Question about Prepaid Cell Phone

[KatieNK]

Hi everyone,

I have a question about prepaid cell phones, does anyone do prepaid? I never did it before. DH and I have cell phones with a plan that is $75/month and we never go over that. The cells used to be our only phones but recently I got a great deal on DSL and had to get a phone line. Yes even with the phone line it was cheaper than the $40/month cable. So now we have a home phone but it is LOCAL only, can't even call the next city over so I still need the cells for long distance and emergencies on the road.

But maybe pre-paid will help us cut back but I am worried about hidden fees/charges or surprises, etc.

I am looking into Tmobile, since that is who we currently have.

Anyone have them for prepaid?

I want a plan where the minutes never expire, any plans like this?

Also, would like to spend 10 cents or less per minute with no other fees.

Can anyone help me figure this out?

Thank you!!!
Katie

[safari]

I've had T-Mobile Pay-As-You-Go for almost 2 years and I love it. You need to buy a prepaid card for $100, which will instantly give you the Gold Reward status. The calls will cost you 10 cents a minute with no other charges, and the minutes won't expire for a year. Every time you refill the phone with a new prepaid card, all your remaining minutes will be extended for another year, even if you only purchase $10 worth of minutes, which is the minimum amount you can add. It works great for me, since I average only a couple minutes a week. You can get more information here.

[KatieNK]

Thanks Safari. Suprisingly, I worked for Tmobile pre-paid with an at home job but I forget everything, but after reading your reply I remember now. I wasn't sure when the minutes expired b/c I did remember people calling in angry that they had no minutes. Thanks again!

[Scanner]

I have a TracFone.

For about $100 per year, you can buy 360 minutes. I have never gone over my yearly maximum and in fact, I have rolled minutes over to about 560 minutes in July when I needed to make a purchase. I think there is about 515 minutes on it as I write this and I am happy with that because once in awhile, I will have a 20 minute phone call with my boss on it.

There are only 3 people with the phone number:

1. My staff at my office, in case there is an emergency
2. My boss at work, who will need to speak to me once in awhile about coming in on someone who called out or another issue
3. My wife

My own mother doesn't even have the number.

(the catch: you must buy minutes at least once/year or you lose them)

So, my phone costs me about $8/month.

There are no hidden fees but if you make a phone call and get a message machine, that costs one minute. . .1 sec = 1 minute.

A text message costs .3 minutes I think. I have texted my son a few times mainly just as a joke, like Go Eagles or Go Phillies. I am a terrible texter anyway.

[FrugalFish]

Dh just recently bought a T-mobile prepaid, it's just as safari outlined.

We also have an AT&T prepaid, which is .25c per minute (we've had it longer and didn't realize that some plans had dropped to .10c/minute).

The AT&T has better connectivity than the T-mobile in certain areas. In a metropolitan area, you probably wouldn't notice anything, but the AT&T seems to be a little more reliable in some of the more remote areas DH finds himself.

[LittleGopher]

Earlier this year I switched from an inexpensive T-Mobile plan to their pre-paid service. I'd been happy with my T-Mobile service, but I never made very good use of the plan (mostly for emergency use and "pick me up, mom" calls.) I too bought the $100 card, which has been perfect for my usage. I'm coming out way ahead in the savings, and quickly came to the conclusion that I waited too long to do this. I was also able to keep the same number, which was a big plus for me. Good luck!

[segmond]

prepaids are truly a waste of money, unless you use like 100 minutes a month or don't need a cell phone, but want to carry one for emergency purposes.

[KatieNK]

How are they a waste of money?? If I buy 1000 minutes for $100 and use only 83 minutes a month then that means I have only spent $8 per month on a cell phone, as opposed to the $75 I currently spend. So I don't really see your point.

[segmond]

Originally Posted by KatieNK

How are they a waste of money?? If I buy 1000 minutes for $100 and use only 83 minutes a month then that means I have only spent $8 per month on a cell phone, as opposed to the $75 I currently spend. So I don't really see your point.

my point is this, you can get sprint unlimited minutes for $100 a month! with a HOT PDA phone that has internet access. I don't pay comcast $60 a month for internet anymore, cuz i can get on the internet through my cell phone, unlimited text, unlimited calls, unlimited data. $100 a month.

If you live in Florida, California, ATL, MI, you can get metro PCS for $35 unlimited calls.

If you live else where, you can get VIRGINMOBILE for $70, unlimited minutes.

Prepaid phones are a waste of money, unless you don't need a cell phone or need something for emergency.

[kork13]

Originally Posted by segmond

my point is this, you can get sprint unlimited minutes for $100 a month! with a HOT PDA phone that has internet access. I don't pay comcast $60 a month for internet anymore, cuz i can get on the internet through my cell phone, unlimited text, unlimited calls, unlimited data. $100 a month.

Prepaid phones are a waste of money, unless you don't need a cell phone or need something for emergency.

Yes, but to the average cell user, $100/mo is absurd. Few people use their phones for internet, and in almost all cases, it doesn't compare with internet on a computer. Most people don't need unlimited texts, nor unlimited minutes.

I'll use myself as an example.... My cell phone is my only phone, so I use it somewhat regularly (though admittedly, probably a bit less than others). I got one of those "hot PDA phones" to try them out, and while it is very handy, I only use the internet function when I'm out and about and want to check something (though I use it all the time for notes, reminders, etc.). I use 50-100 texts per month, average 350 minutes per month. So to use 5 of those $100/1000-minute cards, I could pay only 55% (annually) of what I currently pay ($75/mo).

... ... [pause] ... ... *DING!* hey, what a second... what am I doing?!?

[safari]

Originally Posted by segmond

my point is this, you can get sprint unlimited minutes for $100 a month! with a HOT PDA phone that has internet access. I don't pay comcast $60 a month for internet anymore, cuz i can get on the internet through my cell phone, unlimited text, unlimited calls, unlimited data. $100 a month.

If you live in Florida, California, ATL, MI, you can get metro PCS for $35 unlimited calls.

If you live else where, you can get VIRGINMOBILE for $70, unlimited minutes.

Prepaid phones are a waste of money, unless you don't need a cell phone or need something for emergency.

Unless you talk more than 1000 minutes a month, you're the one wasting money.

[segmond]

Originally Posted by safari

Unless you talk more than 1000 minutes a month, you're the one wasting money.

LOL, Listen carefully, sprint has EVDO network, that means high speed internet, by using my sprint phone, I eliminated comcast cable $60/month, and best of all, I have high speed internet EVERYWHERE, I don't have to search for hotspots or buy a hotspot card. 1000mins a month is 33mins a day, who doesn't talk up to 33mins a day on their cellphone? If it is not the fear of exceeding your minutes that stops you from talking up to 33mins a day, then you need to expand your social circle. I am free to talk up to 10hrs non stop if I wanted to. It feels good never having to rush off the phone unless I want to, and oh yeah, this internet post is courtsey of my cell phone. IT's WORTH IT! The only BILL that I pay and I am truly happy to pay each month.

[kork13]

Originally Posted by segmond

1000mins a month is 33mins a day, who doesn't talk up to 33mins a day on their cellphone? If it is not the fear of exceeding your minutes that stops you from talking up to 33mins a day, then you need to expand your social circle. I am free to talk up to 10hrs non stop if I wanted to. It feels good never having to rush off the phone unless I want to, and oh yeah, this internet post is courtsey of my cell phone. IT's WORTH IT! The only BILL that I pay and I am truly happy to pay each month.

If you get a good value out of it, that's outstanding. For many others, however, a plan really just isn't the most cost-efficient way for people to go. It does depend on how you use it--you clearly use your phone heavily; many others simply use it for convenience, or just don't use that "33 minutes a day" as you bring up. So there are pro's and con's to pre-paid versus contracts, people just need to figure out what really is best for them.

[safari]

Originally Posted by segmond

LOL, Listen carefully, sprint has EVDO network, that means high speed internet, by using my sprint phone, I eliminated comcast cable $60/month, and best of all, I have high speed internet EVERYWHERE, I don't have to search for hotspots or buy a hotspot card. 1000mins a month is 33mins a day, who doesn't talk up to 33mins a day on their cellphone? If it is not the fear of exceeding your minutes that stops you from talking up to 33mins a day, then you need to expand your social circle. I am free to talk up to 10hrs non stop if I wanted to. It feels good never having to rush off the phone unless I want to, and oh yeah, this internet post is courtsey of my cell phone. IT's WORTH IT! The only BILL that I pay and I am truly happy to pay each month.

If you're happy using internet on your phone screen and don't need internet on your home computer, more power to you. I'd never settle for that. And who pays $60 for cable internet anyway? If you wanted to save some money, you could switch to DSL and only pay around $20 a month. They would also give you cash back for switching and a free wireless router. What does talking on the cell phone non-stop have to do with social circle? When I am at home or at work, there is always a landline phone, so I never use a cellphone there anyway. When I am out and about, I don't like people calling me because I am either driving or meeting someone. I usually check the caller ID, and only pick up the phone if it's a family member, my boss, or I was expecting a call from someone. On most days I don't use the cell phone at all, so on average I only use about 30 minutes a month or 1 minute a day, and it's not because of the fear of exceeding my minutes. Why would I pay $100 a month if I can use a prepaid plan that only costs me $3 a month? That makes no sense whatsover. If you ask other people on this forum, you won't find many people who talk more than 30 minutes a day on their cell phone.

[jamiefic]

My husband is from Australia. Tons of people use the prepaid phones there, but they are different than the prepaid phones here. For awhile, he didn't even have minutes on his phone, but I could still call him since all incoming calls don't cost the receiver anything. Isn't that amazing!? It only costs you when you call out. I've not heard of anything like that here - anyone else? That would be worth getting, if you're careful not to call out much!

[sofocused978]

I have a nextel which the agreement just ended on and I want to get rid of the monthly payment. I do have a company phone but want to keep my personal phone # and this seems like the only way to do it unless I sign up for a new contract which isn't going to happen. I hardly use my personal phone maybe 10minutes a day tops.

[Scanner]

I eliminated comcast cable $60/month, and best of all, I have high speed internet EVERYWHERE, I don't have to search for hotspots or buy a hotspot card. 1000mins a month is 33mins a day, who doesn't talk up to 33mins a day on their cellphone?

Um. . .me.

33 minutes/day?

About what?

If it is not the fear of exceeding your minutes that stops you from talking up to 33mins a day, then you need to expand your social circle.

Perhaps.

I am free to talk up to 10hrs non stop if I wanted to.

Goodie.

You sound like one of the dozens of cellphone salesmen you see at the mall in kiosks.

I know cellphones are a cash cow industry and fine, if you want to blow your money on a cellphone, why not? But for someone looking to cut corners, a prepaid cellphone may make sense.

Listen, if you are going to talk for a long time (and sometimes I do with my father), why not just get a landline deal like Verizon has where you pay one fee for local, long distance and internet and sit down and yap away?

Why yap away on a cellphone while you are on the subway, in the car, doctor's office or some other usually inappropriate place? No one cares that your friend Bipsy didn't call Buffy about the party.

[aida2003]

Originally Posted by jamiefic

My husband is from Australia. Tons of people use the prepaid phones there, but they are different than the prepaid phones here. For awhile, he didn't even have minutes on his phone, but I could still call him since all incoming calls don't cost the receiver anything. Isn't that amazing!? It only costs you when you call out. I've not heard of anything like that here - anyone else? That would be worth getting, if you're careful not to call out much!

It's the same in Europe. You pay if you call, but you pay nothing if you're called. People are being ripped in this country, hence we dropped Sprint and got VirginMobile prepaid. We hardly use it, unused min roll over and we pay less than $6/mo.