topic Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy? in Personal Finance

Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

1LostArk — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 06:30:18 GMT

I tend to buy the best phone I can (e.g. iPhone 15 pro max) , and keep it as long as I can. I think this maximizes the enjoyment and value I get from the phone hardware. Usually I'll go for 0% financing under contract, and when the contract expires switch to a cheap prepaid plan. I've found the difference in service between postpaid and prepaid negligible, provided you go for the right carrier and plan (I highly recommend T-Mobile connect, and AT&T annual plans). Usually when buying a new phone trade-in credits and promos make it cheaper to sign a contract than to pay cash for the phone, otherwise I see little reason to go for postpaid unless one relies on mobile data for their profession (maybe 1% of people need more than 10-15GB per month per line?).

Other people I know buy middle of the road phones (e.g. iPhone 15) with cash every 3 or so years and use prepaid plans, which over time comes out to be minimal savings over using flagship phones, especially with 0% financing. Personally I find it much more enjoyable to use a flagship phone for 5 years than get a middling upgrade every few years. Lastly, there's those who buy a 5 year old used phone every year and sell their old one, which is clearly the way from a purely financial standpoint, but I personally don't see the harm in spending on something I interact with every day.

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

NoMoreDebt — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 23:59:42 GMT

Mostly the same I suppose. We are currently still using iphone Xr's? I think they are. Paid for both outright however many years ago its been, seems like a long time ago now. Will use them until 1 or both goes out and then we will purchase new ones outright again no financing. I'm not really hung up on having the latest and greatest, its just a tool to me.

As far as plans always just went with the cheapest option for unlimited data and talk which has been Visible for us for a couple years now. Before that was tmobile however the service went down after we moved out more rural from the city and price started creeping up.

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

Citylights18 — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 21:26:44 GMT

My strategy has been to pick up the new phones on sale and then hold them until they no longer need a security update. Trade in my older models.

Then I like to buy my plans separately and for the year to save money. You can get a quality cell phone plan through a third party for $15 to $25 a month in cost. I just checked for a basic plan Verizon wants $123.33 a month for a S23 Ultra ($38 a month out of that).

Verizon and AT&T are just like the cable operators. Cutting the cord is the best way to make money.

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

EAJuggalo — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 12:38:16 GMT

I think your premise is wrong. Your premise is that it's cheaper to finance the phone through the provider over 24 or 36 months than it is to pay for the phone outright. I changed from Verizon Postpaid to Total By Verizon for my three lines in September. The price difference was $95/month. For that savings I can buy three new phones every two years and still come out ahead of the three year upgrade cycle that Verizon Postpaid is on now.

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

MachoHombre — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 16:47:45 GMT

*My* Strategy, that works for *me* is to buy (paid in full) phones that are 1(ish) model behind the newest and greatest. I look for good deals, including reviewing refurbished deals from reputable vendors, always with liberal return policies. I then find pre-paid service plans that provide quality service for good value in comparison to subcription plans, -always with a major carrier network.

The above is a winning hand for *me*.

HOWEVER, what I don't have in the above scenerio is the phone insurance offered by a couple of my credit cards, as those cards seemingly require that you pay the *monthly* subscription bill with the card. I don't have monthly subscription, I buy a year's worth in advance to maximize ROI. I doubt there is a remedy, perhaps others have wisdom.

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 17:03:12 GMT

I buy my phones outright because I'm grandfathered into a legacy Verizon plan. They can't throttle my unlimited data. I've chosen to not upgrade my plan because the rules for unlimited data constantly change every time they modify their plans.

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

Kforce — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 16:59:31 GMT

Not be the norm, in this post.

Have no need for a smart phone.

Purchased a $20 flip phone.

Pre-pay service that charges $10 + tax + fees ( $11 )

for 166 minutes over 4 months.

Minutes save and roll over to next quarter.

Re-up every quarter another $11

Monthly average $2.75

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

iced — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 19:41:01 GMT

I don't usually buy the top model but i will do a mid-level model like the Pro. I also try to go more than 3 years between models (my last two were a 7 and 13 Pro), but if the phone breaks or otherwise becomes unusable with current software I upgrade. I guess my strategy is to buy what I need when I need it.

No trade-ins, no financing, no price shopping on plans (I tell the salesperson what I need in my plan and they come back with a recommendation that checks all the boxes). Again, just what I need when I need it.

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

ptatohed — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 23:51:13 GMT

My wife and I are grandfathered into a Metro by T-Mobile plan which was 2 lines for $50 out the door per month. Since then, we accepted an offer for a free third line if we did a phone upgrade. So, now we have 3 lines for $50 / mo out the door. Pay with AOD so it is really $48.50, lol. The extra line came in handy when our 13 year old requested his first phone for his 13th birthday.

It technically is/was a 2GB data / line / mo plan. But no extra cost if you go over. They just "may" move us down to 3G. Well, at the time (2017) Metro/T-Mo still had a 3G network, now they do not. It's 5G and as far as I know, nothing happens anymore if we go over 2GBs in a month.

Our first Android phones were free and, since 2017, we may have done ~3 phone upgrades each, paying only the upgrade price and never more than $100 - $150 for a phone upgrade as far as I remember. Right now I have a Moto g stylus 5G and have zero issues with it.

Personally, I couldn't fathom paying $1000 for a phone. That's just me!

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:04:07 GMT

@Kforce wrote:
Not be the norm, in this post.
Have no need for a smart phone.

If you don't have a smartphone, how can we track you?

Well, the chip in the "vaccine", ,monitoring credit card use and $100 a week to your neighbors to "keep an eye on him" does the job!

Just joking (there is no chip in the vaccine)

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

ptatohed — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:20:58 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Kforce wrote:
Not be the norm, in this post.
Have no need for a smart phone.

If you don't have a smartphone, how can we track you?

Well, the chip in the "vaccine", ,monitoring credit card use and $100 a week to your neighbors to "keep an eye on him" does the job!

Just joking (there is no chip in the vaccine)

Yes but it's the smart phone Emergency Service Alert text blasts that activated the chip in the vaccine!!

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

Kforce — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 15:46:33 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Well, the chip in the "vaccine", ,monitoring credit card use and $100 a week to your neighbors to "keep an eye on him" does the job!
Just joking (there is no chip in the vaccine)

Didn't get the "vaccine" either.

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

JohnRemboSeer — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 18:45:22 GMT

I have chanched T-mobile to Boost INFINITE. For me is the best offer I have found:

1. $25 for a line. There are two of us - me and my wife, so $50 for all unlimited things.

2. It's supposed to use different cell tower for reaching the best coverage. I had troubles with T-mobile in Utah rural areas. No problems with Boost INFINITE so far (notice that it's not just Boost). Have tested around CA, NV, UT, CO.

3. You're not linked with any other services such as home internet supply, TV and so on. Using Boost independently helps you to stay away from big companies manipulations. I can guess that they can offer something, but I avoid tie-up services, so recomended for everyone.

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

ptatohed — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 03:43:26 GMT

I do really like the little perk of the T-Mo Tuesdays app. Two weeks ago was a free Jumbo Jack. This week was a Free Dave's Single. Next week is a $3 Little C. pizza.

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

Thorin809 — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 02:12:28 GMT

I used to have Sprint SERO until the service started getting worse and worse and they stopped letting you get new phones.

Now I have Google Fi. $20/month for theh line and then $10/GB for data. My bill is usually between $30 and $60, maxing out around $90 w/tax.

I've had the same phone (Pixel 4a) since March 2021 and paid about $200 for it in monthly installments. I have good laptops and desktops so a high end phone isn't a requirement for me. I'll probably use it until I run it in the ground.

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

acercode — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 19:49:12 GMT

I buy flagship phones but not iPhone and buy them at a pretty decent discount. For example I bought new S22 Ultra for $800 ($400 off), new Pixel 8 Pro for $799 ($250 off). Prepaid plans are dirt cheap: $15 at Mint (T-Mobile) and $20 at Visible (Verizon). Had I got these phones for "free" on Verizon's expensive plans, I woulda paid $1000 more over the same period.

Honestly, Pixel 8 Pro has been a major disappointment so I'm already looking for my next flagship phone even though it comes with 7 years of software updates. Maybe iPhone 16, S24 or Oneplus 12.

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

Jeffster1 — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 09:21:09 GMT

I keep it simple.

I have T-Mobile. I was an iPhone early adopter back in 2007 when only ATT carried it. I skip multiple generations of iPhones and only upgrade when batteries weaken. I usually PIF at purchase.

My plan is $45 monthly per phone (2 lines) plus $20 monthly per IPad (2 lines).

Re: Preferred wireless / cell phone strategy?

CorpCrMgr1 — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 02:56:41 GMT

Good strategy! I do the middle of the road and use it until it dies.