$10 Cell Plan Continues 4
For the last … 7+ yrs, I’ve been paying about $10/yr for a cell phone plan.
Just added my annual $10 to the pre-paid account a few minutes ago to keep all the minutes alive for another 365 days.
Also, if it isn’t clear, I’ve had a smartphone for the last 2 yrs and only a voice plan. No data. Data works great from wifi. GPS also works if you cache the maps or if you use an offline map program like NAVFree. No Data Required Apps
I’ve described this $10/yr Cell Phone Plan before for anyone new to my blog.
- It might not work for many people, but it does work for many more than who are using it.
- If you are into minimizing, it could be for you.
- If you have a home phone AND a work phone, it could be for you.
- If you avoid talking when driving, it could be for you.
- If you don’t chat on your cell phone, it could be for you. Mainly emergency use and a few out-plans-have-changed calls every week.
- If you don’t need a data plan to earn a living, it could be for you.
There have been times when not having a data plan has been bad, but that happens only when I’m overseas and unlikely to have a data plan for the limited time there anyway.
Between dumping CableTV and not having a monthly cell bill, I’m easily saving $2000/yr.
Our electrical bill is in the lowest 1% for similar homes, so saving much there probably isn’t possible. Ceiling fans.
Our water and gas bills are routinely at the monthly minimal charge just to have service, so saving much there probably isn’t possible.
We could cut back on expensive foods and alcohol. Perhaps not.
Any other ideas for saving money from monthly expenses?
BTW, the pre-paid plan balance is $79+ after adding the $10 more today.
Wish I could get down to $10/year, but I’ve not been able to find that only-add-once-a-year deal. I pay about $80/year with TracPhone, because it requires a $20 card every 90 days. Still a whole lot better than any monthly plan out there, though.
Search for t-mobile pre-paid gold rewards and you’ll find it.
Every time I’ve looked, I was able to find the same setup. It still exists today. For obvious reasons, it isn’t advertised much.
Regardless – anyone not paying monthly is probably saving overall and using what they actually need. I wouldn’t feel bad at all if I talked enough for $80/yr. The thing that I like about t-mobile is that adding data for a few days at a time (when on travel inside the USA) is easy.
If your pre-paid costs go beyond what a plan costs, then clearly get the plan. We don’t want to be stupid – paying less is always better. A traveling person who uses their phone as a portable office probably can’t get away with a pre-paid plan.
Of course, t-mobile coverage can suck in certain areas, just like every other provider, so having a different provider might be necessary for many people. Look for the plan rules that get minutes to last longer for whatever provider you’ve got.
My Mom had a different provider. Coverage sucked and she had to add $30/quarter ($120/yr) to keep it alive. It was an emergency-only phone and didn’t have any coverage in her home. The entire plan sucked and I wasn’t able to convince her to switch. I think she made 10 calls on that phone the 5 yrs she had it.
Didn’t your 1000 minutes expire after one year, leaving you with only 30 minutes for the year when paying the second year’s $10?
That’s how the currently available plan seems to work from the info on the site.
@INTPJavaGirl: no, they do not. Part of being a “gold rewards” member is that
So … every year, just before the minutes expire, I buy a $10 “add minutes” card and apply it to my account. Poof – 365 more days for all the minutes – old + new.
Without that, how could I get by on just $10/yr?