Cell Phones

[Packman]

Since I am ER'ing in less than 60 days, I need to decide if I need a cell phone. Both my DW and I both have our phones supplied by our employers today. I have an i-phone now and DW has a Blackberry. Since one reason for my desire to ER is to get AWAY from the dreaded 200 emails a day, I can't imagine why I need anything but a simple "phone only' cell phone for emergencies, basics, etc.

So how do I get a cheap cell phone for only calls, keeping my costs as low as possible?

 

[Silver]

We have one cell phone that we got from Consumer Cellular with a discount through AARP, if you are a member. It is an emergencies only phone we take when we are out of the house. There are a few plans, but the one we chose is $9.99 a month and 24 cents a min for all calls. The phone and recharger were free although you can buy a phone if you want. There was an initial cost of $35 to establish the service.

 

[Animorph]

DW uses T-Mobile pay-as-you-go. Something like that would be good for you. No monthly charge, but some up front charges.

 

[Keim]

I use a pay by the minute cellphone. Costs me about $100/yr.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

I recommend using pre-paid cell phone, and also GoogleVoice.

I use Net10 for the actual cell phone, and last week paid $35 for a phone, 600 minutes, and 120 days of service. Another very cheap company is T-Mobile prepaid, which for about $100 or so will give you 1000 minutes and a year of service. Ultimately, you need to figure out how much you will use the phone, and then figure out what will work best for you.

GoogleVoice is not a phone, but more of a forwarding service. I travel outside the US a lot, and use it to forward calls to my computer. When I'm at home, they are forwarded to my desk in my office, or to my cell phone. This service is free.

 

[PauHana]

Pageplus Cellular....runs on VZW and other towers...
$10 for 100 min/120 days or several other plans with more minutes plus web. No activation fee. Just use a VZ compatible phone.....$10 on EBay. We are retired folks and have used this service for the
emergency/hiking/traveling phone for many years.

 

[Tom52]

Tracfone works for us. Approx. $120 the first year, probably less than $40 for the next year, have plenty of carry over minutes with the required minimum purchase of an additional minutes package for next year. Went from $40 plus per month for a cell phone to less than $10 per month over the first 2 years of Tracfone.

Tracfone service around here is Verizon, the same as we had before. So coverage is the same as Verizon.

 

[braumeister]

Depends on how much you like to have internet connectivity.
When I'm on the road, my iPhone lets me handle email and basic web browsing, as well as holding most of my music. It's worth it to me.

 

[lark_L]

I've had a Virgin Mobile pay as you go for nearly 10 years. I think it's $18 every three months. So, that's ~$80 a year. The balance accumulates if you don't use the minutes. I'm probably at $100-150 on my balance.

 

[Trawler]

Not yet ERd but to offset cell phone cost we eliminated land telephone line. have not had land line for 5 years and do not miss it.

 

[ERD50]

Another very cheap company is T-Mobile prepaid, which for about $100 or so will give you 1000 minutes and a year of service.

And the minutes roll over, and you can refill the next year for just $10. I got this for myself and DW, as we use maybe 10 minutes/month, usually less. So that is just 83 CENTS per month after the first year.

If this fits your low-use profile, I'd jump on before the AT&T merger pulls this away.

-ERD50

 

[golfnut]

What's the best deal if you have a teenager who "must" have texting ?? We're paying around $125 per month for 2 phones (one of the DW and one for our son). Our plan is with Verizon.

 

[ERD50]

What's the best deal if you have a teenager who "must" have texting ?? We're paying around $125 per month for 2 phones (one of the DW and one for our son). Our plan is with Verizon.

I have not used them, but check NET10

https://www.net10.com/direct/Purchase?payGo=true

Looks like a $60/90 day card gets you a combined 900 minutes or 1800 texts. So ~ 600 texts/month minus any airtime minutes for $20/month. You can always add to it if it runs low. I'm assuming DW does not text so much? So combined, you should be in good shape (say $20/month for DW, maybe average of $30/month for teen = $50/month?).

-ERD50

 

[travelover]

I've had a Virgin Mobile pay as you go for nearly 10 years. I think it's $18 every three months. So, that's ~$80 a year. The balance accumulates if you don't use the minutes. I'm probably at $100-150 on my balance.

Me. too. I think I pay $15 every three months, plus 18 cents a minute to use it. I have a nearly $200 rolling credit. I did burn up a little recently when I used it to call Peru to make some reservations.

 

[travelover]

What's the best deal if you have a teenager who "must" have texting ??.......

I think the best deal would be to have the kid pay for their own texts.

 

[Aiming_4_55]

What's the best deal if you have a teenager who "must" have texting ?? We're paying around $125 per month for 2 phones (one of the DW and one for our son). Our plan is with Verizon.

I have researched them, but have not purchased the service as j*b provides cell currently. It's been available for a few years now.

Walmart.com offers Straight Talk, no contract, 30 day service, unlimited minutes, texts & web for $45 a month or 30 day service 1000 minutes, 1000 texts & 30mb web for $30 a month. You would have to buy a phone.

 

[rescueme]

I think the best deal would be to have the kid pay for their own texts.

++++++++1

It's never too early to teach them the value of a dollar, IMHO...

Once they start "paying their way", they can do what they want. Every action has consequences (good or bad). It would be (as Obama says ) a "teachable moment"...

 

[yakers]

You want the iphone. You really do.

DW has one and would be traumatized if it disappeared. It is a phone, camera, internet, video conference with grandkids, our GPS and more. Worth every penny for what it does. More apps than stars in heaven....must have more apps, must have more apps

 

[Nodak]

I have a Droid and would not willingly give it up. I don't like carrying a laptop or tablet computer around so the Droid is my internet access, GPS, calendar and so many other things.

 

[golfnut]

I think the best deal would be to have the kid pay for their own texts.

I agree but he can't find a job even though he has submitted a bunch of applications.

It's rough out there for teenagers.

 

[pimpmyretirement]

My wife is on the walmart $30 straight talk plan. She talks a lot.

I am on the t-mobile pay as you go, I don't have much to say.

 

[trirod]

If you don't want to give up data connectivity I think the best deal out there is with Virgin Mobile. $25/month (prepaid - no contract) for 300 minutes of talk and unlimited texts and data. I bought an Android phone (LG Optimus V) for $129 from Best Buy and it seems like a pretty good phone. It does everything I need - phone, camera, GPS, internet and email.

I originally wanted an iPhone but the LG phone was quite a bit cheaper than an iPhone and I am saving $45 per month vs an AT&T or Verizon plan (and I don't think they offer unlimited data?)

 

[Corporate ORphan]

I just got a Tracfone yesterday at Target. Haven't activated it yet. I plan on doing that if this morning if I can just stop reading and posting on this site!

I had a Blackberry at work that I am SO glad to be rid of. Its been 2 years and I don't miss it at all. It was nice having it when our electricity went out twice for days a few years back and when on vacation to search for the weather, etc. (we were on a boat and a storm blew up.) BUT it put me on call 24/7 and unless I went somewhere there wasn't service, I felt compelled to check what was happening at the office. Came right back from a vacation in WI once (an 8 hour drive) because I couldn't relax knowing what was being decided in my absence. It is far too tempting to check it constantly for e-mail, updates, etc.

An iPhone looks like it would be more fun but I'm kinda "old school". I don't want to be "connected" all the time.

 

[KingB]

I bought my service from the tracfone website. They sometimes offer phones (refurbished) for $19.99 + tax. It includes the phone (I got the LG420G) with initial 60 days and 10 units + a 60 minute card that extends it for another 90 days. The offer has the double time so the 60 minutes turns into 120 minute. So for $21.39, I got a phone, 5 months service and 130 minutes. Although it is a refurbished phone, it looks like new to me and it does not have any cosmetic defects. I think it might be a new phone that they pass as a refurbished to justify the low cost offer. Unused minutes is rollovered when you buy another card. When it is time to renew, I can buy another 60 minute card to add another 120 minutes and 90 days service. But, if I don't care to keep my new number (which I don't remember anyway or pass it around), I can get another one of these offers. Downside is you lose your remaining minutes.

DW and I are not much users. We usually have left units to be roll-overed. The only time that it got used much is when I switched my land line from Comcast to ATT and ATT need a contact phone for trouble shooting when they scr*wed up the installation.

 

[pixelville]

Since I am ER'ing in less than 60 days, I need to decide if I need a cell phone. Both my DW and I both have our phones supplied by our employers today. I have an i-phone now and DW has a Blackberry. Since one reason for my desire to ER is to get AWAY from the dreaded 200 emails a day, I can't imagine why I need anything but a simple "phone only' cell phone for emergencies, basics, etc.

So how do I get a cheap cell phone for only calls, keeping my costs as low as possible?

By far the best one I know & have used for several years is T-Mobile prepaid. You can often get a phone instrument for $20 (with sometimes a $25-30 refill card included). Immediately refill for $100 (Gold Status) that keeps it good for a year & 1000 minutes. i.e. 10cents/min. I didn't have to pay for activation. After year 1, you can refill for only $10 and that keeps it active for another year. Minutes are rolled-over too. So essentially with $10 per year (after 1st year $100) you have a cell phone & calls cost about 10cents/minute. Haven't found a better deal for occassional usage.
You can also change plans in months that you are traveling & expect to use more. Or use data plans, etc... And ask tmobile for unlock code (after a few months of service), so can potentially use it with other GSM carriers and/or other countries.