently pay $50 per month for 2 dumb phone lines with Verizon, unlimited talk and text, no data. We bought our current phones for almost nothing a few years ago. Our phones have to be on the Verizon system because at our mountain cabin Verizon is all we can get (even Verizon is hard to receive sometimes here in the mountains.). We use our dumbphones quite a bit --we talk on them a text alot. We have no landline. We use the iPad like a smartphone when we travel and pay $20 per month for Verizon data.

I am willing to look into a smartphone if it would fit in our budget of $50 per month, I am sure the smartphone would be handy for maps, Uber, etc. Several people on this thread have said there are cheap smartphones and plans out there. I have not been able to find such cheap phones and plans, certainly not from Verizon. Would it be possible for us to get 2 smartphones with unlimited talk and text and a little data for $50 per month? I would not want to pay anything out of pocket for the smartphones, the cost of the 2 phones themselves would have to be included in the $50 per month. Thanks!

Totalwireless.com will get you close to $50. Verizon towers/coverage.

$57 with auto-pay for 2 phones sharing 15GB data, Unlimited calls and texts.

You could test the waters with 2 iPhone SE. Total Wireless has great deals on iPhone SE. Still a good phone and not such a shock to the system because it is smaller.

TW is available at all Walmart. You can do auto-pay and at times there are discounts on refill cards bought in store.

I stick with Verizon or AT&T unless you spend most/all your time in a Sprint/T-Mobile area.

You would of course have to pay the $99 or price x 2 for the iPhone SE from Total Wireless. $10/month? Close.

 

[explanade]

Google Project Fi uses T-Mobile and Sprint.

Main advantage is using data while overseas.

 

[aja8888]

Cricket Wireless has a plan for $100/month that includes unlimited text, data, and calling for 4 phones. Cricket uses AT&T towers.

 

[bmcgonig]

Looked at Google Project Fi and put in the address of my summer home (where we spend 6 months of the year) and there is no coverage so unfortunately Google Fi is out. Actually the Google Fi coverage looks pretty nonexistent for most all of western North Carolina.

Means that T Mob and Sprint have no coverage there. So it would have to be Verizon or AT&T for you.

 

[audreyh1]

If their iPad and flip-phone solution is working for them, why do they need anything different?

My iPad solution did not work (get data) in Europe. So a smart-phone was a better solution for me, and I now tether my iPad to my iPhone when I need data and don't have wifi available.

FWIW - DH and I have two T-mobile iPhones that includes free text and data overseas for $80 a month and includes high-speed tethering to any device. We don't have an iPad data plan anymore.

 

[explanade]

Totalwireless.com will get you close to $50. Verizon towers/coverage.

$57 with auto-pay for 2 phones sharing 15GB data, Unlimited calls and texts.

You could test the waters with 2 iPhone SE. Total Wireless has great deals on iPhone SE. Still a good phone and not such a shock to the system because it is smaller.

TW is available at all Walmart. You can do auto-pay and at times there are discounts on refill cards bought in store.

I stick with Verizon or AT&T unless you spend most/all your time in a Sprint/T-Mobile area.

You would of course have to pay the $99 or price x 2 for the iPhone SE from Total Wireless. $10/month? Close.

Those are good prices on the iPhone SE.

There are rumors of new iPhone SEs coming this fall. Would be faster chips than the ones in the current SE.

But new SE won't go for $99, at least not for awhile.

 

[JP.mpls]

Harlee,
Boost Mobile offers $30/month per phone, no contract, but you have to allow them to auto charge the $30 each month on your Visa account.
They leverage off of the Sprint network. Are you sure Sprint will not work in your area?
I have a very nice Android based Samsung J3 Emerge phone that I purchased from them for $50 off of their website.



This is close to what you are looking for. $100 up front purchase of two phones, and $60/month for unlimited phone, text. There are some limits on internet use, but I've never hit their monthly maximum yet.



I want to believe there are similar low cost cellphone providers using the Verizon network.



Good luck, JP

 

[JP.mpls]

Harlee,
I just found this information. Hopefully it is accurate.


Based on this comment, you should look into Total Wireless for a low cost cellphone provider with no contracts that uses the Verizon systems.


These companies will want you to purchase the phone from them up front in place of signing a contract.



AT&T has Cricket, Sprint has Boost Mobile, T-Mobile has GoSmartMobile and Verizon has Total Wireless. The sub-brands use the same towers and systems as the major brands, but at a lower price and with no contract. Although you should check first, the parent network phone should be compatible with the sub-brand service.


JP

 

[Scuba]

Getting back to whether older people embrace technology, my MIL is a rock star. For years she didn’t want a computer ... we gave her 2 different computers - a desktop and a laptop and she wouldn’t use either. Then her grandson showed her Spotify. She loves music so she went out and bought an iPhone 7 so she could have Spotify. She is a big Instagram user and she also likes to do FaceTime calls with us. Most recently, she bought an iPad and she is enjoying the larger screen.

We are happy to see her using technology to do things she enjoys. She loves watching You Tube videos and looking various things up online (with Siri’s help).

 

[NoMoreJob]

I've always been a technology early adopter, however I drew the line at smart phones. Being retired I just couldn't justify the cost/benefit tradeoff given the high cost of plans and planned obsolescence of the phones.

I did move to a smart phone when a friend retired their work 6s but I had it on an MVNO that cost me $80/year for talk and text (not unlimited but that's all I needed based on my usage). I didn't have data.

My wife uses her phone more and we tried Google Project Fi for her with a Nexus 5x phone. Her cost was $25/month for unlimited talk and text plus actual data used at $10/Gb. She used about $2 of data per month. I think her phone cost $249 a couple of years ago.

Recently Google came up with a special offer where a second user on my wife's Fi account is $15/month and the data is the same ($10/Gb for actual amount used). They also promo'd Moto X4 phones at $249 with a buy-one-get-one-free offer (the $249 is credited toward my wife's usage fees).

That was the tipping point for me. Between my wife and I we now pay $50 or less per month for great service and very nice phones. This I can justify and am enjoying the ability to use the smart phone to its full capability (except I don't do my banking on it).

Now I just hope that there are enough phone specials in the future to keep us relatively up-to-date with our phones because I'm hooked! But if push comes to shove and I'm forced to pay hundreds of dollars for a phone and/or plan I'll detox quickly.

 

[DaveLeeNC]

FWIW, my Smartphone is a Galaxy S5 with a Freedompop plan. My data plan is actually free - however it is only 500MB per month and isn't really a cell phone (VOIP). Both the phone and data limitations can be fixed with money, of course. I also have a flip phone ($100 per year for all the texts and phone calls I care to make on it).

My only use for the Smartphone is as a bike tracker. I ride 150 to 200 miles per week on my bike and most is that is in some pretty isolated areas. So I have a tracker app that uploads my position once every five minutes. So in case I am lying dead in a ditch my wife can find my corpse . Actually very useful as I am now free to ride where-ever I want and she is no longer worried when I 'am late' (just bring up the tracker on her Windows laptop).

It is a fully functional Smart Phone but you can't do a whole lot on 500MB per month (bike tracking uses about 1/3 of that). I just don't have a reason to pay any more money so unless I am on my bike, the S5 sits on top of my dresser (unused) and I still carry my flip phone.

And one final thought - I HATE WITH ALL OF MY SOUL using touch screens. I just hate them.

dave

 

[Bongleur]

I have NO use for one in everyday life, but I should at least know HOW to use it in case a situation arises where I need to get one. Its like knowing how to drive a car -- you need to know how before you need the car. Are there community college courses for this sort of thing?

Hate paying a monthly fee for service I would never actually use. Is there any way I can attach it to my home network to "play" with it?

Can I stick in the SIM card from my pay-by-the-minute phone?

I would use it to navigate in unfamiliar areas, either driving or finding my way back to where I parked the car. Finding a place to eat or some service I need immediately.

How do you determine WHICH app to download -- there are many competing apps to do the same thing, and of course first you have to pick which brand/Operating System to buy.

The Apple "walled garden" approach is expensive and intrudes on your privacy (Apple keeps records of all your apps & who knows what datastreams), but at least there is a single point of contact for getting apps.

I presume each brand/OS has unique features to its "look & feel" but all are based on "swiping icons" -- which I detest... how can I test-drive various brands/OS before buying one?

I want to be sure they do not steal my personal info & stick it in a database, or track me (many apps unlock private areas during the install without notifying you, particularly tracking your location using GPS). Can you use a VPN on a smart phone, and "spoof" the details of your phone's unique signature, to foil tracking?

The Operating System for smartphones is a black box -- how do I learn enough about the OS to know how to invoke all the privacy functions & block input/output I have not authorized? I can do this with my computer's internet connection.

 

[explanade]

I have NO use for one in everyday life, but I should at least know HOW to use it in case a situation arises where I need to get one. Its like knowing how to drive a car -- you need to know how before you need the car. Are there community college courses for this sort of thing?

Hate paying a monthly fee for service I would never actually use. Is there any way I can attach it to my home network to "play" with it?

Can I stick in the SIM card from my pay-by-the-minute phone?

I would use it to navigate in unfamiliar areas, either driving or finding my way back to where I parked the car. Finding a place to eat or some service I need immediately.

How do you determine WHICH app to download -- there are many competing apps to do the same thing, and of course first you have to pick which brand/Operating System to buy.

The Apple "walled garden" approach is expensive and intrudes on your privacy (Apple keeps records of all your apps & who knows what datastreams), but at least there is a single point of contact for getting apps.

I presume each brand/OS has unique features to its "look & feel" but all are based on "swiping icons" -- which I detest... how can I test-drive various brands/OS before buying one?

I want to be sure they do not steal my personal info & stick it in a database, or track me (many apps unlock private areas during the install without notifying you, particularly tracking your location using GPS). Can you use a VPN on a smart phone, and "spoof" the details of your phone's unique signature, to foil tracking?

The Operating System for smartphones is a black box -- how do I learn enough about the OS to know how to invoke all the privacy functions & block input/output I have not authorized? I can do this with my computer's internet connection.

So many questions.

First, you can use a smart phone only on WiFi. You may or may not be able to put in a SIM without a data plan. May depend on carrier.

But you have to get an unlocked phone, not one tied to a specific carrier which won’t unlock until the phone is fully paid off.

Most states have laws allowing for 2 weeks to return and cancel a plan. But you may not get all the fees back. Again you have to check with the carrier and the store.

If you’re worried about privacy, iPhone is your best bet compared to Android, since Google is all about making money from targeted advertising.

You can use VPN to hide your location by IP address. But phones have GPS and other means of tracking your true location.

Rogue apps. Have been known to steal personal data. Just stick to apps. From iOS App Store for iPhones and Google Play for Android, though Android phones have the ability to side load or install apps. From random sites which have not been vetted.

As for app. Recommendations, I think there have been threads here or you can create a thread asking for recommendations in different categories such as travel apps, banking apps, dating apps, etc.

You can google something like “best beginner apps” or “best finance apps” or whatever.

 

[Bongleur]

>
First, you can use a smart phone only on WiFi. You may or may not be able to put in a SIM without a data plan. May depend on carrier.

But you have to get an unlocked phone, not one tied to a specific carrier which won’t unlock until the phone is fully paid off.
>

I have a DSL modem/router that gives a wireless connection. So if a smartphone is "just another computer" I should be able to "get onto the internet" without a dataplan, right?

From the internet I can download apps & play with them

My point of view is that the phone service from the SIM card ought to be able to be completely different from whatever company provides the data plan to use the internet. Or have they tied internet access thru the SIM card?