Best Cell Phone Plan

**Avery'sMom** · 07-06-2009, 07:35 AM

Can anyone suggest an inexpensive cell service? DH and I want to join 1994 and get cell phones. We only need to have them for emergency situations and to be available to our daughter's grandparents when they babysit. I am (hopefully) going to rejoin the workforce and worry that they might need me for her and feel that the cell phone would be our best bet. We don't want to text, take pictures, surf the internet, or any extra's. We just want an inexpensive, reliable service.

Thanks,
Lisa

**Judi Dial** · 07-06-2009, 08:05 AM

We have Verizon and a prepaid plan. All the so many minutes per month plans didn't work for us. I only went over the minutes when I was out of town, otherwise, we paid for minutes I didn't use month after month. Now we buy minutes when I need them and don't otherwise. It has saved us a boatload of $.

I could (but don't) have pics, internet, etc. If I could find another one, I'd buy a phone that didn't have those.

IHTH!

Judi

**Grainlady** · 07-06-2009, 01:45 PM

We've used pre-paid TracFones for many years and have never had a problem with them. We each get a $99/1-year plan and have never used all our minutes and they roll-over to the next year. I've had one plan or another, and any number of versions of cell phones since 1992 and TracFones have been the least expensive.

**craftypam** · 07-06-2009, 01:57 PM

My suggestion is to go to target and check out all the different prepaid phones. Some of them you have to add money every month and some every 6 months. I did that when my mom needed a phone for emergencies only. I don't know anything about purchasing at Target just that they had several to look at and to choose. I haven't checked into plan phones cheap because my dh and I have had our phones forever.

**MaryCarney** · 07-06-2009, 04:58 PM

I agree with grainlady. Tracphone has a deal on their website - you get a decent phone, 1 year of service and 400 minutes (which are doubled for the life of the plan) so actually 800 minutes for around $100. Their calling area is VASTLY improved over just a couple of years ago. The display on the screen tells you how many minutes you have left AND when you need to add minutes to keep service. Very user friendly web-site, too.

**old_lady_in_the_shoe** · 07-07-2009, 03:10 PM

We also use tracfone. I purchase cards at my local walmart. I get the 60 minute cards that are good for 3 months for $19.99 . That averages out to be under $7 per month.

You can also find promo codes on like to give you extended time or additional free minutes. I look for a new one every time I purchase a new and have always gotten one. (just do a google search for tracfone promo codes and tons will show up)

Another great thing about tracfone is that the phones are cheap too, as low as $9.99 for some, so if something happened to it, it is no huge loss.

Also, if you do not use all your minutes in the 3 months, they will roll over if you add more minute BEFORE it expires. There are NO monthly fees, no extra fees, use minutes to purchase. Texting is nice with these phone too as an incoming text, or an outgoing text is charged a 1/3rd of a minute only.

We have less problems with our tracfone coverage than with our major carrier service cell phones.

**frugalfranny** · 07-10-2009, 01:32 AM

Thanks for posting this.......I will be checking it out too.

want to be sure I have the coverage in this area......would like to have one when I travel, for emergencies.

**phoeny_moonstar** · 07-10-2009, 01:37 AM

Originally Posted by Avery'sMom

Can anyone suggest an inexpensive cell service? DH and I want to join 1994 and get cell phones. We only need to have them for emergency situations and to be available to our daughter's grandparents when they babysit. I am (hopefully) going to rejoin the workforce and worry that they might need me for her and feel that the cell phone would be our best bet. We don't want to text, take pictures, surf the internet, or any extra's. We just want an inexpensive, reliable service.

Thanks,
Lisa

May I suggest Net10? I used to have a TracPhone and it was good but it was still a bit expensive. (60 mins is 20$) Net10 have nice phones, decent cell phone coverage, and the minutes are cheap. 300mins is 30$. That 30$ card gives you 30 service days and whenever you add more minutes you add more service days. A lot if not most cell phone companies have pre-paid phones and minutes so it would be better if you checked them out.