Electronics

[dragonflyveb]

I have an old dumb phone 2G only and I need to switch to a newer phone. I only use my cell for brief calls or emergencies. I don't use my 1000 minutes in a year. Don't care about data. Flip phones are just as expensive as smart phones, so I was thinking of getting a Tracfone with minutes.

So--if you have a TF, do you buy a new phone every year just for minutes? Is it easy to port over your phone number? Any thoughts on buying a phone with triples minutes from HSN? Customer service? Any gotchas?

I know everyone is busy this time of year, but I would appreciate any advice or thoughts.

TIA,

dragonfly

[bunjetto]

I have had TF for years.  When you purchase from HSN or Q you get I believe now it is 1500 minutes.  Each year I buy airtime for approximately hundred dollars (they have other plans) it comes with the tripled minutes date etc.  No I don't buy a phone every year maybe every other depends on the phone being offered.  And yes when you buy another phone they switch everything for you.  HTH  PS yes I purchase mine from the Q

[Carolm]

@dragonflyveb - I have a Tracfone and have had one for probably six years or so.  I use it only occasionally and do not purchase a new phone each year for the minutes.  The last time I needed new minutes, I purchased a year's supply and added them to my current phone.  It was a simple process.  I have been pleased with its service and  affordability.  I see that QVC2 has a Big Deal for a Samsung tracfone and I would like to see a presentation, but customer service was unable to tell me when it will be featured on one of its shows.  Hope this information answers some of your questions. 

[kitcat51]

I have a TracFone & like it, I use it for emergencies & calls on the run. I keep my phone & buy minutes...I have the triple minutes plan & have accumulated lots of minutes so now I buy a 30 minute card (3x=90) for $9.99 which makes it possible to buy an add-on 1 year card with no minutes for less than 50.00 so the final cost for the year is $60.00 plus taxes, this fits my limited budget & I have a way to get help if I need it. The TF rep on HSN announced that there will be no more phones offered with the triple minutes plan going forward so if you can find one grab it. I'm not tech savvy but found TF easy to setup, use & the one time I needed CS they were great. Good Luck.

[dragonflyveb]

Thanks for replying!

Do you buy minutes from either HSN or Q?

[software]

I buy minutes from Tracfone online.

@dragonflyveb

[kitcat51]

 I buy minutes at the TF website & I purchased my phone with triple minutes from HSN. You can also buy minutes on your phone & lots of different minute cards at most retailers, I use to buy them at Kroger's.

[Carmie]

My husband and I both have Tracfones.  He uses his more than I do.  Every year I purchase minutes with another 365 days and always carry over my old minutes.

it’s important that when you purchase minutes that they can be used for 365 Days and not 30 Days if you are an infrequent user.  I always have minutes left at the end of a year but have to purchase more to extend the days of  service.

i buy my minute cards from e-bay really cheap.  I don’t get a new phone every year.

Just last week, by husband got a new Tracfone from Evine with 1350 minutes and triple service for 365 days. His phone/package was $49.95 with free S&H.  I set the phone up and it is much easier to do so than it has ever been. His old  minutes were transferred without a hitch. His new phone is 4G, my older one is 3G.

if you are an infrequent user, Tracfone is the way to go.  Very inexpensive.

[SusieQ_2]

@dragonflyveb, I've been seeing people continue to mention triple minutes in their posts which is understandable because for a long time it was an important element of making Tracfones super affordable. This is no longer true, although there are still a few triple minute phones for sale. Those are undoubtedly older phones--not they're bad phones--it's just that they are being phased out.

If you go to the Tracfone website you will see that every offer under the Pay As You Go plans are tripled regardless of whether or not your phone was sold as a "Triple Minutes for Life" phone. 

I'm posting this so that if you do decide to buy a Tracfone you won't get hung up on trying to find a triple minutes phone as it no longer matters. Good luck to you...hope you find a new phone you love! 

[dragonflyveb]

Thanks all!

I haven't seen many triple minute for life phones. Checked out the website and the plans for 365 days were all $100 and up.

@kitkat51--I didn't see anything about a 1 year no minutes add on at the TF website. What am I missing?