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I use my computer to surf the internet, which is essentially $50/month for the service provider.
For a cell phone, I got a fairly dumb one for $94 and an $18/month plan. Good enough for me.
I don't need to surf the internet when I am out and about.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sheerbliss
I have a $5 flip phone purchased five years ago and buy minutes as needed (a few times a year) and make calls for free via Google whenever possible. My 10-year-old Mac and an internet connection serves all my computing needs.
I can't imagine spending thousands of dollars a year to use a cell phone.
I did my share of traveling in the pre-smartphone era and could do it again if I had to but there are times when it's awesome to be able to access the internet on the go. The first time I was able to just take my iPhone off airplane mode after the pilot had just announced there was a ground stop in ATL and quickly rebook myself on Delta's app because I was going to miss my connecting flight was worth several months of cell phone bills because if I'd had to wait until we got to Atlanta to rebook that blown connection, all the seats left that day to my final destination would have been taken and I would have been stuck there that night. I've had that happen before and it's really not pleasant.
I also love smartphone maps because it takes a lot of the stress out of making the correct turn the first time around and makes it a lot easier to just say 'that looks like a cool road; where does it go to?' and just take it because the maps make it easy to find your way back to home or hotel afterwards again.
I pay $60 a month for internet service which is rather ridiculous here in Arizona. However, since I live in a rural area, it is the only serious option.
I pay $100 a month for FIVE lines with Cricket with unlimited calls and text and 10GB of data per phone. I am reimbursed by family members for $60 each month which nets to $40. Also, I often get 15% discounts when I buy Cricket service cards through Krogers as well as earning 4x fuel points I think that takes me down to $35/ month for two phones. I am sonewhat restricted as this area only has access to AT&T and Verizon networks.
I buy a new LG Android phone every three years at a cost between $40-60 complete
I do not feel too bad about what I am spending. I am not going back to the "cheapest possible" options like Republic Wireless where I had many headaches.
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I do agree with the OP on his first post. So many people pay so much for phones and service. I was at a Starbucks near the local university campus a couple years ago. A young lady was in tears. I asked her if she was alright. She told me that she saved six months for her iPhone and it had been stolen. She was out $600. It was really heartbreaking for her.
I have a medium quality Motorola cell phone, Android unlocked that I bought several years ago for around $120. The only feature it lacks is the ability to use Google Pay (no near field communication - NFC). Next phone I get will have that feature.
When I was in the US, I pre-paid $25 per month for one line on Simple Mobile (T Mobile network). Unlimited phone & text and 3 MB data. I know there are a few other pre-paid plans out there for less, but sometimes not worth the hassle to switch. Need to research data speeds on some of those re-sellers, because some have slow data even though it is supposed to be 4G.
Here in Germany I pay 10 Euro per month ($12 USD) with Vodafone for the same plan I had with Simple Mobile in the US. There is big competition here for pre-paid cell plans, and many are available from re-sellers for even less than my plan. I like Vodafone because the data speeds are the highest of any wireless carrier in Germany, and they are the second largest network owner in Germany (after T Mobile). Very good network coverage too.
We do not have a landline anymore, now that was crazy expensive with all the fees. My husband and I are retired and over 55 and qualified for the 55+ Verizon unlimited plan. We put our daughter and husband on our plan and share the cost. Our half is $65 a month for unlimited everything and my phone is our main phone. It May seem like a lot but when you factor in how much we were paying for the landline and cell phone total it is worth it. All our phones we paid cash for. My daughter and her husband live in their own home but are loving being able to have unlimited for such an economical price.
I still like my landline cable phone that adds about $30 to my Spectrum internet bill. We had it because my husband had an ICD that required a landline. I kept it after he died because I like having 5 phones scattered through the house and basement without having to carry my cell. Plus the design fits my ear best.
That said, I do finally have an Iphone, piggybacking off my daughter's plan for $350 a year. I had been paying $250 a year for a flip phone with limited minutes and no internet. I probably use 20 minutes of minutes a month, but more and more things require internet like Ring and Venmo. You can use a desktop, but phone is better.
Yes, I could get it cheaper somewhere, but this price works for me!
You should look around at other options. I use OOMA (VOIP). The only charge is to buy their modem (one time charge) and then you pay local taxes and fees monthly. Here in NV, my monthly fee is $4.95. $30/month is way too much to be paying for VOIP service. I use it with a cheap $10 phone and it works just fine. It looks like OOMA's WiFi modem costs $129.99 if you wanted to have multiple WiFi enabled phones around your home. They'd all need to be in range or you would need to add a WiFi booster.
TracFone is one of the cheapest. Got an LGsomething or other. $100/year or $8/mo.
I use google voice a lot, so my minutes go a long way, and they roll over every year so are never lost. It is the only way to go for a frugal person.
Still has Android 8.1, so plenty current for what I need. I can put a 64GB microSD in it, and have plenty of storage.
Anyone paying $30 bucks a month could easily save a lot by using Tracfone.
Can anyone suggest the best deal for a new smart phone and phone service? Interested in one that takes excellent photos. Mine is now always blurry and pixelated. I would like to take clear, sharp pics of birds.
I submit you'll end up in the same boat as my bestie, who seems to be attempting to take professional-quality shots with his late model iPhone. "But I'm shooting raw," he now says. I've seen the files, and applaud that Apple does tons with mediocre sensors via software tweaks. But they are the opposite of professional quality photos. Even raw files in Lightroom or whatever can't be greatly improved from small sensors.
Same goes for my Samsung S10+, state of the art in what, 2019? Nice little camera: yes. 101 problems with the files in-detail: oh yes, unf. Excellent snapshots, crummy professional / crisp shots.
So, after thorough research I bought a nice mirrorless and lens for "real" photography. There's no end to that insanity, but I'm starting small. I've had other rigs in the past. Night and day quality difference, as one might expect.
If you want "clear, sharp" shots of birds, a good mirrorless and 400mm lens wouldn't hurt one bit. I do believe real birders have lots longer reach than that, too: it's an art form. Nuh uh for me, at this time, unless I'm renting a lens.
Wouldn't bring the wrong tool to the job. If "mediocre" is fine, well, toss the previous and select a fairly late model phone and service? I like Mint Mobile lots, and the aforementioned Samsung S10+, but the latter is now old tech. Mint Mobile is excellent for my particular use case at $15/month w/3gb data on a 1 year contract, but may not be everyone's cup of tea.
I submit you'll end up in the same boat as my bestie, who seems to be attempting to take professional-quality shots with his late model iPhone. "But I'm shooting raw," he now says. I've seen the files, and applaud that Apple does tons with mediocre sensors via software tweaks. But they are the opposite of professional quality photos. Even raw files in Lightroom or whatever can't be greatly improved from small sensors.
Same goes for my Samsung S10+, state of the art in what, 2019? Nice little camera: yes. 101 problems with the files in-detail: oh yes, unf. Excellent snapshots, crummy professional / crisp shots.
So, after thorough research I bought a nice mirrorless and lens for "real" photography. There's no end to that insanity, but I'm starting small. I've had other rigs in the past. Night and day quality difference, as one might expect.
If you want "clear, sharp" shots of birds, a good mirrorless and 400mm lens wouldn't hurt one bit. I do believe real birders have lots longer reach than that, too: it's an art form. Nuh uh for me, at this time, unless I'm renting a lens.
Wouldn't bring the wrong tool to the job. If "mediocre" is fine, well, toss the previous and select a fairly late model phone and service? I like Mint Mobile lots, and the aforementioned Samsung S10+, but the latter is now old tech. Mint Mobile is excellent for my particular use case at $15/month w/3gb data on a 1 year contract, but may not be everyone's cup of tea.
Does not have to be "real photography" quality, as it's for my own personal enjoyment or sharing on social media for fun. Also needs to be convenient so if I'm out for a walk or just in my backyard I can suddenly just grab my phone and snap a bird shot.
I'm going to wait until winter is over. Let's see what happens with covid, new president, etc...If I receive any additional stimulus money, I might buy a ridiculously expensive iphone and switch to a cheaper monthly plan as now I'm using an app on my computer for work calls and barely use my cell phone anymore for work.
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