should I upgrade my phone?

[Rock'n Robin]

I have a 3 1/2 year old Verizon phone. It works, but it sure seems big--my students call it my "zack morris phone" after that kid from saved by the bell. I pay $30 plus tax each month for 300 anytime minutes plus unlimited night and weekend, free long distance, etc. I have gone over the minutes a few times in the last year. I am NOT on contract any more; it expired after 2 years. They have called several times to get me to reup for more $.
Circuit City has a sale where after a mail-in rebate any phone up to $200 is free. I can get a picture phone, or a little slider phone that is half the size of my phone now. I would have to pay $10 more a month but would get 1000 anytime minutes. So I would be paying $240 more over the next two years, the phone would be free, and I wouldn't have any overage charges. I could keep the same #.
Any advice? Anyone have any experience with the little slider phones or the camera phones? I know some places are banning them, but I probably wouldn't know how to use it anyhow.
Robin M.

 

[kimwim8]

No experience with the camera phones, but I have a mini-flip phone & my sister has a slider. It takes some getting used to with a teeny tiny phone, but now I love it. I think for $10 a month to jump up 700 minutes a month is a GREAT deal.

Is it still through Verizon? If it is a different company, try to research where their towers are, to see what kind of signal problems you may encounter...

otherwise....go for it!

 

[mommytotwo]

My husband has a camera phone and I have a flip phone. Once my contract ends, I am going to change to a camera phone or something new they come out with since I don't like how the flip phones coverage is.

If you have all those extra minutes, I would go ahead and switch phones, and use your cellular phone to make phone calls to other states and such instead of your regular house phone. Also with the camera phones, you can use emails, recieve messages,...

 

[skuttle]

DH and I first got our cell phones in 2001. Since then, I've had 2 new phones. Each time, we just signed a new contract and got new phones for whatever the going special was at the time. Each time, I never had to change my plan...always kept the same minutes for the same price...I always made sure of that as we pay a great rate right now and have just the right amount of minutes. Is that an option for you? Keep the same plan (if you want to) but just sign a new contract to get a free phone?

 

[Annette_VA]

Upgrade! I have a LG VX6000 from Verizon & love it. It's a flip phone & a camera phone. Plus, I can download Disney ringtines directly thru the phone.

So, you'll get more minutes & a way cooler phone - sounds like a no brainer to me

 

[crazelion]

I don't like new flip phones at all and went with a Nokia 3595 when I lost my phone and had to get a new one .

 

[krissy3483]

I dont have one myself, but I've heard a couple people complain about the slider phones. They say that once you have it for a while, dust and dirt start to build up in it and it becomes more difficult to slide.

 

[sharbear]

I just switched to Verizon from Sprint. I got a camera flip phone that has all the bells and whistles. I'm happy so far.

One thing to consider is if you will be needed another phone line for the kids. I got two lines, I have two teenager's (they can share, but my 16yo is the primary user). It cost me an extra $20 a month (we share minutes). It was buy one phone, get the second free. I got a Samsung a-670 for 99.00 (after rebate) and got another one for free. So I paid 50.00 a phone. I get free unlimited usage between the phones and free minutes to anyone with a Verizon phone. Most of our family has Verizon so I can call them for free. Add the free nights and weekends and I thought it was a good deal.

 

[MagicalMom]

With verizon you can upgrade to a new phone every two years for free if you renew your contract. I just received my free camera flip phone & I love it.