Electronics

[Mom2Dogs]

I am thinking of switching my husband's flip phone to a track phone  or something similar....and buying minutes as needed

I went to Walmart today to discuss and was told that EVERY SINGLE MONTH we must add minutes to his phone, does that sound right?  I thought the idea was to buy as needed.

He rarely uses his phone, does not need wifi...he just sends and receives calls, if this is true is there any company that allows to purchase minutes as needed, not every month?

thanks

[gardenman]

You can buy yearly plans with Tracfone. Some come with unlimited calls and texts and some come with 1500 minutes of usable phone time. QVC, HSN, eBay, and even Walmart (online anyway) offer some phones with those deals.

[Mom2Dogs]

Thanks @gardenman 

Do you know if he can use his current phone or has to buy a phone from the company?  1500 minutes would probably last a very long time.  I would prefer to buy as needed but that might not be possible any longer.

[gardenman]

---

@Mom2Dogs wrote:

Thanks @gardenman 

Do you know if he can use his current phone or has to buy a phone from the company?  1500 minutes would probably last a very long time.  I would prefer to buy as needed but that might not be possible any longer.

---

Tracfone has a "Bring your own phone" program where they'll send you a SIM card for an existing phone (if needed) and you can use your existing phone with them. You then have to buy a service plan. It's often cheaper to just buy one of the TV shopping channel bundles instead.

[stevieb]

@Mom2Dogs  Tracfone is pushing 'plans' but no you do not have to add minutes every month and you don't have to cave on a plan. You do have to ensure you have both minutes and service days, but neither must be replenished monthly, as a number of options is available for adding what you need when you need it.

[Mom2Dogs]

@stevieb    Hmmm, Walmart employee must have mis spoke...she insisted ALL types of these phone are going to must buy minutes monthly

[goldensrbest]

I had one a few years ago,i was always running out of minutes,i went to consumer cellular, so much better.

[stevieb]

---

@Mom2Dogs wrote:

@stevieb    Hmmm, Walmart employee must have mis spoke...she insisted ALL types of these phone are going to must buy minutes monthly

---

@Mom2Dogs Not true. Perhaps her training wasn't sufficient, but I have two and do not add minutes monthly. I've used TF for years and have never had to add minutes on a monthly basis. I've been checking their site lately, as it's time to replace one of my phones, and their service offerings do not appear to require monthly minute updates. One advantage to TF is they are now owned by Verizon so use the Verizon network for connectivity in most areas.

[Mom2Dogs]

@stevieb   Got it, thank you. We have a small VERIZON store front in town, maybe they can help me.  

He will never use data, he only wants to make and send calls...he likes his flip phone but I find it cumbersome and difficult to use....adding contacts is horrible.

[Mom2Dogs]

@goldensrbest   We have used CC in the past and I might be switching to them, the price is good as well.  I was just thinking that maybe if my husband had a tracphone and just bought minutes as needed the overall price would be better.  

Currently we have SPECTRUM but are looking to drop their internet, their policy is to add $10.00 per line if you do not have their internet.  I have checked several different ways to confirm this and it is true...so if we change internet providers we will have to get different cell providers.