no contract phone - The DIS Discussion Forums

Mimmy Mouse · 11-23-2009, 06:59 AM

My granddaughter wants a cell phone for Christmas. Anyone have any suggestions/advice. I see that in the NJ area there is one from Tracfone that gives double minutes for life. But it just seems too good when they offer something for nothing. We think it will be used mostly for texting so she is looking for one with a qwerty keypad. Would appreciate any advise. Thank you

TaraPA · 11-23-2009, 08:40 AM

We have our son's phone from Kajeet (www.kajeet.com) - the phones are pricey - but they have a no-contract plan for $4.99 a month where you add money to the account as needed. We did go with the unlimited text & 150 phone minutes for $19.99 a month - it was still cheaper than adding him to my existing plan or getting him his own plan with a major carrier. Kajeet does usually have a basic phone for $16.99 - but if she wants the key pad you're looking at $150 minimum for the phone. We told DS we'd contribute $25 towards the phone of his choice, he had to pay the rest (he chose a Sanyo non-keypad model for about $60). Kajeet has account tracking & parental controls as well which is great for me to see who he's texting & when, and if he breaks the rules about phone usgae we can turn it off on our end, or limit the hours he can use it.

Princess April · 11-23-2009, 08:43 AM

Just to put your mind at rest the Tracfone double minutes for life is real. My DH and I both have this.

Chicago526 · 11-23-2009, 09:22 AM

DH and I use T-Moblie and love it. I don't know if they have the full keyboard phones and if so how much, but the plan itself is very simple. It's 10 cents a minute (includes long distance and roaming) and 10 cents a text. I've never had a problem with coverage.

We went from spending $150 a month to less than that PER YEAR. It's got to have saved us over $1000 in the last year alone!

StephMK · 11-23-2009, 09:25 AM

DD15 has a go-phone through AT&T. We have to add $25 every 3 months I think but it has 3 texting plans you can buy from that $25. It's $20 for unlimited texting each month. They have an LG phone for about $100 that has the full keyboard.

I think Verizon has a pay as you go plan that is just texting for $15 a month and talk minutes are .10 each.

rstamm · 11-23-2009, 09:56 AM

DW and I both have tracphones for a few years and have had no problem.
Once a year we buy a one year card and were done.

Very easy to do and the minutes and exp are right on the phone screen to remind us when to add another year.

salleys · 11-23-2009, 11:42 AM

With your Trac phone what is the minimum you can add for a year. My dh hates cell phones but there are a few occasions a year when I wish he had one.
Salley

HM · 11-23-2009, 11:54 AM

Look into Kajeet phones (for kids). We love ours. DD gets unlimited text and 150 phone each month for $19.99. DS doesn't use his as much so is on a pay-as-you go plan that's been about $15.00 a month or less each time.

rstamm · 11-23-2009, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by salleys

With your Trac phone what is the minimum you can add for a year. My dh hates cell phones but there are a few occasions a year when I wish he had one.
Salley

It costs about $100 a year for the card, which adds at least 400 minutes. A lot of times, the company runs promotions where you get bonus minutes or double minutes for life.

salleys · 11-23-2009, 02:22 PM

Thanks.
Salley

Pigeon · 11-23-2009, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rstamm

It costs about $100 a year for the card, which adds at least 400 minutes. A lot of times, the company runs promotions where you get bonus minutes or double minutes for life.

The double minutes is based on buying a phone with double minutes for life. In addition, there are often promotional codes (search tracfone codes) that you can find that add extra minutes on top of the airtime card when you add the card on the web site. So, for the $100 card on a double minutes for life phone, you can often get about 1000 minutes total.

You can find the double minutes for life phones pretty cheaply if you just want a basic phone. I got one at Dollar Tree for $15.

Robinrs · 11-23-2009, 02:41 PM

I had Tracfone for years and recently changed to Virgin Mobile because my son said their phones were not "cool"....

Love them!! The phone I got him is the X-TC and he is now VERY coool...

Me, I don't give a patootie about cool so I stick with my cheapie Tracfone.

11-23-2009, 06:59 AM	#1
Mimmy Mouse Mouseketeer Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 315	no contract phone My granddaughter wants a cell phone for Christmas. Anyone have any suggestions/advice. I see that in the NJ area there is one from Tracfone that gives double minutes for life. But it just seems too good when they offer something for nothing. We think it will be used mostly for texting so she is looking for one with a qwerty keypad. Would appreciate any advise. Thank you __________________

11-23-2009, 08:40 AM	#2
TaraPA DIS Veteran Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 4,953	We have our son's phone from Kajeet (www.kajeet.com) - the phones are pricey - but they have a no-contract plan for $4.99 a month where you add money to the account as needed. We did go with the unlimited text & 150 phone minutes for $19.99 a month - it was still cheaper than adding him to my existing plan or getting him his own plan with a major carrier. Kajeet does usually have a basic phone for $16.99 - but if she wants the key pad you're looking at $150 minimum for the phone. We told DS we'd contribute $25 towards the phone of his choice, he had to pay the rest (he chose a Sanyo non-keypad model for about $60). Kajeet has account tracking & parental controls as well which is great for me to see who he's texting & when, and if he breaks the rules about phone usgae we can turn it off on our end, or limit the hours he can use it. __________________ Girls Trip 11/10 WDW Dolphin 2/10- ESPN weekend - family trip Bay Lake Tower Villas 11/09 - Girls Trip WDW Dolphin - 12/08 - Girls Trip First SOLO trip - offsite - 05/08 - F&G Festival WDW Dolphin 12/07 - mommy & Dane tirp AKL 12/06 - family trip AS Music 11/02 - mommy & Ty trip Disneyland - Anaheim Hilton 5/02 - adults only! AS Sports 9/01 - family trip WDW Swan 10/00 - family trip Coronado Springs 10/99 - family trip **offsite 1989,1987, 1970's

11-23-2009, 08:43 AM	#3
Princess April DIS Veteran Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Altamonte Springs, Florida Posts: 698	Just to put your mind at rest the Tracfone double minutes for life is real. My DH and I both have this. __________________ Me ~ DH ~ DD ~ To sum it "Up": an enduring love that was not based on what you didn't have but what you did have. To all my loved ones who have gone before me... I love you, I miss you and I'll see you again someday... If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

11-23-2009, 09:22 AM	#4
Chicago526 Any dream will do... I have the best NEW HUSBAND ever! Clorox Toliet wands, I love these things! "Hmmm...I have a cookbook." Join Date: May 2003 Location: Elgin, IL Posts: 11,043	DH and I use T-Moblie and love it. I don't know if they have the full keyboard phones and if so how much, but the plan itself is very simple. It's 10 cents a minute (includes long distance and roaming) and 10 cents a text. I've never had a problem with coverage. We went from spending $150 a month to less than that PER YEAR. It's got to have saved us over $1000 in the last year alone! __________________ Chicago526 Yes, I do know the difference between "there, their, and they're". However, often my fingers while typing do not.

11-23-2009, 09:25 AM	#5
StephMK DIS Veteran Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 2,009	DD15 has a go-phone through AT&T. We have to add $25 every 3 months I think but it has 3 texting plans you can buy from that $25. It's $20 for unlimited texting each month. They have an LG phone for about $100 that has the full keyboard. I think Verizon has a pay as you go plan that is just texting for $15 a month and talk minutes are .10 each. __________________ Hooked after our first trip 11/04 Enjoyed free dining 9/05 Super budget trip 6/09 cancelled due to detour in life plans DD DD DS

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11-23-2009, 09:56 AM	#6
rstamm DIS Veteran Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: PA Posts: 608	DW and I both have tracphones for a few years and have had no problem. Once a year we buy a one year card and were done. Very easy to do and the minutes and exp are right on the phone screen to remind us when to add another year. __________________ November 1993--POR; November 1995--POR; December 2003--ASMo; June 2004--PC; December 2004--CSR; July 2005--ASMu & AK; November 2005--ASMo; February 2006--Off Site & ASMu; June 2006--PP (DL); August 2006--ASMo; December 2006--PC; June 2007--Windsor Hills; July 2007--Disney Cruise; August 2007--ASMo;Sep./Oct. 2007--ASMo; June 2008--HoJo (DL); June/July 2008--Windsor Palms; August 2008 ASSports-- December 2008--ASSports/Windsor Palms; June 2009--Windsor Palms; August 2009--DLH; September 2009--ASSports; December 2009--BLT; January 2010--PC; June 2010--Backstage Magic ABD + GCV; August 2010--ASMo; November 2010--BLT

11-23-2009, 11:42 AM	#7
salleys Mouseketeer Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 141	With your Trac phone what is the minimum you can add for a year. My dh hates cell phones but there are a few occasions a year when I wish he had one. Salley

11-23-2009, 11:54 AM	#8
HM A tag from the TF is better than a personalized licence plate Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: North Carolina Posts: 2,262	Look into Kajeet phones (for kids). We love ours. DD gets unlimited text and 150 phone each month for $19.99. DS doesn't use his as much so is on a pay-as-you go plan that's been about $15.00 a month or less each time.

11-23-2009, 02:22 PM	#10
salleys Mouseketeer Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 141	Thanks. Salley

11-23-2009, 02:41 PM	#12
Robinrs Sistah Souljah! Others love Spidey, but Spidey loves ME They change color depending on the light old as dirt but still rockin' Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Atlanta, GA originally from Bklyn, New York Posts: 29,458	I had Tracfone for years and recently changed to Virgin Mobile because my son said their phones were not "cool".... Love them!! The phone I got him is the X-TC and he is now VERY coool... Me, I don't give a patootie about cool so I stick with my cheapie Tracfone. __________________ My family!!

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