ERD50, to follow up, I went to Verizon and got more details on their pay-as-you-go.
1. They have a special right now of $66 which includes a Samsung flip-phone, the activation and $10 of airtime.
2. The cost is $1.99 on each day the phone is used, but after the one phone call that day, you can make as many calls as you like until midnight for no extra charge. So that $10 airtime is good for 5 days (not necessarily consecutive) "but" it expires in 30 days if not used.
4. Phone account will not expire until "unused" for 1 year.
So it looks like the trick would be to only buy a minimal amount airtime just before you are planning to use it, or say maybe $2 each month for just in case.
THE GOOD NEWS: You can also use an old Verizon phone if you have one and you only have to pay the $35 activation. Of course you don't get the $10 free airtime. But for $35 you are up and running.
OK, I went back this morning to get my old phone put onto PrePaid and the rules somehow changed. IOW, the guy yesterday gave me erroneous data.
Activation is only $25. Each day is $1.99 and unlimited to anyone that day.
Minimum Airtime was $15, expires in 30 days, phone account in 60 days.
Airtime $30, expires in 60 days, phone account expires in 4 months.
Airtime $50-75, expires in 6 months, phone account expires in 6 months.
Airtime $100, expires in 1 year, phone account expires in 1 year.
On the $100 deal, if you buy $15 more at, say day 360, the balance of the $100 rolls over but the expiration is whatever the new amount paid was.
IOW, take an accountant and a lawyer when you shop Verizon.