Frugal Smart Phone.... (sell, best, prices, old)

[20yrsinBranson]

Well, my regular cell phone died and I thought I would like to try a smart phone. Upon looking over the plan available to me through my cell phone provider "Verizon" it appeared that I was going to have to pay a good chunk of cash for a phone, *and* have a smart phone plan that would cost around $60 per month IN ADDITION to the existing phone plan I currently have.

FORGETABOUTIT.

Then I discovered that you *can* buy phones online at a discount (I got mine at NewEgg.com) and you can use pay as you go plans such as Simple Mobile, H2O, and the one that I picked (because I need the Verizon network), PagePlus.

I will have all the benefits of having a smart phone (Which is a Palm Pixi Plus and cost me $57) for only a monthly fee of $29.95 *and* get 1200 minutes to text and talk (and 40mb of data). If you need unlimited everything, you can get it for just $40 a month. I can also use WiFi with this phone if I want to check my mail when I am out (many, many, many places offer free WiFi I am finding out).

People who can use AT & T or some other GSM network, has a much MUCH larger selection of unlocked phones that they can use.

If you would like a smart phone but have been avoiding it because of the cost, I encourage you to try this out and see if it will work for you.

(I am NOT affiliated with any of the companies and/or websites I have mentioned in this post! I am just passing along the information, for what it is worth to my frugal friends).

20yrsinBranson

[sirron]

Something to consider; thanks Branson.

[rfr69]

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

Well, my regular cell phone died and I thought I would like to try a smart phone. Upon looking over the plan available to me through my cell phone provider "Verizon" it appeared that I was going to have to pay a good chunk of cash for a phone, *and* have a smart phone plan that would cost around $60 per month IN ADDITION to the existing phone plan I currently have.

FORGETABOUTIT.

Then I discovered that you *can* buy phones online at a discount (I got mine at NewEgg.com) and you can use pay as you go plans such as Simple Mobile, H2O, and the one that I picked (because I need the Verizon network), PagePlus.

I will have all the benefits of having a smart phone (Which is a Palm Pixi Plus and cost me $57) for only a monthly fee of $29.95 *and* get 1200 minutes to text and talk (and 40mb of data). If you need unlimited everything, you can get it for just $40 a month. I can also use WiFi with this phone if I want to check my mail when I am out (many, many, many places offer free WiFi I am finding out).

People who can use AT & T or some other GSM network, has a much MUCH larger selection of unlocked phones that they can use.

If you would like a smart phone but have been avoiding it because of the cost, I encourage you to try this out and see if it will work for you.

(I am NOT affiliated with any of the companies and/or websites I have mentioned in this post! I am just passing along the information, for what it is worth to my frugal friends).

20yrsinBranson

Spring has the cheapest plans for smart phones when talking real phone companies and not the Virgina Mobile, Boost, Smarttalk, etc.

People claim boost si the same networks as AT&T it's not, I've done speed tests on internet nad its nowhere near the same. Can't beat the pricfe an its nice to have the option fo a cheap smart phone but for reliability, service, speed etc you gotta go with a real phon company.

Spring has the $69.99 plan, really $$79.99 as they charge more now. With the corp discount I was able to finagle I get my unlimited internet, phone, text, pictyure message, everytging for $52. I only get 400 minutes to call landlines but hwo calls landlines anyways.

I also have an app called easytether where I can get internet through my phone without paying sprint the extra $30 a month

[moved]

I haven't felt the urge to have internet on my phone, yet, and I also don't text.

[NJBest]

The 40mb limit pretty much defeats the purpose of a smartphone.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by NJBest

The 40mb limit pretty much defeats the purpose of a smartphone.

During the 12 hours I am not at work (with internet access), I am sleeping for 8, driving for 2 and getting ready for work for 1. During that remaining 1 hour of my life, the only reason I have to use the internet is to check if there are tornado warnings and *once* in a while, my email if I am expecting something important. Otherwise, the internet is pretty useless to me, smart phone or not.

I checked my usage for last month and I used 43 mb. So 40 will work out for me fine.

20yrsinBranson

[rfr69]

I said the smae thing as the people who say they don't need it. Sure you don't need it but once you have it you will never go back. I was one of the holdouts who said totally unnecessary however once I got an opportunity to get my Sprint Everything for $52 I jumped on it and I couldn't go back.

Today I was picking up my sister from the airport and remembered a bakery in the city. Did a quick google search on my phone and got a couple delicious carmel brownies on my way to pick her up.

I sell alot of stuff on craigslist. People tend to show up late, etc. Having email on my phone allows me to sell stuff while nt having to sit at home next to my computer waiting to see when someoen wants to come pick up an item.

I got to a lot of storage auctions and police auctions. Great way to check prices on ebay and craigslist so I knwo what to bid and still be able to make money.

The shop saavy app is cool too. Was gonna buy some garage floor epoxy at lowes for like $150, scanned the barcode and saw Home Depot had teh same stuff for $74. Went and got it there. I could also read reviews to make sure the stuff was decent.

Also though not necessary it's fun to be able to show someone a youtube video, a website, etc without having to say check your email later I'll send it to you.

I find a lot of use out of pandora music palyer/radioi as well. I'll never buy another cd or mp3 again, I can listen to a station of any artist anytime I want.

GPS, no need for it phone has it. Also an app called Checkpoint Wingman where you can find police speed stops as well as dui checkpoints.

Was golfing the other day and my cart didn't have gps and ragefinder, downloaded an app and what do you know I have all my distances and the course mapped out.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

During the 12 hours I am not at work (with internet access), I am sleeping for 8, driving for 2 and getting ready for work for 1. During that remaining 1 hour of my life, the only reason I have to use the internet is to check if there are tornado warnings and *once* in a while, my email if I am expecting something important. Otherwise, the internet is pretty useless to me, smart phone or not.

I checked my usage for last month and I used 43 mb. So 40 will work out for me fine.

20yrsinBranson

I just checked my usage at work and I used 21 gigabytes! LOL Good lord!

20yrsinBranson

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by rfr69

I said the smae thing as the people who say they don't need it. Sure you don't need it but once you have it you will never go back. I was one of the holdouts who said totally unnecessary however once I got an opportunity to get my Sprint Everything for $52 I jumped on it and I couldn't go back.

I suppose if I had a normal life I would use more data. But I am not off work until 9 pm and I go straight home and go to bed. Then I am back to work at 8 am in the morning. When I am not at work, I am sleeping or driving to work, so I never really have any of the scenarios that you describe. If I had life apart from working, then I would certainly use more, I'm sure.

20yrsinBranson

[NJBest]

You used 21gb on your phone already? At $0.15/mb, that's some $3000.