Prepaid cell phone plans?

[pinkytoe]

For various reasons, I am finally caving on my vow not to own a cell phone. I have a really strong dislike of cell/smart phones and how they have altered our lives for the worse, but the possibility of being without communication in an emergency as I get older is swaying me. Not to mention, I am tired of being looked at like I have two noses when I mention that I don't use a cell phone. I have decided to go with a Tracfone or similar to start with - to be used only when necessary.Does anyone here use one and have advice?

[bae]

We have a couple of AT&T Go-Phones that we keep in a drawer, that we issue to folks when they will be travelling to the mainland and in need of a phone. It has been working fine for us, since there is very little cell phone coverage where we actually live, it would be daft to have and use one here.

[JaneV2.0]

I have an AT&T Go Phone that does what I need i to do; it serves as a pager and emergency phone. I pay a hundred a year for minutes I don't use, and they roll over, so I have hours and hours in reserve.

[Rosemary]

We're cell-phone only, in this house, but for a "house phone" we have a prepaid cell phone that I charge with the minimum, so that it's always ready for a babysitter who might need to call us or in case of emergency. We use T-Mobile and the minimum amount we can buy is $10/30 minutes, for 90 days - so this phone costs us approx $3.50/month by the time tax is added. Much cheaper than our old landline!

[Float On]

We have 4 tracfones and like them. Reception is always great and we've been all over the country with them. I spend around $88 per phone per year with a double minutes deal. To me $88 per year compared to around the same per month for a contract plan works great for me but then we're kind of an anti-phone family anyway. I hate talking on the phone and it's rubbed off on my husband and kids. The kids get text messages daily from their youth pastor and they still never run out of minutes.

[Alan]

My wife has been using Tracfone for years. She likes the fact that she only pays for the minutes used.
With the Double Minutes For Life option, she recharges about twice a year and probably spends around $100.

The big plus with Tracfone is their coverage area. We travel a lot and we are constantly finding ourselves in areas where my AT&T Blackberry has no service, but she always does.

[Bootsie]

I have an AT&T Pre-paid. I purchased a refurbished phone online and got a much better phone than I would've been able to otherwise afford. I wanted to upgrade from the basic model because I couldn't hear very well on the basic model. It gets old very fast to have conversations that go like this, "What? What did you say? I can't hear you."

I really like my upgraded phone and I love that if I don't use the phone, I don't pay anything for service.

Keep in mind that your time will expire, so don't pre-pay very much if you don't intend to use the phone often.

I wish I had purchased a BRIGHT color because a black phone is invisible inside a purse.

[freein05]

I have had a Tracfone for years and really like it. You can carry over your minutes. Since I do not use it much I have something like 1,400 min.

[Simplemind]

Another happy tracfone user :0)

[early morning]

My Boost mobile pre-paid costs me about $3.50 a month. I don't use it much, but it works for me!

[herbgeek]

I have a Verizon pre paid, since that's the only service I can get out here in the boonies. I pay $100 (not sure of the per minute charge- I think its 25-50 cents)- this is good for one year. I don't make a lot of calls on this phone so I'm OK with a higher per minute price.

[redfox]

We're likely to go to pre-paid in April. I so appreciate these answers...

[Sad Eyed Lady]

Yep, me too. Happy Tracfone user. I have a land line at home so the Tracfone is just something I keep with me in case it is needed. I don't use many of my minutes and with the double minutes for life deal they accumulate. I've never had a problem with it and as others have said, the coverage is great.

[Brian]

In the US I use Virgin Mobile (Sprint now) monthly as I am only there a few months of the year so can just buy months I am traveling and my home island system is not compatible (Cable & Wireless). It also means I have to use a seperate VM phone in Canada as diff system operator again. I just charge that one with mins as needed with most communication done online. Very few offer min plans that do not expire quickly so if Trac phone gives you one year from purchase that is better than most (T Mobile used to give a year but @ .20 min was not a good deal for me).

IF just for emergency situations any cell phone as long as it is kept reasonably charged will connect to 911 even if no plan. I give all my old one off prepaid cells to older relatives, but also know when visiting later few keep them charged so not sure how useful?

[rose]

I'm using Virgin prepaid. I bought their first Android phone. Service is $25 per month for unlimited internet, unlimited texting and 200 anytime minutes. I think it is a great deal. Virgin uses Sprint service.

[Spartana]

We have 4 tracfones and like them. Reception is always great and we've been all over the country with them. I spend around $88 per phone per year with a double minutes deal. To me $88 per year compared to around the same per month for a contract plan works great for me but then we're kind of an anti-phone family anyway. I hate talking on the phone and it's rubbed off on my husband and kids. The kids get text messages daily from their youth pastor and they still never run out of minutes.

Ditto for me. Have one Tracfone and have never had any problems with it. Has a camera, a web browser that I use, if needed, to check e-mail, and text. Cost less than $100/year with double minutes and minutes never expire. You can also call out of country and there is no extra charge for that - same amount of minutes used for in-state calls.