budget verizon phone

[coastiewifern]

Moved and switching to verizon due to coverage issues. I plan to get my daughter an iPhone in about a year but not yet. I'd like to find her a phone that either comes free at verizon with only a one year contract so I can upgrade her in a year (I couldn't find one on their website but maybe I didn't know where to look). Or get a suggestion on a model phone I could try to buy off *raigslist or something. It needs to be a dumb phone because I don't want to pay smartphone fees right now for her. She has an ATT LG touch screen slide phone which is fine for her

Any suggestions for me. Trying to save the $$ for at least one more year

 

[pixiewings71]

Verizon doesn't do 1 year contracts. Any friends or family with an old phone they aren't using? If not do an eBay search, my girls like the Intensity, I think it's Samsung. Just a dumb phone but it has a full keyboard and is easy to use.

 

[My3Princez]

Look into Page Plus Cellular. Cheap, prepaid plans that work on Verizon's network. Any Verizon phone that is out of contract will work.

 

[Theaberdeenkid]

I have been a Verizon wireless customer for about 5 years. They don't offer 1 year contracts, I am leaving because our monthly bill for two smartphones (android and iphone) and one non-smart phone tops $200 a month. We don't have anything fancy either. You may want to check out Virgin Wireless, $35 a month for a smartphone, no contract.

 

[tvguy]

Just sign up for the 2 year contract and get their free phone. The only thing they do if you change phones during those 2 years is extend your contract for another 2 years when you upgrade. As long as you stay with VErizon, there is no penalty.

DD lost her phone, a regular non smart phone, we got one of the free replacements because she didn't want a Smart phone (yet) because she is going to be out of the country for 9 months. When she gets back in June of 2014 she can get the smart phone for whatever those phones cost then (although they do have free smart phones), and sign a new 2 year contrac.t

 

[angierae]

Like others have said, they don't do 2 year contracts. You also can't get a discounted new phone until 18 or 20 months into that two year contract, so you wouldn't be able to get the iPhone for $50-100-200 (depending on which one you get) at that point, either.

I would ask around if anyone has any old Verizon dumb phones laying in a drawer somewhere that she could use, that way you wouldn't use your phone discount until you were ready to get her the iPhone.

(We pay a lot for our Verizon phones, too, but the service is spectacular and I have never had any problem while my coworkers gripe and complain endlessly about AT&T and Sprint.)

 

[pixiewings71]

I have been a Verizon wireless customer for about 5 years. They don't offer 1 year contracts, I am leaving because our monthly bill for two smartphones (android and iphone) and one non-smart phone tops $200 a month. We don't have anything fancy either. You may want to check out Virgin Wireless, $35 a month for a smartphone, no contract.

We have 5 phones, 2 smart (Iphone4 and Droid RAZRM) and 3 dumb phones, our bill is $220 a month for all 5 phones. We will be dropping 1 of the lines soon so we will save a little more. Based on where we are and the services we can get good coverage with it makes sense for us to keep our Verizon service, but yes, it is a little more $$.

Just sign up for the 2 year contract and get their free phone. The only thing they do if you change phones during those 2 years is extend your contract for another 2 years when you upgrade. As long as you stay with VErizon, there is no penalty.

DD lost her phone, a regular non smart phone, we got one of the free replacements because she didn't want a Smart phone (yet) because she is going to be out of the country for 9 months. When she gets back in June of 2014 she can get the smart phone for whatever those phones cost then (although they do have free smart phones), and sign a new 2 year contrac.t

You have to wait to be eligible for an upgrade, you can't just go in and do this. We need a new phone for DD13, she's using my old Env3 and the speaker is broken, but we have to wait until at least September.

Like others have said, they don't do 2 year contracts. You also can't get a discounted new phone until 18 or 20 months into that two year contract, so you wouldn't be able to get the iPhone for $50-100-200 (depending on which one you get) at that point, either.

I would ask around if anyone has any old Verizon dumb phones laying in a drawer somewhere that she could use, that way you wouldn't use your phone discount until you were ready to get her the iPhone.

(We pay a lot for our Verizon phones, too, but the service is spectacular and I have never had any problem while my coworkers gripe and complain endlessly about AT&T and Sprint.)

 

[tvguy]

You have to wait to be eligible for an upgrade, you can't just go in and do this.

I go in and have no problem doing this. But I have been with them for 23 years, and I do go to an actual Verizon owned store, not an authorized retailer. Last time they balked at it, but once they pulled up my account, their tune changed.

 

[ItsNotMuchofaTail]

I have a Verizon Samsung Intensity II I think. It was free and is a dumbphone. They are getting harder and harder to get. And if it can use data, they pretty much require you to buy a data plan now. But I like my phone, it has a keyboard and is easy to use. As I recall, it was the only dumbphone with a camera and a keyboard. It comes in electric blue and gray. I am just stubborn about paying $70+ for my cell phone, I can live without the the internet every second of my life, for now.

 

[wiigirl]

Look into Page Plus Cellular. Cheap, prepaid plans that work on Verizon's network. Any Verizon phone that is out of contract will work.

I would just get one off of craigslist.

 

[coastiewifern]

Thanks looking for a dumb phone on craigslist. Definitely want to upgrade her in a year or so.

 

[pixiewings71]

I go in and have no problem doing this. But I have been with them for 23 years, and I do go to an actual Verizon owned store, not an authorized retailer. Last time they balked at it, but once they pulled up my account, their tune changed.

I've been with them for 20 years and they will not do an upgrade and yes, I also go to an actual store. If someone is just signing up for an account and expecting to upgrade after a year it's probably not realistic to expect that. Especially if they won't allow me to upgrade and I've been with them for 20 years with no issues.

Thanks looking for a dumb phone on craigslist. Definitely want to upgrade her in a year or so.

Best of luck!! I do have an old phone, it's called the Juke, it's tiny and not smart at all, has no full keyboard etc, if you'd like it I can send it to you, I would just ask you to cover the shipping charges.