"Pay As You Go" Cell Phones?

[Imzadi]

Thanks for the info Imzadi but if I understand you right I would have to pay $10 per month per phone not including minutes? ... do you think a tracfone would work out cheaper for us??

Sorry, runwad, I didn't see you had posted last night.

I was typing fast & meant that money-wise, a Tracfone can be as low as $10/month to maintain, if you won't be using the phone much. It DOES include getting 60+ minutes. The minutes rollover month-to-month, so they start adding up if you don't use them all. The cheapest Tracfone Minutes Card is $19.99 for for 60 minutes. Each card adds on 2 months of service. (Unless you buy a 1 year card.) Plus, there are almost ALWAYS bonus minutes codes for free minutes to add on along with each Minutes Card - these add on an additional 30 - 40 minutes to each card. So you actually get more than just 60 minutes.

It's kind of complicated mathematically to figure out exactly how much Tracfone really costs as because of the many bonus promotions they have:

Every few months there are DOUBLE minute codes, so that cuts the price of minutes down by half. For those who need a lot more minutes, this is the time to buy a higher Minutes Card, load up during the double minutes promotion, then go back to the $19.99 card later. Remember, the minutes roll over each month so you can use the minutes up slowly later.

As each card adds on 2 months of service, it is those extra months as well as the minutes where you want to be saving. Say, you want to add on about 300 minutes. It is actually better to buy two 120 minute cards, add each on SEPARATELY with a bonus minutes code (for each card.) You'd end up getting 240 minutes + the free bonus minutes amount, say an extra 200 minutes + FOUR months of service.

Plus, when you are adding on the minutes online, there is a Tracfone advertisement box to the right of the screen, offering another 60 minutes for $10 and 30 minutes for $5. You can add the 90 minutes on for half price of a regular minutes card.

Or if you just want to extend your service date, you can add on 30 or 60 days for $5 or $10.

Plus, if you get to send any referrals, you get 120 minutes + 2 months service FREE. If you get a few referrals, you may not have to BUY any card for a while. There is always someone going to WDW who is interested in getting a Tracfone.

OR: If that is simply too much to figure out, what many people do when the 4-6 months are up on their $19.99 package deal they got, (explained in my first post,) is simply buy a new $19.99 package deal. Refer themselves for the 240 bonus minutes, (120 minutes for both giving & getting a referral.) Activate the new phone, have all the old minutes left from the old phone transferred over to the new phone. You'd get another 6 months of service for $19.99, plus all those minutes from both phones combined. This would be, by far, the cheapest!

If you buy the same BRAND of phone as your original package (Motorola or Nokia,) you can have Customer Service transfer over your phone number too, while they are transfering your old minutes. This is called "upgrading" your phone.

 

[Carol1973]

My DH has had a Virgin Mobile cell phone for over two years now. My son just reactivated a phone he had this week and the cost per minute has reduced from $.25 to $.18.

 

[PaMom001]

I have a Vioxx phone from VirginMobile. The plan I have I automatically top up every 90 days and pay $15.00. I paid about $80.00 or so for the phone. The rates for me are $.25 per minute for the first ten minutes, $.10 per minute for every minute after that. Now this is per 24 hours. I got my first Virgin at Target, the one I have now I got online from VirginMobile.com. If you don't use all of your money in 90 days you'll still need to top up. Example: you have $13.95 on your account, you have to top up since the 90 days are up, you add $20.00. You'll end up with $33.95 for the next 90 days. If you don't top up the $13.95 should stay there till you top up again(I've always topped up so I've never had this happen).

 

[SheriN]

and it may have been answered here but I'd like to ask anyway.

I need a cell phone, i don't use one enough to spend big money on a 'regular' phone. So been thinking about a "pay as you go" phone.

BUT, I dont' want a phone like my mom has that she has to buy X amount of minutes every month or they expire.

I want to buy X amount of mnutes and when they are used up, be it a day or a year, then I can go and buy more with no penalties.

Are there any plans like this? Or do they all expire if you dont' use the minutes by a certain amount of time?

Edited to add, I would be using this around town, and on the road, but within my state. I don't know if that factors into my question.

 

[luvsgrumpy]

and it may have been answered here but I'd like to ask anyway.

I need a cell phone, i don't use one enough to spend big money on a 'regular' phone. So been thinking about a "pay as you go" phone.

BUT, I dont' want a phone like my mom has that she has to buy X amount of minutes every month or they expire.

I want to buy X amount of mnutes and when they are used up, be it a day or a year, then I can go and buy more with no penalties.

Are there any plans like this? Or do they all expire if you dont' use the minutes by a certain amount of time?

Edited to add, I would be using this around town, and on the road, but within my state. I don't know if that factors into my question.

I'll try to answer some of your questions. Myself, DH, and mom all have trafones (as will DS12 in a few years for emergencies). Never had a problem with the time expiring. The time is generally available in 60 day increments and can be "piggybacked" to a certain length. I forget how long, so at least it is not every month that you need to worry about time expiring.

My phones' screen saver always shows the exact amout of minutes left and tells me the exact day the time will expire so it couldn't be more convenient.

Currently, my time goes until end of Oct. b/c of the number of codes, referrals, airtime purchases, etc. so I won't have to worry about it until then (unless I run out of minutes which has never happened.)

I have used my phone in Idaho, eastern and western PA, and NJ and have NEVER paid roaming fees and only occassionally don't find service in a small area. The website has alot of info on the coverage areas for certain phones, real easy to use.

Hope this helps.

 

[salmoneous]

I want to buy X amount of mnutes and when they are used up, be it a day or a year, then I can go and buy more with no penalties.

Virgin minutes never expire, so long as you have coverage. In order to keep coverage, you have to buy at least $20 (or $15 if billied to a CC) worth of minutes every 90 days. But if you don't use the minutes, they keep piling up. So if you just bought the minimum of $20 every 90 days and used no minutes, you'd have $80 worth of minutes on your phone at the end of the year.

Every plan requires you to spend at least some money in a time period. There is no plan that would allow you to put $20 on a phone, stick it in a drawer and have coverage 5-years from now.

 

[Imzadi]

I'll try to answer some of your questions. Myself, DH, and mom all have trafones (as will DS12 in a few years for emergencies). Never had a problem with the time expiring. The time is generally available in 60 day increments and can be "piggybacked" to a certain length. I forget how long, so at least it is not every month that you need to worry about time expiring.

For Tracfones, the amount of time that can be "piggybacked" is four months total unless you buy a 1 Year card.

I want to buy X amount of mnutes and when they are used up, be it a day or a year, then I can go and buy more with no penalties.

Are there any plans like this? Or do they all expire if you dont' use the minutes by a certain amount of time?

I think all cell phones expire at some point because basically you are renting a phone number & dedicated phone line from the carriers. They can't just give you a private phone number, you use the phone a few times & then toss the phone in the drawer & pull the phone out a couple of years later & that phone number is still reserved for you. The carriers need to know how long to reserve & dedicate that phone number for you. When you buy a card/ phone/ contract, basically you both make an agreement you'll get that phone number for X amount of time.

In some regions of the country, certain phone numbers are sparse to get. That's why they keep adding new area codes. Right now, I'm thinking of giving up my landline phone. But the traditional 212 area code (and the prestige of having it for business reasons) is like gold here in NYC. If I give it up, I'll never get it back again.

The most time I've seen a "Pay as you go" cell phone have is generally 1 year. I believe T-mobile, Cingular & Tracfone all have that length of time.

With Tracfones, you can buy as little as 2 months time, then allow the phone to deactivate between trips. But when you reactivate again, you will be given a new number upon reactivation. The old number will be unreserved upon deactivation & given to someone else. Again, the carriers wouldn't know you were planning on coming back to use the phone again in a couple of months, so they recycled the number & gave it away.

If you keep a Tracfone running continuously, (even 2 months at a time,) you get to keep the same number. If you "upgrade" to a new Tracfone before your time expires, and you buy the same BRAND of phone as your original package (Motorola or Nokia,) you can have Customer Service transfer over your phone number too, while they are transfering your old minutes. Tracfone currently does not have the technology to switch phone numbers between the different carriers, even though it exists. (Remember, this is a budget company.) Each phone brand is dedicated to a certain carrier in your area.

 

[runwad]

Imzadi thanks for all the info, unfortunetely I think I need to keep reading these posts 4 or 5 more times until it all sinks in

 

[spiceycat]

Tracfone was having a sale - so I brought a year worth for $49.

I don't use it much - but when I need I need it.... I hate to call 911 when it my emergency not a public one. I can call AAA toll free number on any phone.

Imzadi - I know you say I could get by cheaper. but I like the security of knowing I have the phone for the year....

it now doesn't quit until 11/21/2007 - I got it for $19.99 added $23.00 for 120 minutes, add the free minutes (thanks Imzadi) and $49. - $91.99 I have had it since March. If I don't need any more minutes and I probably won't. Then for 20 months for $91.99 I don't think anything can touch it.

I have seem the add minutes cards at Walmart, Sam's, Radio shack, and I think Walgreens...

oh the reason I brought the $23 at Radio Shack was I spend over an hour with a clerk looking for a cordless phone - well the one I got was great but it was only $19.99 - so I brought something else so her sales would look a little better.

oh by the way - I am horrible on things - they break around me. the $19.99 phone is small but it takes even me.... I drop things alot.... when I first got it - I though yea it will last about 2 months.... well I still have it.

 

[jmh]

Spiceycat,

When did tracfone have the 1 year card on sale for $49? I've had my tracfone since 12/05 and I have been waiting for the 1 year card to go on sale. I can't believe I missed it!!!!!

 

[Imzadi]

Imzadi thanks for all the info, unfortunetely I think I need to keep reading these posts 4 or 5 more times until it all sinks in

Yeah, following the diagram of a football tackle would be easier!


BTW, for those that get or give a referral for the 120 free minutes, you are sent a code for the minutes in your email. That code has ONE YEAR before it expires. Unless you are loading up on minutes to head to a theme park, you can wait & save up the code until you need the 2 months service or minutes to add on.

If you buy a package deal that includes a Minutes Card, it has no expiration date. Just because it came in the package does not mean you have to add it on right away. Again, you can wait & save up the card (with bonus code) until you need the 2 months service or minutes to add on.

 

[jenr812]

If you buy the same BRAND of phone as your original package, you can have Customer Service transfer over your phone number too, while they are transfering your old minutes. This is called "upgrading" your phone.

Cool - I didn't know that!

 

[Muushka]

I love my Virgin phone. For $5 a month and roll-over minutes, well, works great for me.

And for all those who are reading about these phone plans, if a fellow poster points you to Virgin and you do decide to get it, they can get $20 for refering you. All you would need is their cell phone number when you sign up and they (Virgin Mobile) will add $20 to their account.

PS I rarely use my phone except when I am in FL and right now I have more than $50.00 on my phone, so I am not hinting!!!

 

[DisneyMommyRoe]

I was wondering if anyone knows which pay as you go phones are cheapest and where to buy them.

 

[traces7]

I have a dumb question about TracFones. I have one and really like it. I was wondering if it will work while in WDW (I'm from Wisconsin). I wasn't sure if it only has a certain range by your home? Can anyone help me? Thanks!

 

[torinsmom]

I bought my son a Virgin Mobile phone because I wanted him to have it for an emergency and when he is at his dad's. It would cost $20 a month to add him to my Cingular plan and with this plan, it is more like $20 every three months. You can get a Virgin Mobile phone for 19.99-89.99(depending on how fancy you want it) at places like Target. You can even get them on Ebay. I appreciate the fact that I can buy another pretty cheaply, because my son left his in his pocket and it was washed, LOL. I manage his account and minutes on the Virgin Mobile website and it is super easy.

The Pay as you go phones are just like any other phone when you are receiving/making calls.

Marsha

 

[fakereadhed]

I have a dumb question about TracFones. I have one and really like it. I was wondering if it will work while in WDW (I'm from Wisconsin). I wasn't sure if it only has a certain range by your home? Can anyone help me? Thanks!

here is a coverage map:

 

[salmoneous]

In case it's not clear from the map, yes Tracfones (and pretty much every US cellphone) works just fine at Disney.