How to you keep prepaid cell phone bill low by using wifi and any other options?

[Toots]

Hi,

I've been reading about some who use their phones & iPads with wifi for texting and maybe web access. I also remember reading about someone who only spent around $10. a month but mainly used wifi. How does this work?

We're currently using Tracfone and Straight Talk in our family. Our son plans to upgrade to a Straight Talk smart phone soon and I'd like to be sure we've looked at all the options.

Thanks

 

[runwad]

I don't know about your phones but my kids have Ipods and they downloaded a free app called textfree that works over our wi-fi and text from their Ipods.

 

[Toots]

Thanks for the reply runwad, I'll check out textfree.

 

[mrodgers]

I also remember reading about someone who only spent around $10. a month but mainly used wifi. How does this work?

That would be me. I am 99% of the time either at home or at work with wifi in both areas. On the road and roaming about, I live out in the middle of nowhere, so no wifi.

Here is the packages for texting and data on AT&T GoPhone...Texts and data roll over as long as you keep it active each month.

Here is how I set my 2 phones up (myself and my wife)

January, 1000 texts @ $10 and 500mb data @ $25. Total cost 2 phones $70
February, 1000 texts @ $10 on wife's phone, 200 texts @ $5 my phone and 10mb data @ $5 for each, total cost 2 phones $25
March, 200 texts @ $5 each and 10mb data @ $5 each, total cost 2 phones $20.
and on and on...

I have data turned off on the phone. If I need to use data, I can always turn it on and use it. The first day my wife went to work and left the house for 8 hours, her phone ended up using 5mb of data just sitting in her pocket. I accidentally downloaded a 25mb file last month when the phone switched from wifi to data at work when the wifi signal strength dropped. Thus, I now turn it off with a screen icon unless I want to use it.

I also make very few phone calls, so I pay $0.10/minute instead of $25 for 250 minutes per month. I made 1 call last night, $0.30 and the last time I made a cell phone call was in December before I got the GoPhone (had Tracfone.)

How my phone costs $10/month. It will cost more every now and then. I use about 300 texts per month and even assuming I will use up to 100mb/month (I won't with the data, but just to show how cheap it is....) it would still be pretty close to a 2 phone contract monthly bill for my entire year.


....................TEXTING.........................DATA
.............add..cost...Bal..used..remain.|...add..cost..Bal..used...remain
January.....1000...$10..1000...300.....700.|...500...$25..500...100......400
February.....200....$5...900...300.....600.|....10....$5..410...100......310
March........200....$5...800...300.....500.|....10....$5..320...100......220
April........200....$5...700...300.....400.|....10....$5..230...100......130
May..........200....$5...600...300.....300.|....10....$5..140...100.......40
June.........200....$5...500...300.....200.|...500...$25..540...100......440
July.........200....$5...400...300.....100.|....10....$5..450...100......350
August.......200....$5...300...300.......0.|....10....$5..360...100......260
September...1000...$10..1000...300.....700.|....10....$5..270...100......170
October......200....$5...900...300.....600.|....10....$5..180...100.......80
November.....200....$5...800...300.....500.|...500...$25..580...100......480
December.....200....$5...700...300.....400.|....10....$5..490...100......390
Total for year.....$70..............................$120

$190 total for the year, slightly more than it would cost me every month for 2 phones on contract.

 

[crazelion]

I have been on the phone boards what I understand you use google voice number and app call groovevp to make free calls from your android smartphone.

 

[ranthony]

Mrodgers...just curious about which phones you and your wife have. I'm loving your bottom line.

 

[Green Tea]

We have Virgin Mobile and the texting and internet access whether on wi fi or accessing the Sprint network is unlimited and included. It's $25 a month

 

[Toots]

Thank you mrodgers for your cost breakdown. I think it is a great example of monitoring cost when you can and making it work for you.

Did you purchase AT&T Go phones?

Green Tea- what is the charge for phone calls on your Virgin Mobile plan?

 

[mrodgers]

Mrodgers...just curious about which phones you and your wife have. I'm loving your bottom line.

We have 2 AT&T Avail phones. Obviously not as fast and powerful as phones you get with contracts. They are like buying last year's computer. Posting this on the phone right now.

We have Virgin Mobile and the texting and internet access whether on wi fi or accessing the Sprint network is unlimited and included. It's $25 a month

That's a great cost. Unfortunately for me, AT&T or Verison is all the service we can get living out in the boonies.

 

[Green Tea]

People say the same thing in my boonies....only Verizon. But we were pleasantly surprised. You have 30 days to try it and return the phones if they do not work out for you.