# Cellphone Advice. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 5, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellphone-advice/813648 "2018-05-05T17:26:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellphone-advice/813648/1 "2018-05-05T17:26:04Z")
I’m switch from my crummy tracfone, to something better. Issues [ol] [li]I do not want mandatory bill paying, from a bank account. After a difficult incident my late Brother had, with too much taken out of an account, I don’t let anybody but me & my bank have access.[/li][li]I don’t want autopay, from a credit card. If my card numbers are stolen, & I must cancel the card, serious issues could appear.[/li][li]Simple paper billing for the cell phone is prefereable.[/li][li]My usage is low, so a high-end plan, or phone for that matter, is likely too much. Mostly, I want a phone, a camera, a few texts, & once every month or two, net access.[/li][/ol] Do any Doper have recommendations? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellphone-advice/813648/2 "2018-05-05T18:02:33Z")
I have a relatively recent flip phone on Virgin Mobile PayLo. $20/mo for 400 minutes but I can’t send texts; texting adds another $10, IIRC. Texting and net access would bring the total to [$35 or $45/mo](https://www.virginmobileusa.com/plans/beyond-talk.html). Pay online at [Welcome Virgin Mobile USA Customers | Boost Mobile](https://myaccount.virginmobileusa.com/myaccount/topup.do/) with either a debit card, credit card, or pre-paid Virgin card. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellphone-advice/813648/3 "2018-05-05T18:09:40Z")
What exactly is wrong with Tracfone? If the service is OK, but you don’t like the phone get a different phone. > **[No Contract 5G Prepaid Plans & Smartphones - Tracfone](https://www.tracfone.com/home)** > > Tracfone has 5G Nationwide Coverage! Built on America’s most reliable 5G network, explore our no contract plans and smartphones and join today! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellphone-advice/813648/4 "2018-05-05T18:15:27Z")
I got my daughter a phone from Cricket. You might want to take a look at them. Very cheap unlimited plans and no automated billing. You buy the phone upfront and there’s no contracts. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellphone-advice/813648/5 "2018-05-05T18:24:43Z")
Verizon has pay as you go card thing. You can get any phone and hook on to that service and just buy a card every month. No bills, no contract. Straight talk is another service with a card. My son has that and is happy as heck. His bill went from over $150. per month to $45 a month for the card. Unlimited everything (I think). You bring your own phone or you can get a low-end smart phone from them. Around here Walmart is the outlet. ETA my son just confirmed it, unlimited talk/text/data with Straight talk. $45 monthly. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellphone-advice/813648/6 "2018-05-06T14:29:33Z")
I don’t know if Ting has the kind of billing you want – you might want to check them out. I just let them auto-bill my debit card and have never had a problem. My bill on Ting is always either $12 or $15; that is for up to 100 minutes of calls and up to 100 texts – I never use data except on WiFi, but a small amount of data would add $3 to the bill. It is great for light users but their plans are not aimed at heavy users. If you don’t use any data for the month you don’t pay anything for data, if you don’t text for a month you don’t pay for texts. Theoretically, if you don’t make (or receive) any calls for a month you don’t pay for calls, however, there has never yet been a month in which I haven’t received at least on junk phone call, so that part is only theoretical. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellphone-advice/813648/7 "2018-05-06T20:22:40Z")
T-Mobile has a $3/month Pay As You Go plan here: [https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/marketing-module/prepaid\_plans.html](https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/marketing-module/prepaid_plans.html) You get 30 minutes combined talk and text, $0.10/min or text for overages. Data is available for $5/day or $10/week as needed. You add money online in any amount over $10 by CC or bank account or you can buy prepaid cards. Since it’s T-Mobile and it uses SIM cards, you can choose from hundreds of GSM 1900 compatible phones. Since it’s only $3/month, I have two spare accounts/phones. I keep one in my car for emergencies and a credit card sized (about 1/8" thick) one in my wallet. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellphone-advice/813648/8 "2018-05-06T20:26:30Z")
If you go with T-Mobile, keep an eye out for local close-outs on Prepaid phone kits. They usually go on clearance when new models come out. I usually shop at Amazon. The super small phone I keep in my wallet was $20 and I got a basic Android model for $10!