Prepaid Cell Phones

**NCGirl** · 01-25-2007, 06:49 PM

I was just wondering who used prepaid cell phones? I do drive on the interstate 400+ miles a week, this time of year in the dark both ways to work and feel it is important to have a cell phone but being the tightwad I am I hardly ever use it.

I hooked up will Alltel about 3 years ago. Cost about $75 initially for the phone and hook up. I am on the pay by the minute plan with no monthly minimum. 15 cents a minute.

In the last three years, not counting the intial set up I have spend less than $50. I can't believe people who have $100plus a month cell phone bills

**Dancing Lotus** · 01-25-2007, 07:23 PM

I have prepaid but it cost me more than that. IT was 20 for the phone and then I buy minutes. I have to buy a minium of 20 every three months. So thats 80 a year.

**NCGirl** · 01-25-2007, 10:27 PM

I researched all the companies before going with Alltel. It really makes a big difference going with the per minute rate if you hardly use the phone at all.

It is costing me less than two dollars a month to have the security of a phone in the car!

**Emerald_Mommy** · 01-25-2007, 10:37 PM

We have a Tracfone, which is prepaid. I honestly don't know how much it costs because dh's parents give us the minutes as a gift every year. Still, it works for us because we don't use it for "chatting", just for necessary calls.

**ewokgirl** · 01-25-2007, 11:43 PM

I have Virgin Mobile. I think I paid around $70 for the phone a couple of years ago (same model now sells for around $20-30). I pay $20 every 3 months. It's such a savings! I used to have a cheap cell plan, but I was paying around $25/month. I just wasn't getting my money's worth since I don't really use it. In fact, hardly anyone has my number. I gave it to my parents, and my two friends who catsit for me when we're out of town. That's it. I just don't like to be bothered when I'm out. I have a cell phone for MY convenience and safety.

My only problem with it is that I don't have cell coverage in more remote areas. But I'm not usually in remote areas, so that is hardly an issue.

**kaykwilts** · 01-26-2007, 12:33 AM

I have Cingular wireless. It costs me $25 every 3 months.

**Hollyhandi** · 01-26-2007, 07:49 AM

Fiance and I both have trac phones.
He uses his evey day for work and about $20.00 every 2 weeks.
I use mine if I'm going with my sister or if our phones are out due to power outages about $20.00 a month or 2

**Megareader** · 01-26-2007, 10:38 AM

I have Virgin Mobile, runs me $20 every 3 months. We only have it for dh's work to call him in or if I need it. It works out very well for us.

**Ani** · 01-26-2007, 11:03 AM

I'd love to be able to do a pay-as-you-go, but since my cell phone is necessary for work (I'm practically tied to the thing) and it takes the place of our home phone, I simply cannot go with that.

**Emjo** · 01-26-2007, 01:19 PM

We have a prepaid phone; we paid $100 for it about 6 months ago. DH is always on the road or at a job site so I like being able to get ahold of him in case of emergencies (or know if he'll be home late so I don't worry). It costs us about $15 a month.

**Canongirl** · 01-26-2007, 01:24 PM

Dh and I both have a cingular pay as you go phone. We just recently dropped our land line and are trying to keep our phone budget to $30 Month.
We'll see how that goes.

**Neeley** · 01-26-2007, 01:38 PM

Ok, I am odd man out here. We have a regular cell phone through Cingular(Dmil pays for it as a gift to us) and we have a trac phone. I love the Cingular phone - great service, never drops calls etc...The Trac phone is horrible!!! We cannot get service half of the time. We cannot get service inside of the mall, at several locations in our city, even in our own house. It's not like we are far away from cell towers or out in the country either, we live in our state's capital, in a neighborhood in the center of the city.

**baronmom** · 01-26-2007, 07:07 PM

I use my phone all the time, so I do not have the prepaid. It would cost us way more if we had the pay as you go. Now, my son has one that we got to test. So far, it has not cost us anything as we get surveys to fill out and then get credit towards the phone minutes.

**Buckeye5** · 01-26-2007, 07:29 PM

My cell phone contract is up in May (see siggy). I want to get a trac phone, I didn't realize that you can use a prepaid plan through Alltell and Cingualr. How does this work, what are the costs? I don't use my phone often only for emergencies. Dh uses his excessively to call me since he works shift work, and is long distance where he works.

**cherrie79** · 01-27-2007, 12:01 PM

We have what they call a prepaid phone through Cricket. BUT its like a regular cellphone and doesn't go by minutes. No contract and I have NEVER had a problem with coverage in my area (no dropped calls, can hear clear as any other phone) I pay $55 a month(includes taxes) for unlimited local and long distance, includes caller ID, Call waiting and voice messages. We use this for our home phone and if need be, we can take it with us. 2 options, 1 bill.