Inexpensive cell phone service

[Emerald]

I'm looking for help lowering my cell phone bill. I don't have a land line, but I do have a smart phone which doubles as a home computer. Ideally, I'd like unlimited talk, texting, and data.

I've heard good things about the Walmart phone/plan. Has anyone tried their service?

Thanks!

[bjl584]

If you are using a smart phone be careful using the prepaid offerings. You may burn through your minutes rather quickly if you spend a lot of time online.

[Emerald]

Originally Posted by bjl584

If you are using a smart phone be careful using the prepaid offerings. You may burn through your minutes rather quickly if you spend a lot of time online.

I do spend a lot of time online, which is why I've never gone the prepaid route.

[bjl584]

Originally Posted by Emerald

I do spend a lot of time online, which is why I've never gone the prepaid route.

I believe that the Walmart phone you referenced may be a prepaid service.

[Nightfly]

I've been using Wal-Mart's service, AKA "StraightTalk", for almost a year now. I love it! I don't use the unlimited plan because I simply don't need it, although for $45 per month it seems like a great deal for those who need unlimited time. I use the $30 per month "All You Need" plan, which for me is aptly named.

I've heard that StraightTalk uses Verizon's network but can't confirm this. I can, however, vouch for the service - I've never had a dropped call, the reception is usually clear, most connections are pretty solid. I probably send and receive over 20 texts per day and the 1,000 minutes that I get each month are more than enough for me. I have the cheapest phone available but may upgrade to a smart phone within the next few months. You can pay for StraightTalk online - a major convenience - and you'll get reminders as much as a week in advance that another payment is due for prepayment. I don't do auto-refill because I don't want anyone automatically debiting my account (personal preference). So I manually prepay each month. The only difference between prepaying and paying as you would a non-prepay service is: you pay in advance vs. paying a month behind. Pretty much a non issue when you realize you can save $40 or $50 per month. I've been with most of the larger cell carriers prior to going with StraightTalk, and all of them gave me customer service issues. So, I highly recommend StraightTalk. Also, I haven't had a landline for nearly a decade, FWIW.

[orenwach]

check out billshrink.com - They have some pretty good resources for lowering your cell phone bill and other bills as well. I can't comment about Walmart's service because I've never used it but maybe you can get something even better here.

[thefrugallery]

Depending on where you are located, try boost mobile or metro pcs. Both have all inclusive plans for around $50. I checked out Walmart's unlimited plan, but it's only talk and text. You have to pay extra for the web, which is the majority of what I use. I have Boost Mobile (in Florida) and it is $50 all inclusive. For every 6 months you pay your bill on time, the bill drops $5. After 18 months your bill is only $35. I have good service and no real issues with them.