Saving Money on Wireless Service

[CoolRich59]

Ever since I caught the FIRE bug, I have been looking for ways to save $$ and accelerate my retirement date.

One big monthly expense that seemed untouchable was our cellular service. We were spending appx $260/month for 5 lines of service with data.

3 of the lines were for our now grown-up kids and they started contributed a share once they moved out on their own. But, we still paid the lion's share which came to about $150/month.

In addition to reading a lot about savings and retirement, I've also been reading about "minimalism". So, after a recent chat with the Princess (i.e., daughter) who is very much into a simple lifestyle, the wife and I decided to get rid of our smartphones.

We notified the other kids and told them they would need to find their own plans. Then, we started looking for a simple plan of our own.

The best deal I found was Cricket Wireless. I had read a lot of good things about Consumer Cellular, but that would require us to buy new phones. While my wife's iPhone is 3 years old, mine is less than 2 years old and I didn't like the idea of having to buy 2 new phones when we still have 2 perfectly good iPhones.

With Cricket Wireless I was able to get a plain talk and text (no data) plan using our iPhones. Out of pocket cost for the 2 lines: $50/mo.

So, I'm pretty happy to have found a way to save an add'l $100/mo.

 

[wolf]

T-Mobile. If you are 50/55? years old. 2 lines. unlimited, talk, text, data. $60.
Only one person has to be senior.
In our case, Wife and Daugherty, on one plan. Me and other daughter on other plan.
Total, $120 for 4 smart phones. unlimited.
We also have i phones. You may have to buy a sim card.
No contract.

For $10 more, this might be a better plan. Good luck.

 

[ivinsfan]

Are you using Cricket because in some areas AT and T is kind of a dud..

Don't want to be a buzz kill but you just turned your Iphones into primitive devices. Cricket has 4GB of data per phone for a total of 70 bucks if you use autopay...you might have done a bit of an overcorrection here, the good news is with Cricket you can change your plan anytime you want to.

 

[Aerides]

We're on Google FI, monthly bill is about $27 pp. Granted, you buy the phone outright to start, android.

 

[CoolRich59]

T-Mobile. If you are 50/55? years old. 2 lines. unlimited, talk, text, data. $60.
Only one person has to be senior.

...

For $10 more, this might be a better plan. Good luck.

Sounds like a good deal, except we've made the decision to go without data.

 

[CoolRich59]

Are you using Cricket because in some areas AT and T is kind of a dud..

We've been on Verizon for years and I had concerns about AT&T's coverage, but it's been fine.

Don't want to be a buzz kill but you just turned your Iphones into primitive devices.

Yep. That was our intent.

I was looking at Consumer Cellular because I understand they use Verizon's network, but that would have required new phones. By going with Cricket, even though the phones only do talk and text, I saved $$ by not having to buy new phones and can extend the life of the phones I've already paid for.

(BTW, most apps still work if I'm connected to wifi and so it's only a dumbphone when I leave the house.)

 

[ivinsfan]

We've been on Verizon for years and I had concerns about AT&T's coverage, but it's been fine.



Yep. That was our intent.

I was looking at Consumer Cellular because I understand they use Verizon's network, but that would have required new phones. By going with Cricket, even though the phones only do talk and text, I saved $$ by not having to buy new phones and can extend the life of the phones I've already paid for.

(BTW, most apps still work if I'm connected to wifi and so it's only a dumbphone when I leave the house.)

glad AT and T works for you it doesn't in our area..if you find you miss the date you can always add it month by month which is a great feature for cricket.

 

[Sunset]

We are using T-mobile for many years now, just pay as you go.
Because we don't use the phones much, and use free wifi at home/restaurants the cost is about $55 per year per phone. (under $5/mo)

The reason is we rollover the pre-paid amount, so initially it was $100/yr for a couple of years, but last 2 years I've only spent $10 per year per phone.

We only have text and voice and gps unless near a free wifi place or at home.

 

[Al18]

I've been on Consumer Cellular for about 2 years - love it. They use the AT&T network - iPhones from that network work fine. My wife has a 32 GB iPhone 5s and I just made the final payment on a new 32 GB iPhone SE purchased thru CC for $199. Total bill for 2 cell phones + home phone is $60 including all taxes. This is their 500 minutes/3 GB data plan.

 

[travelover]

Such big spenders. I use PagePlus which is $10 every four months. Granted calls are ten cents a minute, but I rarely call while away from home. I use Google Voice / Hangouts when at home via WiFi, which is free.

 

[ncbill]

Are you using Cricket because in some areas AT and T is kind of a dud..

Don't want to be a buzz kill but you just turned your Iphones into primitive devices. Cricket has 4GB of data per phone for a total of 70 bucks if you use autopay...you might have done a bit of an overcorrection here, the good news is with Cricket you can change your plan anytime you want to.

https://www.techspot.com/news/71726-cricket-adding-more-data-wireless-plans-bringing-back.html

5GB per line on the basic ($40/month) plan as of this month.

2GB per line on the cheapest ($30/month) plan with data.

So the OP can now get a decent amount of data if they can swing the extra $10/month

 

[NanoSour]

Your older iPhones should work with CC as long as they are not Verizon phones. I have 2 iPhone 4 phones that I purchased in 2010 on CC. Cost for the 2 of them is $39.82/mo. Includes 250 minutes, Unlimited Text & 250 mb of data. Which isn't a lot, but I turn all app data off until I actually need it. Haven't exceeded that data and all apps work when connected to wifi.

This has worked for us since ER and saved us more than 50% from my old ATT plan. I value the money more that the ability to snapchat a photo of my lunch.

 

[Music Lover]

https://www.techspot.com/news/71726-cricket-adding-more-data-wireless-plans-bringing-back.html

5GB per line on the basic ($40/month) plan as of this month.

2GB per line on the cheapest ($30/month) plan with data.

So the OP can now get a decent amount of data if they can swing the extra $10/month

I wonder how many people actually need/use 5G of data a month? My plan gives me 1GB of data a month and I barely even use 100meg as Wi-Fi is everywhere.

 

[ivinsfan]

https://www.techspot.com/news/71726-cricket-adding-more-data-wireless-plans-bringing-back.html

5GB per line on the basic ($40/month) plan as of this month.

2GB per line on the cheapest ($30/month) plan with data.

So the OP can now get a decent amount of data if they can swing the extra $10/month

I might have to try cricket with this new plan...they tell me it would work locally

 

[REWahoo]

I might have to try cricket with this new plan...they tell me it would work locally

We've been using Cricket for almost two years and have been very happy with them.

 

[W2R]

I might have to try cricket with this new plan...they tell me it would work locally

I have been on the 2GB for $30 plan for 10 months by now, and it is great. The reception is terrific (but then we live in New Orleans, not out in the country.). The sound is not just adequate, but great - - I can hear all the timbre in individual voices, as though face to face. This was not the case with my iPhone and Verizon, for whatever reasons.

One thing that I really like about it is that when they say $30, they mean $30.00 and not a penny more. No extra for fees or surcharges or whatever.

For me, the best part was that they gave me a free LG Spree phone just for signing up and using my same cell phone number. My iPhone was on its last legs and the prices at Verizon were higher than I wanted to pay.

I had been with Verizon since my first cell phone back in 2000, so I had no idea how to change carriers. However the directions on how to do this are right there on the Cricket website, explained very simply for idiots like me, so that took much of the stress out of it for me.

 

[ivinsfan]

We've been using Cricket for almost two years and have been very happy with them.

it's a rural reception issue having said that 10 years ago it was Verizon and only Verizon and no one has tried AT and T..someone has to be first I guess.

 

[REWahoo]

it's a rural reception issue having said that 10 years ago it was Verizon and only Verizon and no one has tried AT and T..someone has to be first I guess.

Gotcha - I'm out in the sticks but less than 2 miles from a cell tower.

You might plug your location into this website to see how far you are from an AT&T tower: AntennaSearch - Search for Cell Towers, Cell Reception, Hidden Antennas and more.

The website interface is a bit clunky but it should give you an idea of the distance the signal will have to travel.

 

[Disappointed]

If you use very little data then $10/month with airvoice wireless is for you. My wife and I have iPhone 6 and have been using airvoice for 2 years.

You must check out this plan. What you don’t use will roll over to next month. I allows you to use voice, text, and data at very reasonable rates.

https://www.airvoicewireless.com/10-dollar-monthly

Set up auto pay. I use data wherever there is no WiFi, my balance is $50.xx after two years. I used to pay $60 per month for one line. Talk about big savings. They have good customer service which is US based.

 

[Disappointed]

Best place to compare plans

https://www.prepaidphonenews.com/2011/02/best-prepaid-data-carriers-and-plans.html

 

[CoolRich59]

So the OP can now get a decent amount of data if they can swing the extra $10/month

It was a two-part decision. To save money and to get rid of the smartphone. I don't want a data plan.

 

[CoolRich59]

Your older iPhones should work with CC as long as they are not Verizon phones. I have 2 iPhone 4 phones that I purchased in 2010 on CC. Cost for the 2 of them is $39.82/mo. Includes 250 minutes, Unlimited Text & 250 mb of data. Which isn't a lot, but I turn all app data off until I actually need it. Haven't exceeded that data and all apps work when connected to wifi.

This is what I originally planned on doing, until I learned that our Verizon phones could not be brought over to Consumer Cellular and that I would have to get new phones.

Between the cost of new phones, and not wanting to dispose of the perfectly good iPhones we already had, I started looking at other options. That's when I learned that I could bring my iPhones to Cricket and not have to get a new phone.

I also liked that they have a "no data" option which seemed not to be possible with other services.

 

[sengsational]

Republic Wireless is not without flaws, but you buy your phone and pay for what you use. My bill is $25 but I get back $15 or so if I don't use all my 2Gb.

 

[flintnational]

Sounds like a good deal, except we've made the decision to go without data.

You might want to work a deal with the kids. 4 lines at Cricket with data is $100. The 5th person is free. So, your per line cost goes to $25 and $20 respectively. We have our DD and DFIL on our 4 person plan.

And with data, you can check your stock quotes and find out if your are still FI. Or catch up with ER.Org wherever you go.

 

[StikyBoots]

I use H20 Wireless which rides on AT&T's network. $27/mo (with autopay) gets me talk/text and 2 gigs.