Frugal Cellphoning?

[speakmato]

What’s up everybody? I’m such a technical newbie that I’m having so much trouble dealing with my cellular telephone charges. My plans are charging so much for calls, plus extra for basic services like directory assistance. Do you have plan recommendations?

[Lori63]

I have a family plan from Verizon. 700 minutes/month, free texting. free calls to other verizon users. $109 a month for three phones.

[cschin4]

Get a Virgin Mobile prepaid at Walmart. I highly recommend the SuperSlice. Both of my kids have one and it gets great reception. I am very pleased. And, I think you have to recharge about every 90 days. My sons got the 1000 Text messages/month for $9.99. And, the minutes are fairly cheap as well. The carrier is Sprint.

[jodi]

It really depends on how much you use it. I've have trouble with my Nextel plan in the past, but right now I have an awesome (unadvertised) deal. After my contract was up, I called to tell them I was switching. They asked me why, and I told them (to get a friends and family plan, to get a cheaper plan). They offered me 600 minutes for $32, plus took off an additional 20% to match the discount I would have gotten with Verizon through my job. Then they allowed me free calls from three numbers that I call frequently, since they didn't have a friends/family plan to meet my needs. If you have a current provider, but are no longer on a contract, you can try to call them to tell them you are switching and see what they offer. Some companies do have the ability to offer you a better deal than what they advertise. Also, check to see if any offers discounts through your employer. I have the opportunity for various discounts through my job (state employee), my union, or through being a member of the Realtor Association.

[mike42]

Originally Posted by speakmato

... plus extra for basic services like directory assistance

I don't know how to get around directory assistance charges with your cell phone provider. My best advice is to not use it.

Instead (if you have text messaging), send a text to Google (466453 - just spell out Google on your phone). They will send you directory assistance like results back via text message. You either type in the phone number then or click on a link (depending on your phone).

Google's service is free (unless you have to pay your phone company per text message. And then you have a record of the phone number too.

[darenite]

It’s hard to recommend something else if we don’t know what you had in the first place, but from what you’ve added you sound like you’re on a prepaid plan. Prepaid plans in asia are great value, but not here, where they still charge you on both ends for calls and shove whatever new models into your hand regardless of quality or user friendliness.

Until we find out your current plan, the best thing I can recommend is not to use carrier 411. Use the whole load of free services that are out like 1-800-free411. Sure, you’re still using your bank of minutes for the call, but it’s one less service charge you need on your plate.

[sweeps]

Originally Posted by darenite

Prepaid plans in asia are great value, but not here, where they still charge you on both ends for calls and shove whatever new models into your hand regardless of quality or user friendliness.

I disagree. I have friends and family members who love Tracfone -- a prepaid wireless carrier. For people who don't use huge amount of minutes each month, it saves them a lot of money. Tracfone provides the phone for cheap, you can keep the phone as long as you like, and the call quality is quite good.

Unfortunately this doesn't necessarily help the original poster, who it seems makes a lot of directory assistance calls. There are some services out there that let you call an 800 number to get free directory assistance in exchange for listening to advertisements. But obviously on a cell phone that still costs you minutes.

[Lori63]

I loved my tracfone, until my son went to college and I went back to work. Then we just used too many minutes to make it anywhere near affordable.

[jasanderson]

Originally Posted by cschin4

Get a Virgin Mobile prepaid at Walmart. I highly recommend the SuperSlice. Both of my kids have one and it gets great reception. I am very pleased. And, I think you have to recharge about every 90 days. My sons got the 1000 Text messages/month for $9.99. And, the minutes are fairly cheap as well. The carrier is Sprint.

I bought my 6 year old a prepaid phone for Virgin Mobile and it's a great deal. You need to re-charge every 90 days and I think the minimum is $20.00. I pay 18 cents per minute that she uses it. They also have other options but this works best for me.

In addition when you go to Visit Virgin Mobile around the world they have "Sugar Mama" where you can log on and watch 5 short clips per day and earn 5 free minutes. I think they also do free advertising texts they send you and you can earn more free minutes. She has had her phone for 5 weeks and I have only spent $4.00 on usage. Once my contract with Verizon is up - I'm outta there too.

Before anyone thinks i'm crazy for giving my 6 year old a cell phone she walks 2 blocks from her school to her daycare lady and I require that she calls her before she leaves the school so they can time her to get there. She gets distracted easily and I worry about her stopping to play and freaking out her daycare lady. since she is so young we have programmed daycare, mom and dad into the phone and she can call us if she needs to. I am thinking it will be a plus for the summer when she is out playing with her friends as well. Sign of the times - better safe than sorry I guess.

[vsjhoc]

Originally Posted by sweeps

There are some services out there that let you call an 800 number to get free directory assistance in exchange for listening to advertisements. But obviously on a cell phone that still costs you minutes.

Call 1-800-FREE-411 or 1-888-FREE-411. You pay only for the minute (or two) you are on cell phone. There is no additional charge.

How can they do it for free? You first have to listen to a 20 second ad for something like ring tones, tanning salons, etc. After the end of the ad, you hear the computer generated "City and state ...".

Works from landlines also.

[Finally Frugal]

Thanks for posting your answer about Virgin Mobile, cschin4! I am thinking of going with the no-contract $6.99 a month plan from Virgin Mobile in May, when my $40+/month contract ends with Verizon. I'm glad to hear that you like it so much, and I was thinking of the Super Slice.

Since I use my phone infrequently, I 'lose' all of my 100 or so 'free' minutes every month, and they don't roll over---with Virgin, I can just top up when I need it, as long as I pay the $6.99 every month---still a savings over my old plan. Hoping to save about $30 a month starting in May/June. . .

And looking forward to it!

[cschin4]

My sons wanted cell phones for Christmas. They rarely talk on the phone but do mostly text messaging. Who knows why, but that is what the kids today like to do. I priced a variety of phones but just didn't want to get locked into a 2 yr contract. And, I thought the novelty of having the phone would wear off after a few months. I wasn't going to get them phones but they really, really wanted them. No, I didn't have to get them what they wanted. However, I see no sense in buying them things they aren't going to use in reality. So, I saw the SuperSlice on sale for $25 and I bit. And, the boys have had a ball with them. A great phone with no surprises.

[StanFatherof3]

I use a T-mobile plan that's $19.99 each month and add unlimited mobile-to-mobile for $7. Everyone else in my family has T-mobile, too so I can talk to my heart's content and never worry about counting minutes.