Lost cell phone

**ubumartin** · 12-12-2006, 05:37 PM

Hi everyone,
Just a tip if anyone is interested. My 14-year-old lost her cell phone. We did not have insurance as I have 5 phones on the plan and it would have added 25.00 per month to my bill which is already to high. I had a cingular phone plan. When I called to get a price for replacement they told me it would be at the LEAST 160.00 Plus cost of sim card which was 25.00.
Well, I went to Wal-Mart and spoke to the nicest guy, he told me that he heard you could buy a Pay as you go phone plus buy a sim card and register the sim with cingular and it should work. Well it did. I couldn't believe it. I bought a 19.99 phone, 23.00 cingular sim card all from Walmart, came home and called cingular and IT WORKED!! The cell phone company won't tell you that because they make lots of money on replacements. It is not a fancy phone but it works. I saved about 150.00 by doing it this way. I know of a few people who have had to pay alot on replacements. This is a good way to get you through until you upgrade or change plans.

**crazyBMB** · 12-12-2006, 05:51 PM

I'm glad some else knows this. My DH has done this several times for our DS.

I have told other people about this and they don't believe me.

**baronmom** · 12-12-2006, 06:22 PM

I wish that Verizon used the Sim cards. They are one of the only ones that do not. My son had to buy his phone out right when he broke his other one. It cost well over $200.

**danni** · 12-12-2006, 08:36 PM

We had to replace a lost phone recently, it cost us $110. It had a $50 rebate but it hasn't come in yet. I wish someone had told me about the cheaper phones!!

**PrairieRose** · 12-12-2006, 10:35 PM

That's very nice to know

Thanks for sharing.

**dmvezina** · 12-13-2006, 08:02 AM

Great job!!! That's good to know!

My dd had her cellphone stolen last year while she was at volleyball practice.

**YankeeMom** · 12-13-2006, 08:06 AM

Another good thing to have is personal property insurance through your homeowners policy. Our's is only $4 a month and replaces things like phones, handheld electronics, jewelry, etc. that is stolen or lost. The best part is there is no deductible.
Now if only my husband had bought it last year like I told him too, then we could have had dd's stolen iPod replaced.

**ama** · 12-13-2006, 08:35 AM

That is a great tip -- I have been thinking about this lately. You can also go to a cell phone shop and ask what inventory they have -- they sell used phones there as well. My parents upgraded my ds to a camera phone for his bday. Also I wonder about pawn shops?? Do they sell cells?