DD just fried NEW phone

[Mellie2162]

DD just got an upgrade to a brand new Samsung Reality. It's a 249 phone, but since we upgraded we only paid about 25 for it. Anyway, she had it in her back pocket and was going potty and well Im sure you know the rest...plunk right in the toilet. Its fried. We put it in a bag of rice to dry it out overnight but its toast. The worst part is we just got rid of the last spare old phone we had lying around, so now she is completely without a phone and that wouldnt bother me except she's 16 and is involved in a lot of afterschool activities and its our only line to each other for pickups and such. Im hoping I can get her something really cheap from the Verizon store since we are going to have to dip into emergency fund to do it, but I know she's going to be heartbroke to lose this great phone that she's only had since the end of August. Oh well, I guess lesson learned. Why do I feel so crummy for her?

 

[Alexander]

Oh--she is by no means alone! I teach pre-teens and I have heard more stories of them dropping their phones in the toilets!

 

[Marionnette]

DD just got an upgrade to a brand new Samsung Reality. It's a 249 phone, but since we upgraded we only paid about 25 for it. Anyway, she had it in her back pocket and was going potty and well Im sure you know the rest...plunk right in the toilet. Its fried. We put it in a bag of rice to dry it out overnight but its toast. The worst part is we just got rid of the last spare old phone we had lying around, so now she is completely without a phone and that wouldnt bother me except she's 16 and is involved in a lot of afterschool activities and its our only line to each other for pickups and such. Im hoping I can get her something really cheap from the Verizon store since we are going to have to dip into emergency fund to do it, but I know she's going to be heartbroke to lose this great phone that she's only had since the end of August. Oh well, I guess lesson learned. Why do I feel so crummy for her?

No insurance on the phone? Next time you might want to get a warantee from square trade. They even cover drops and damage from moisture. Got them for my kids iphones b/c they are so darn expensive. Anyway Im pretty sure that you can get her a pay as you go phone and then have verizon activate it for your account. You can also use an eligible upgrade on one of your other phones on the account to get her a new phone. My sister does this all of the time.

 

[Mellie2162]

No insurance on the phone? Next time you might want to get a warantee from square trade. They even cover drops and damage from moisture. Got them for my kids iphones b/c they are so darn expensive. Anyway Im pretty sure that you can get her a pay as you go phone and then have verizon activate it for your account. You can also use an eligible upgrade on one of your other phones on the account to get her a new phone. My sister does this all of the time.

I know, Im smacking my head now for not getting insurance.

We dont have another upgrade until May of next year, which is on my line. I have no problem giving it to her, but have to find her something until then.

 

[Judique]

I know, Im smacking my head now for not getting insurance.

We dont have another upgrade until May of next year, which is on my line. I have no problem giving it to her, but have to find her something until then.

I would call Verizon or go to your Verizon store and see if they will do a one time courtesy free replacement for you, especially if you've been a customer for some time. They did it for me when my daughter crushed hers in the car door with no insurance.

 

[Psychodisney]

Don't give up on it yet. Keep it off and let it dry for a couple of days. I'm an adult and dropped mine in.........it works just fine.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

Yep, the rice trick takes days to work. I would give it more time.

 

[minushka72]

I would just get her a prepaid that is relatively cheap until your next upgrade is available. You can pick up an inexpensive tracfone and Boost Mobile phone and make sure she limits that phone use to what she can realistically pay for in minutes. They all include texting and some include internet access so she will just have to go without all the "fancy" extras of her previous phone. If she can take care of that phone, then go ahead and give her your upgrade for a nicer phone.

 

[tar heel]

This is an aggravation, not a catastrophe and you shouldn't have to dip in the emergency fund to solve it. Go on Craig's List and buy a phone. You should be able to get something more than adequate for under $50. Verizon may charge you to activate it.

My son, who is in college and doesn't have a land line, broke his fancy phone. We bought the same color and model on Craig's List for $50. Also, if any of the phones on your plan are eligible for an upgrade and that person (usually mom or dad at our house) is happy with his/her phone, you could have Verizon to switch the phones around and give her the upgrade.

I stil wouldn't buy cell phone insurance because I think it's way too expensive.

 

[Marionnette]

I would just get her a prepaid that is relatively cheap until your next upgrade is available. You can pick up an inexpensive tracfone and Boost Mobile phone and make sure she limits that phone use to what she can realistically pay for in minutes. They all include texting and some include internet access so she will just have to go without all the "fancy" extras of her previous phone. If she can take care of that phone, then go ahead and give her your upgrade for a nicer phone.

Can you give her your current phone and get the cheap pay as you go for yourself? If your like me you dont do anywhere near the amount of texting and internet that the kids do. It might be cheaper in the long run. I have att so all it involves is switching out the sim cards on most phones. But I know that verizon is different. Just thought that I would throw that option out there too. But I agree with the others about putting the damaged phone back in the rice. Oh and remove the battery.

 

[LAH LAH]

Can you give her your current phone and get the cheap pay as you go for yourself?

I don't think this is the way to go as you are not the one who fried the phone, but I agree with others that said buy it used! Cheap enough that she can help pay for it...I bet she will think twice about where she puts it if she has some responsibility in the payment!

Accidents do happen but if its a pattern it becomes a very expensive pattern!

I really hope the rice works for you. Good luck finding a budget phone if not!

 

[abbyndrewmom]

I washed my daughters cell phone this summer. It was in my daughter's shorts pocket she was in the shower i grabbed them off her bed to pop them in the wash and sure enough her phone was still in the pocket. The phone went through the wash & rinse before she realized I'd grabbed them so the phone was in the water for a long time. We took out the battery dried it as best we could and stuck it in the rice, put it on top of the fridge and didn't touch it for week. Checked it we could still see water in the screen so we put it in for another week. It took about 3 week but the good news is it is working not 100% but enough to get her through until next June when she can get a new phone.

So the rice in a bag works you just have to be able to let it sit and don't be tempted to check and see if it is working as that is when you can cause more damage.

Allison

 

[jakoky]

hi there, i have 3 teenagers and completely get the "phone thing", haha...my oldest dd dropped her phone in the toilet but she got very lucky and it worked...

Since your daughter is 16, maybe you could split the cost in half with her for a phone she would like...in all honesty, my kids would be paying for most of their own new phone at that age, my youngest dd was trying to catch our neighbours crazy dog one day, and her phone fell out of her pocket and was poured on all night...she replaced her own phone and she was only 13 or 14...anyways, just a thought about splitting the cost with her and getting one that she really likes and then not having to spend more money again in a little while...good luck..

 

[Debbie7452]

You don't need insurance to exchange your phone at Verizon. It has a one year warranty. Same thing happened to my DD and they nicely gave us a new replacement phone. Now, they didn't ask us why it was broken and we didn't volunteer how it got broken...I don't know if that matters to them or not. Good luck, I love the customer service there!

 

[patsal]

Just go on ebay or craig's list for an unlocked phone or even ask a friend or neighbor if they have one lying around. Go onto the verizon website and log into your account and you can activate it online for free. When DD washed her phone and it went through the wash and rinse cycle--far more traumatic that a quick fall inthe potty, it took 4 days in the rice--works best when kept in a very hot environment as well--it was summer so I left it in my car in the sun. It dried out nicely, she could not take photos but it worked for the rest of her needs until she could get a new one. I did let her upgrade using my phone upgrade since it came due several months before hers did.

 

[erincon23]

If you wait a few days and the rice still doesn't dry it out, try Freecycle if you have a group in your area. A lot of people in my area's groups post looking for phones -- and they get them. I know I have several AT &T phones laying around that I'd be happy to freecycle.

I actually dropped mine in the ... potty... at Castaway Cay...

 

[A Mickeyfan]

My husband has dropped his in the pool while cleaning the pool. My daughter has gotten her's completely drenched while walking home from the bus stop in the rain. My son has dropped his in the dog food bowl when bending over to fill it. My husband did not try to salvage his. He was due for a new one anyway. My son & daughter, I took the battery out, dried the phones with a blow dryer on and off during the day.. kept the battery out.. and in just about a week each of them worked again. I did purchase them new batteries.. and that you can get fairly cheap on E-bay in the event that doesn't help it.. so you are not wasting too much money. I would not run out and replace it.. I might do as another poster suggested.. take it back and explain what happened.. sometimes they will do you the favor is you have been a valued customer for years..

 

[Takodacaleb]

Go to walmart and get a Verizon PrePaid phone, DO NOT ACTIVATE IT USING PREPAID. Go onto Manage my account on the Verizon Website, then login and on the right hand side click Activate a Device. Then, read the instructions about backup assistant, then click next, next again and enter the ESN or MEID of the new prepaid phone, continue and follow the instructions.

 

[crazelion]

I would also check out cowboom.com it is a best buy company and they have verizon phones for cheap all the time and don't have bid on them too.

Found this site of slickdeals.com . I need to stay off that site. Too many good deals.

 

[chrisvip]

My husband has dropped his in the pool while cleaning the pool. My daughter has gotten her's completely drenched while walking home from the bus stop in the rain. My son has dropped his in the dog food bowl when bending over to fill it. My husband did not try to salvage his. He was due for a new one anyway. My son & daughter, I took the battery out, dried the phones with a blow dryer on and off during the day.. kept the battery out.. and in just about a week each of them worked again. I did purchase them new batteries.. and that you can get fairly cheap on E-bay in the event that doesn't help it.. so you are not wasting too much money. I would not run out and replace it.. I might do as another poster suggested.. take it back and explain what happened.. sometimes they will do you the favor is you have been a valued customer for years..

This is funny that every phone in the family has gotten to swim in the water. But yea I happened to drop my phone in water too and just took the battery off immediately and let it dry up for a few days. It worked just find afterwards. Didn't even need to change the battery.