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Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
9,775 posts, read 15,776,851 times
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T-Mobile Prepaid - You can buy a $100 card (even less on eBay) and it gives you 1000 minutes. It lasts all year for me and then I fill it up again. I also used Virgin Mobile in the past; they were great, too.
Big vote for Consumer Cellular here...especially if you're looking for a low-usage plan. My wife and I share 250 minutes each month...cost: $37 (including all taxes). No nights/weekends/roaming BS...just 250 minutes. And like another poster said, if you happen to need more that month, just upgrade before billing to next level (they go all the way up to 2000 minutes for $60)...then drop down next month...no charge.
They also offer AARP discount of 5%.
If existing customer recommends you...you get $10 off first bill. DM me if you're intersted in the recommendation.
I am suprised that no one has metioned Cricket phones. You can get a decent plan with unlimited minutes, text, and internet for around $50 a month with no contract. Of course, there is a caveat, you have to purchase and use a phone from Cricket. Also, they are only available in certain Metro areas and only work in those designated areas unless you buy additional "roaming minutes". Hey, you have to sacrifice somethings to keep out of a contract. Hope this is a viable alternative for you. Check out their site. Mycricket.com
Something that just occured to me, is that a couple or family may need to each get their phone from a different vendor for the best deal overall - for example, for the "Foghorn Leghorn" in the family, Boost, for someone who tends to receive more calls than they place, US Cellular with their "free incoming", for someone who wants the phone mostly for emergency calls, a pre-paid plan.
For most "moderate" users, like me, I still think Consumer makes a lot of sense.
I used a Tracphone type phone where you buy minutes on a card for many years. They are great if you seldom use the phone, just make sure you use a company that gives you a long time to use the minutes before they expire, if at all. Also check for additional charges for text, pics or assistance. You can get by for $10-20 a month but you use the phone often, it can be a headache to always watch your minutes.
I recently shopped for a no contract unlimited service and settled on Pocket, which the family has used before. They offer good rebates on their phones from time to time, sometimes even free. I'm usng the $45 a month deal, but I may downgrade in the future. I do find having unlimited time/text/net is very freeing. My second choice would have been Boost. Virgin looked ok. Cricket was a little higher, and I know many who have had difficulties using them.
I used a Tracphone type phone where you buy minutes on a card for many years. They are great if you seldom use the phone, just make sure you use a company that gives you a long time to use the minutes before they expire, if at all. Also check for additional charges for text, pics or assistance. You can get by for $10-20 a month but you use the phone often, it can be a headache to always watch your minutes.
Can anyone explain to me how to buy a number of minutes w/o expiration? I bought a Tracphone, it really is mostly for emergencies, I'll guess: maybe 20 mins./month for misc. quick calls, I'd spring for 60 mins./month but I want them to rollover. The booklet that comes w/it offers large amounts of minutes w/expirations of 2 months or so
Thanks for any help.
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