topic Re: Cell Phone Plan in Community Chat

Cell Phone Plan

nana59 — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 01:12:22 GMT

Need suggestions for inexpensive cell phone plan. We currently pay $100 monthly, which we thought was reasonable, but have found that we don't even use the phone on a monthly basis. I never use it, and my husband uses it when he attends an occasional out-of-state train show. My husband is computer saavy, but has never been a cell phone user-and I don't even know how to use it. We would like a cell phone for an emergency, but that's about it. Suggestions, please! Thanks....

Re: Cell Phone Plan

gidgetgh — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 01:24:23 GMT

My father uses a Jitterbug cell phone (through greatcall.com). His plan is $14.99 per month. Once you add all the taxes and fees, his bill comes to $19 a month.

He's had it for 4 years. Works great. He called and ordered it. They sent it to him. He called them and they activated it. Very easy.

Re: Cell Phone Plan

Marp — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 01:34:38 GMT

Sounds like any of the Tracfone deals QVC or HSN offers with the triple minutes/texts/data would be perfect for you. The package minutes are good for a year so you don't have to worry about them expiring and they roll over. As long as you remember to add minutes at the end of the year (or like I do get a new phone with minutes included) you're good to go. You can also keep your current cell phone number.

ETA most of the packages cost between $100 to $130 and come with the phone, charger and minutes. Once you look at the cost on a monthly basis it can't be beat for a user like you and your husband.

Re: Cell Phone Plan

spent2much — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 01:56:00 GMT

My husband and I have had a TracFone plan for our two phones for several years. I rarely use mine; he uses it a little more. I think our original plan (which hasn't changed) was about 60 minutes per month for him and 100 minutes per month for me. AND it was a plan that DOUBLED the minutes every month. So, he got 120 min. and I got 200 min. The minutes roll over month after month, year after year. I now have over 4,000 minutes on my phone; he has about 2,000! LOL I have no idea if the plan is still available, but maybe something similar is. Our total monthly bill is about $17!!!

Re: Cell Phone Plan

Mz iMac — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 02:11:16 GMT

Another vote for the Jitterbug. I pay about the same as the poster's father $19/mo. I can take pictures & even text!!!

My minutes roll over. I currently have over 6500 minutes. I only use it in case of an emergency out of the house. I can count the times on one hand that I have actually used the phone in the 7 yrs I've had the Jitterbug. I don't even know the phone # for it!. My house phone is a landline. Leave a message on my landline answering maching if you want me to call you back.

My current Jitterbug looks like this.....

Re: Cell Phone Plan

DoneTryin — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 07:53:03 GMT

Yikes! I pay about that for an entire year. I've been using Tracfones for the last few years & usually get a new one from QVC or HSN when my time's almost up. I've been getting the 1 year, triple minute/text/data deals. The one I have now I got from QVC earlier this year, & it included an additional 3 months of service, plus additional 1200 minutes/text/data if I sent them my old phone by a certain deadlne. That phone cost about $130.

I still have a landline but am thinking about getting rid of it soon. Quite frankly, I just don't like chatting on the phone much any more, so the cell phone deal works just fine for me.

Re: Cell Phone Plan

hckynutjohn — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 08:38:16 GMT

@nana59 wrote:
Need suggestions for inexpensive cell phone plan. We currently pay $100 monthly, which we thought was reasonable, but have found that we don't even use the phone on a monthly basis. I never use it, and my husband uses it when he attends an occasional out-of-state train show. My husband is computer saavy, but has never been a cell phone user-and I don't even know how to use it. We would like a cell phone for an emergency, but that's about it. Suggestions, please! Thanks....

What works best for me us "Prepaid Plan" with Tracfone. My current smart phone, bought new from hsn for $80, is a 12 month plan. Total for me monthly is about $6.60. Used Tracfone for going on 10 years now, and it is the perfect cell phone plan for me,

hckynut(john)

Re: Cell Phone Plan

Zita — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 13:36:13 GMT

I've had a Tracfone for several years, switching up occasionally. I buy from the Tracfone website (very inexpensive) and then top off minutes as I need them.

I use my cell only for brief calls and texting to family (the grands especially). No monthly charges. I sometimes call my brother in Texas, but usually use my landline. Don't need the internet feature, although I have it (takes a lot of minutes), but I've used the photo feature. I am computer savvy, but don't need to be on a phone all the time. I use my PC or laptop for email, surfing the net, shopping, etc.

I'd vote for Tracfone!

Re: Cell Phone Plan

queendiva — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 13:39:14 GMT

I also buy my cell phones from HSN. Great deals when they have a TS phone. I did not see one this year for holidays. I think I bought mine in December maybe two years ago. Mine is a fully featured smart phone and is my only phone- no need for a land line. I did not love my Trac phone. Did not save me much money.

Re: Cell Phone Plan

ValuSkr — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 13:57:49 GMT

I have an AT&T GoPhone. It's a prepaid plan, and not a smart phone (though they have smart phones). I pay $25 per quarter and your balance rolls over as long as you renew / add money by the end of the quarter. Calls cost $0.10 per minute and $1.00 per day that the phone is used. I rarely use the phone, and my prepaid balance has built up to $500, but it's well worth the annual cost of only $100.

Re: Cell Phone Plan

hckynutjohn — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 18:13:36 GMT

@Zita wrote:
I've had a Tracfone for several years, switching up occasionally. I buy from the Tracfone website (very inexpensive) and then top off minutes as I need them.

I use my cell only for brief calls and texting to family (the grands especially). No monthly charges. I sometimes call my brother in Texas, but usually use my landline. Don't need the internet feature, although I have it (takes a lot of minutes), but I've used the photo feature. I am computer savvy, but don't need to be on a phone all the time. I use my PC or laptop for email, surfing the net, shopping, etc.

I'd vote for Tracfone!

Hi Zita,

Just some info about Tracfone. If you have wifi in your home you can use the Internet and it does not use any of your minutes or data. Wherever you might be, if you connect to a wifi network, you will not use any of your minutes. Lots of public places have wifi to which you can connect. Make sure your phone says: "wifi--CONNECTED", and you are good to go.

Texting? Uses from "texting bucket", wifi DOES NOT use cell phone towers, thus when using "a connected network", your phone should not deduct minutes or data from your Tracfone account.

hckynut(john)

Re: Cell Phone Plan

goldensrbest — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 18:16:42 GMT

@hckynutjohn wrote:
@nana59 wrote:
Need suggestions for inexpensive cell phone plan. We currently pay $100 monthly, which we thought was reasonable, but have found that we don't even use the phone on a monthly basis. I never use it, and my husband uses it when he attends an occasional out-of-state train show. My husband is computer saavy, but has never been a cell phone user-and I don't even know how to use it. We would like a cell phone for an emergency, but that's about it. Suggestions, please! Thanks....

What works best for me us "Prepaid Plan" with Tracfone. My current smart phone, bought new from hsn for $80, is a 12 month plan. Total for me monthly is about $6.60. Used Tracfone for going on 10 years now, and it is the perfect cell phone plan for me,

hckynut(john)

Can you tell me where you got yours? And how long have you had the same phone,without having to replace it? My little flip phone is not working correctly, my son picked me up one yesterday, but i really do not like it,maybe a tracfone would be better.

Re: Cell Phone Plan

GingerPeach — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 18:21:51 GMT

@nana59

I only use a cellphone for emergency calls, such as calling AAA if my battery dies somewhere away from home.

I highly recommend Consumer Cellular. I pay about $10 a month for the basic service. https://www.consumercellular.com/

There are various phones you can choose on the website.

Re: Cell Phone Plan

chickenbutt — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 18:20:50 GMT

I don't work anymore or have any need for a smartphone so I still have a regular old dumb phone. I pay $30 a month with Sprint and, even at their lowest plan of 200 minutes a month, I still have plenty left every month.

Re: Cell Phone Plan

Laura14 — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 18:30:40 GMT

I have a prepaid plan with Tmobile which I think is the same as Walmart's Straight talk plan. $30 a month for 60 talk minutes, unlimited texts, and 5G data which I never come close to using since most areas do have wi fi. It bills to my credit card every month.

I bought an unlocked Moto E (smart phone) from Amazon for about $100 a few years ago and I have all of the necessary bells and whistles of the big guys without a contract or super phone I'll never use properly since I still remember how to actually talk to people in person.

You can get a cheaper phone if you don't want a smart phone but I recommend one if you can do it since it is what most people use these days and some of the apps are pretty useful.

Re: Cell Phone Plan

goldensrbest — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 18:52:01 GMT

I don't have a landline, i got rid of it a few years ago, i need a good cell phone ,that i have with me all the time.But can not afford a smartphone, the plan,and phone must be very reasonable.

Re: Cell Phone Plan

151949 — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 19:11:45 GMT

We found once we retired that tracfone prepaid was the best deal for us. You only buy what you are going to use. You can go very cheap with a flip phone or pay around $100 to $125 for a smartphone with a year of service and a lot of time included. No monthly fees at all. Up to you how tecky you are.The smart phones aren't an iphone but they do the job, have a camera and you can talk or text or e mail, plus get on the internet.I would never consider going back to a contract phone again.

Re: Cell Phone Plan

Mz iMac — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 21:32:48 GMT

@hckynutjohn wrote:
@Zita wrote:
I've had a Tracfone for several years, switching up occasionally. I buy from the Tracfone website (very inexpensive) and then top off minutes as I need them.

I use my cell only for brief calls and texting to family (the grands especially). No monthly charges. I sometimes call my brother in Texas, but usually use my landline. Don't need the internet feature, although I have it (takes a lot of minutes), but I've used the photo feature. I am computer savvy, but don't need to be on a phone all the time. I use my PC or laptop for email, surfing the net, shopping, etc.

I'd vote for Tracfone!

Hi Zita,

Just some info about Tracfone. If you have wifi in your home you can use the Internet and it does not use any of your minutes or data. Wherever you might be, if you connect to a wifi network, you will not use any of your minutes. Lots of public places have wifi to which you can connect. Make sure your phone says: "wifi--CONNECTED", and you are good to go.

Texting? Uses from "texting bucket", wifi DOES NOT use cell phone towers, thus when using "a connected network", your phone should not deduct minutes or data from your Tracfone account.

hckynut(john)

@hckynutjohn

Excellent advice!!!!!

I think your advice works w/all phones. I know it works like that w/the Jitterbug phones.

Re: Cell Phone Plan

Noel7 — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 21:44:20 GMT

@nana59 wrote:
Need suggestions for inexpensive cell phone plan. We currently pay $100 monthly, which we thought was reasonable, but have found that we don't even use the phone on a monthly basis. I never use it, and my husband uses it when he attends an occasional out-of-state train show. My husband is computer saavy, but has never been a cell phone user-and I don't even know how to use it. We would like a cell phone for an emergency, but that's about it. Suggestions, please! Thanks....

******************************

I strongly suggest you learn how to use it and carry it with you when you're out and about.

I got caught in a sticky situation with an off-balance stranger not long ago. I handled it but decided to call the police, the person was becoming violent and ranting.

My old cell started acting funny and I couldn't get it to work. What timing, hey?

My daughter got online that day and ordered an iPhone for me. She wanted it to be a gift, no way, said I, put it on my card. She went out and picked it up, brought it to me and set it up. I now have it fixed where she can track where I am, and it will send messages to my computer and her, and to the cloud if stolen. It feels safe.

You don't have to get a fancy phone, that Jitterbug is said to be good, but please learn how to use your phone for PROTECTION.