Pay As You go Cellphones

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Any guidance?

What I really want is to buy my mom a cell phone, attach my credit card to it and just get charged when, or if, she ever makes a call. I bet she's made 5 calls in 5 years! But I want her to have it just in case

Thanks!

 

[zoemurr]

Not exactly what you're looking for, but we pay between $80-$100 a year for my MIL to have a tracfone. Depending on the phone that would get her over 1,000 minutes of yearly talk time. You just need to renew it once a year.

 

[smadath]

My parents also use Tracfone. They have a simple flip phone, and get some ridiculous amount of minutes (1000, I think?) for $100/year. And, as long as they renew within the year, the remaining minutes roll over.

Similarly, DH also uses a flip Tracfone on the monthly value plan. It's set up to charge the credit card each month, and for $11.75/month (total with fees and taxes) he gets 100 minutes that roll over if not used. If you look on their site, the plans shown are for 50 minutes, but I got his phone at Walmart for around $20, and it came with Unlimited Double Minutes. Not a bad deal!

In case she's not in the coverage area for Tracfone, Virgin Mobile uses Sprint towers, and has a similar plans as Tracfone under their PayGo plans.

 

[HM]

Make sure she'll actually carry it with her.

My DH got an iPhone for Christmas last year and he always forgets to carry it with him. He's never had or needed a cellphone but we wanted to be able to get in touch with him if he's out but... and it's just not something he thinks about as he's leaving the house so it's not getting it's intended use. Also, we added a Map My Run app and he never remembers to take it when he bikes or runs either. Ack.

 

[Miffy]

PureTalk, which runs on the AT&T network. $5/month (includes everything, even taxes and fees) for 80 minutes. The minutes don't roll over. But if your mom never uses the phone, then 80 minutes will seem like a lot. And you can get a free flip phone from them.

I have a PureTalk plan (with some data) and they've been perfectly reliable.

 

[StephMK]

Ting is another cheap one. I think they run on the Sprint network. Tracfone is probably the easier for you. Pay once a year and you don't have to think about it again. She just needs to remember to keep it charged so it's available if she needs it. I recommend a car charger because that has saved me a few times!

 

[JB2K]

Tracfone's 1 year plan will probably work best because you don't have to deal with a monthly bill or top-up, plus unlike the other carriers mentioned in this thread, you can buy Tracfone refill cards in all denominations at major retailers/c-stores, everywhere.

A good LG flip phone with 3G coverage and Bluetooth connectivity runs about $6 to 10 bucks.

Also, depending on where said relative lives, Tracfone will utilize the AT&T or T-Mobile networks, and in rare parts of the country, Verizon.