View Full Version : Best Prepaid Phone
KimMae
09-25-2010, 08:33 PM
Hi, all - I'm switching from being on DH's phone plan which should save $30/month. I need a prepaid phone. I'd like to take my phone number with me. I hardly use my phone but do need it for emergencies (both kids in school) and for when I'm out and meeting someone. I'd imagine less than an hour a month so I don't want the minutes tied to a timeframe. I see different plans and different phones in stores but don't know what's best and I'm betting that this $ saving community knows what there is to know. I'm in Pittsburgh if that matters.
MSWR0319
09-25-2010, 08:50 PM
I have AT&T. They offer a per minute plan or a $ plan. Depending on the $ they expire at different times and as long as you renew you keep minutes. I hardly ever use my phone except for the things you described. I bought a $100 card and it's good for a year. I'm about seven months in and have $25 left, but just got a free $30 credit, so I'm up to $50. So you can do either or with AT&T
fedoragirl
09-25-2010, 08:53 PM
I have AT&T. They offer a per minute plan or a $ plan. Depending on the $ they expire at different times and as long as you renew you keep minutes. I hardly ever use my phone except for the things you described. I bought a $100 card and it's good for a year. I'm about seven months in and have $25 left, but just got a free $30 credit, so I'm up to $50. So you can do either or with AT&T
:yeahthat:
DrSally
09-26-2010, 10:57 AM
I use mine for the same purposes. I have a free/cheap phone from Virgin. I have to have a minimum of $20 top up every 3 months, so that's a min of $80 per year (which is what I use, or less). The minutes are .25/minute, but since I use it so infreq, it's still worth it to me to have such a low dollar committment. Once you get into taxes and everything, a basic cell plan runs you about $40 a month, which is too high for my needs.
I use mine for the same purposes. I have a free/cheap phone from Virgin. I have to have a minimum of $20 top up every 3 months, so that's a min of $80 per year (which is what I use, or less). The minutes are .25/minute, but since I use it so infreq, it's still worth it to me to have such a low dollar committment. Once you get into taxes and everything, a basic cell plan runs you about $40 a month, which is too high for my needs.
I used the exact same plan through Virgin for years. It was simple and cheap.
I've since upgraded (in a big way) to an iPhone b/c of work. And I cringe every time the bill comes!
stefani
09-27-2010, 01:01 AM
DH and I have T-Mobile prepaid. It works great if you don't make a lot of calls. $100 and it is good for a year, if there is any leftover, all minutes roll-over when you buy more minutes.
I also have the T Mobile prepaid. I bought a $100 card, and as pp said, minutes role over into the next year as long as you refill before the year is up. So every year I top it off with a $5 card to keep my minutes rolling over.
I got free at a bundle from Target that was posted on Slick Deals years ago. I'm pretty sure I saw a similar deal there recently (like in the past 2 weeks).
I figured out once that my cell phone costs me about $2 per month, so it didn't make sense for me to get an expensive phone or plan either. Just for the car and keeping in touch with DH when I'm not home.
lowrioh
09-27-2010, 08:35 AM
I use mine for the same purposes. I have a free/cheap phone from Virgin. I have to have a minimum of $20 top up every 3 months, so that's a min of $80 per year (which is what I use, or less). The minutes are .25/minute, but since I use it so infreq, it's still worth it to me to have such a low dollar committment. Once you get into taxes and everything, a basic cell plan runs you about $40 a month, which is too high for my needs.
:yeahthat:
DH and I both have used Virgin for 8 years and we've been really happy with the service. The phones aren't great but they are fine for as much as we use them. I think I'm on my 4th phone with them (one was lost) but they were all under $30.
c&j04
09-27-2010, 09:10 AM
Do the T-Mobile prepaid plans have any texting plan included or available? Or AT&T?
SpaceGal
09-27-2010, 10:50 AM
I have T-Mobile as well and spend $100 for 1000 minutes per year...which is 10 cent a minute. Minutes rollover every year when you refill. You can also send text messages for 10 cents and receive texts for 5 cents. If you do video/picture messaging those are 25 cents back and forth.
With T-Mobile I was also able to keep my former Verizon number as well. So far it's been a year and a half and it's great to have a cheap cell phone just to have...I used to pay $40 bucks a month and I hardly used it, it was such of waste of money. I wish I had switched to T-Mobile a long time ago. You can also get cheap/free prepaid phones from T-Mobile so you're not out much money at all. Every now and then Target sells the refill cards for like 5 percent off....not much but you can get a $100 for $95.
KimMae
09-27-2010, 12:59 PM
Thanks so much everyone! I knew there were other options out there!
To keep my number: do I have to go to TMobile or wherever or can I just buy the phone and call them?
MSWR0319
09-27-2010, 01:11 PM
I would check with whatever provider you choose before you buy it. I had to go into the AT&T store to switch my number over. But by going in we talked them into giving us a free phone so it was ok.
SpaceGal
09-27-2010, 01:47 PM
I did mine over the phone. Just remember that when the number is ported over that you call your old phone company and tell them that you ported your number over and would like to close your account (hopefully, you aren't in a contract so they shouldn't charge you for it).
I know right now Target has a lot of prepaid cell phones on clearance. So you might be able to find one for a good price. Or wait if you can...I got mine from T-Mobile...I paid $20 for the phone but it came with a $25 prepaid card...so it worked out nice. I ended up buying $75 more in prepaid cards and called customer service to add it in as $100 minutes and I got my 1000 minutes that way.
jse107
09-27-2010, 01:51 PM
Both DH and I have Tracfones. We been totally happy with the service. It costs us $99/year each.
theloo
09-27-2010, 03:57 PM
I also have the T Mobile prepaid. I bought a $100 card, and as pp said, minutes role over into the next year as long as you refill before the year is up. So every year I top it off with a $5 card to keep my minutes rolling over.
I got free at a bundle from Target that was posted on Slick Deals years ago. I'm pretty sure I saw a similar deal there recently (like in the past 2 weeks).
I figured out once that my cell phone costs me about $2 per month, so it didn't make sense for me to get an expensive phone or plan either. Just for the car and keeping in touch with DH when I'm not home.
I'm curious if the $5 cards keep you active for a whole year!?!?! I'm currently using Tracfone, but never use up the minutes and am always looking for a better deal :) Right now, my service costs me about $5+ per month ($17 cards last 3 months).
mommylamb
09-27-2010, 04:02 PM
DH and I have T-Mobile prepaid. It works great if you don't make a lot of calls. $100 and it is good for a year, if there is any leftover, all minutes roll-over when you buy more minutes.
This is what we have for DH. He is not a big cell phone person (to put it mildly). He never has problems with his. Once a year we put $20 on it and all the minutes from the previous year roll over.
I'm curious if the $5 cards keep you active for a whole year!?!?! I'm currently using Tracfone, but never use up the minutes and am always looking for a better deal :) Right now, my service costs me about $5+ per month ($17 cards last 3 months).
Yup. I just had to load 100 initially to become a lifetime gold (or something) member.
Every year I just load the minimum. I still have an assload of minutes and have had the same phone for 2-4 years. I use about 20 minutes per month or less. Dirt cheap.
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