Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
I am looking for the cheapest cell phone plan that will allows for voice/text very infrequently (like a few minutes/texts a month).
I believe AT&T has a prepaid plan that costs $100 for 1000 minutes/texts and expires in 1 year. This is $8.33/mo.
Is there anything cheaper?
I believe AT&T has a prepaid plan that costs $100 for 1000 minutes/texts and expires in 1 year. This is $8.33/mo.
Is there anything cheaper?
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Red Pocket Mobile on Sprint/T-Mobile network is $2.50 per month if you buy a $30/yr refill on eBay.
I have not tried this company or this service, but the Internet tells me it's real.
I have not tried this company or this service, but the Internet tells me it's real.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
I have this plan. It's $100 for 1000 minutes (.10c per minute) for voice and it's 20 cents each I believe for text messages. I very seldom do text. You do not have to pay anything to renew each year if you have at least $100 carry over on your account.creant wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 12:44 pm I am looking for the cheapest cell phone plan that will allows for voice/text very infrequently (like a few minutes/texts a month).
I believe AT&T has a prepaid plan that costs $100 for 1000 minutes/texts and expires in 1 year. This is $8.33/mo.
Is there anything cheaper?
Edit: Update on this plan--- AT&T went up on this plan to .35c a minute and you have to renew every 30 days. They say you can renew by paying one dollar, but the only way you can do that is to call them which is a hassle. If you renew online it cost a minimum of five dollars.
Last edited by Abe on Wed Jul 12, 2023 10:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Link to ebay offer: https://www.ebay.com/itm/133196831828?v ... BM5taYz9Nf
This seems like a deal that would be hard to beat. You get 200 minutes a month (but it does not roll over). The primary downside to relatively low monthly limits is that you often have to buy a "refill" if you go over (and that refill often doesn't roll over). Buy if someone just wants a phone to use very irregularly it could work out very well. One concern can be the age of the phone you want to use. If the phone is an older flip phone using 2G or 3G networks those networks are being phased out.
The closest helping hand is at the end of your own arm.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Edit: it turns out the 10c, 15c, and even the 25c per minute plans from AT&T prepaid are no longer available.
Last edited by DavidC on Fri Jan 28, 2022 1:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
In true boglehead fashion my chief concern is saving enough to withstand 7 consecutive biblical plagues. - TheNightsToCome
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
I'm on my second year of the $2.50/$30 annual Red Pocket plan. It works well for my needs.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Red Pocket sounds like a great deal. What is the cheapest phone for this service?
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Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
I use prepaid Tracfone, which uses Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon networks. Locally, my connection is with AT&T. I had a 3G phone, and Tracfone notified me I needed to update to a new model. Among the options I was presented with on their web site was a no cost 4G LTE-compatible basic phone for me to continue service with them.
I buy the prepaid cards at the local grocery or drug store, which extends service another 90 days (and are typically about $20).
I buy the prepaid cards at the local grocery or drug store, which extends service another 90 days (and are typically about $20).
“Now shall I walk or shall I ride? |
'Ride,' Pleasure said; |
'Walk,' Joy replied.” |
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Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
I have used red pocket for years and love it.
However, I'd first ask if this phone is going to be around wifi all the time. If so, you could get a cheap android phone, get a google voice number for free, and use google voice and google chat for free.
As for a device, I like unlocked motorola phones because they usually work with all the carriers, so I can jump around to a different cheap carrier if I want.
However, I'd first ask if this phone is going to be around wifi all the time. If so, you could get a cheap android phone, get a google voice number for free, and use google voice and google chat for free.
As for a device, I like unlocked motorola phones because they usually work with all the carriers, so I can jump around to a different cheap carrier if I want.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Tracfone with the 365 day plan is worth considering
Focus on what you can control
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Check out Tello https://tello.com/
I do a hybrid. I use the pay as you go talk which is $.01/minute. You need to start with a $20 (before taxes) prepaid purchase but afterwards you can have it auto top up for $10 when the balance falls below $2.00. On a monthly basis, I buy the unlimited text and 500mg data monthly plan for $5 (no taxes). If you manually renew the plan one day before the plan month ends, any unused data is rolled over to the next month. If you need more data 1gb is $6.
I haven't spent my original $20 yet so my monthly cost is $5.
I do a hybrid. I use the pay as you go talk which is $.01/minute. You need to start with a $20 (before taxes) prepaid purchase but afterwards you can have it auto top up for $10 when the balance falls below $2.00. On a monthly basis, I buy the unlimited text and 500mg data monthly plan for $5 (no taxes). If you manually renew the plan one day before the plan month ends, any unused data is rolled over to the next month. If you need more data 1gb is $6.
I haven't spent my original $20 yet so my monthly cost is $5.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
+1
The minutes don't expire, they roll over to the new year. I bought a 4G-LTE Android phone and they transferred the minutes and remaining time from my old 3G phone to the new one.
"I was born with nothing and I have most of it left."
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Textnow is free, ad-supported. From what I hear though, not terribly reliable. But you did ask for the cheapest.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
If you are on Medicaid, you can often get FREE service, but only for one person per household.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
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Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Will the $20 credit expire? The website seems to say it expires after 90 days.GeMoney wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:01 pm Check out Tello https://tello.com/
I do a hybrid. I use the pay as you go talk which is $.01/minute. You need to start with a $20 (before taxes) prepaid purchase but afterwards you can have it auto top up for $10 when the balance falls below $2.00. On a monthly basis, I buy the unlimited text and 500mg data monthly plan for $5 (no taxes). If you manually renew the plan one day before the plan month ends, any unused data is rolled over to the next month. If you need more data 1gb is $6.
I haven't spent my original $20 yet so my monthly cost is $5.
My signature has been deleted.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Yes it will expire in 90 days if no other purchase is made but if you have a monthly (30 days) plans as I outline, the balance is maintained.indexfundfan wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 9:17 pmWill the $20 credit expire? The website seems to say it expires after 90 days.GeMoney wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:01 pm Check out Tello https://tello.com/
I do a hybrid. I use the pay as you go talk which is $.01/minute. You need to start with a $20 (before taxes) prepaid purchase but afterwards you can have it auto top up for $10 when the balance falls below $2.00. On a monthly basis, I buy the unlimited text and 500mg data monthly plan for $5 (no taxes). If you manually renew the plan one day before the plan month ends, any unused data is rolled over to the next month. If you need more data 1gb is $6.
I haven't spent my original $20 yet so my monthly cost is $5.
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Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Thank you. I'm going to give the $5 Tello plan (plus a $20 prepaid purchase) a try when the one-year Red Pocket $60 plan expires. I like the flexibility of being able to change plans mid-term and the unlimited 2G data.GeMoney wrote: ↑Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:42 amYes it will expire in 90 days if no other purchase is made but if you have a monthly (30 days) plans as I outline, the balance is maintained.indexfundfan wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 9:17 pmWill the $20 credit expire? The website seems to say it expires after 90 days.GeMoney wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:01 pm Check out Tello https://tello.com/
I do a hybrid. I use the pay as you go talk which is $.01/minute. You need to start with a $20 (before taxes) prepaid purchase but afterwards you can have it auto top up for $10 when the balance falls below $2.00. On a monthly basis, I buy the unlimited text and 500mg data monthly plan for $5 (no taxes). If you manually renew the plan one day before the plan month ends, any unused data is rolled over to the next month. If you need more data 1gb is $6.
I haven't spent my original $20 yet so my monthly cost is $5.
My signature has been deleted.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Got the cheapest Red Pocket plan for an infrequently used phone. Works fine except for lots of spam.
Decided to go with Mint for a second phone that is used more regularly.
Decided to go with Mint for a second phone that is used more regularly.
Last edited by creant on Sat Mar 12, 2022 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
I have had red pocket for two years and I have no complaints. I think you are experiencing an aberration.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
H2O Wireless (AT&T MVNO) is cheaper for your needs. Lightest plan is $9 every three months (auto-pay). They charge 5¢ per minute/per text.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Looking for this kind of price ($9 every 3 months) but for Verizon network. Looked high and low w/o success. Anybody know of such a plan?
All we want are the facts...
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
pagepluscellular.com offers a pay-as-you go plan...$10 refill every 90 days (not 3 months) or $80 for a year's expiry.
I use callingmart.com for refill PINs & reload manually.
but you can also setup auto-pay at callingmart where a $10 Page Plus PIN is applied directly to your phone every 90 days.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Perfect, thank you very much!ncbill wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 9:39 am pagepluscellular.com offers a pay-as-you go plan...$10 refill every 90 days (not 3 months) or $80 for a year's expiry.
I use callingmart.com for refill PINs & reload manually.
but you can also setup auto-pay at callingmart where a $10 Page Plus PIN is applied directly to your phone every 90 days.
All we want are the facts...
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
[duplicate]
Last edited by MrJones on Thu Mar 16, 2023 1:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
ncbill wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 9:39 am pagepluscellular.com offers a pay-as-you go plan...$10 refill every 90 days (not 3 months) or $80 for a year's expiry.
I use callingmart.com for refill PINs & reload manually.
but you can also setup auto-pay at callingmart where a $10 Page Plus PIN is applied directly to your phone every 90 days.
I don't understand how this works. I pay $10 total, and if I make less than 166mins of voice calls in 90 days, I'm good, and have an option to extend that another 90 days with another $10? The site says I need to have bought a "Pay-As-You-Go plan PIN" What does this mean?
To start using a the $10 Standard PIN (even if you are a current Page Plus customer on a different plan), you will need to already be subscribed to a current monthly plan or have purchased a Pay-As-You-Go plan PIN. You can use a $10 Standard PIN to add minutes to any of our monthly plans.
Thank you!
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Actually I was wrong...$10 refill is good for 120 days (but not 4 months) on the pay-as-you-go plan.MrJones wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 1:10 amncbill wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 9:39 am pagepluscellular.com offers a pay-as-you go plan...$10 refill every 90 days (not 3 months) or $80 for a year's expiry.
I use callingmart.com for refill PINs & reload manually.
but you can also setup auto-pay at callingmart where a $10 Page Plus PIN is applied directly to your phone every 90 days.
I don't understand how this works. I pay $10 total, and if I make less than 166mins of voice calls in 90 days, I'm good, and have an option to extend that another 90 days with another $10? The site says I need to have bought a "Pay-As-You-Go plan PIN" What does this mean?
To start using a the $10 Standard PIN (even if you are a current Page Plus customer on a different plan), you will need to already be subscribed to a current monthly plan or have purchased a Pay-As-You-Go plan PIN. You can use a $10 Standard PIN to add minutes to any of our monthly plans.
Thank you!
Yes, you buy another $10 pay-as-you go PIN to extend for another 120 days.
At callingmart dot com you can have the PIN loaded onto the phone and can set it up to load automatically a new $10 PIN every 120 days.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Cheapest "per minute" depends on how many minutes you need/use.
The plan I'm on provides unlimited voice, text, and 1gb of data each month for $100 a year if you pre-pay for a year
https://libertywireless.com/
The plan I'm on provides unlimited voice, text, and 1gb of data each month for $100 a year if you pre-pay for a year
https://libertywireless.com/
"To achieve satisfactory investment results is easier than most people realize; to achieve superior results is harder than it looks." - Benjamin Graham
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Yes, they have gone up to 35c per minute now.DavidC wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:53 pmEdit: it turns out the 10c, 15c, and even the 25c per minute plans from AT&T prepaid are no longer available.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
it looks like u have plenty of options here, but there's also US Mobile. they use the verizon network, and for seven dollars a month u get 2500 minutes and 2500 texts. it's not much more for unlimited call and text as long as there isn't much data involved. verizon network is probably the best, plus u get more than just meager amount of minutes per month.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
I see that, but how does one get on the Pay-As-You-Go plan? The above just seems to be the refill part according to the website. Thanks.ncbill wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:15 am Actually I was wrong...$10 refill is good for 120 days (but not 4 months) on the pay-as-you-go plan.
Yes, you buy another $10 pay-as-you go PIN to extend for another 120 days.
At callingmart dot com you can have the PIN loaded onto the phone and can set it up to load automatically a new $10 PIN every 120 days.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Start here:MrJones wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 9:37 pmI see that, but how does one get on the Pay-As-You-Go plan? The above just seems to be the refill part according to the website. Thanks.ncbill wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:15 am Actually I was wrong...$10 refill is good for 120 days (but not 4 months) on the pay-as-you-go plan.
Yes, you buy another $10 pay-as-you go PIN to extend for another 120 days.
At callingmart dot com you can have the PIN loaded onto the phone and can set it up to load automatically a new $10 PIN every 120 days.
https://www.pagepluscellular.com/activate/
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Start here, pick a pay-as-you go (not a monthly) plan:MrJones wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 9:37 pmI see that, but how does one get on the Pay-As-You-Go plan? The above just seems to be the refill part according to the website. Thanks.ncbill wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:15 am Actually I was wrong...$10 refill is good for 120 days (but not 4 months) on the pay-as-you-go plan.
Yes, you buy another $10 pay-as-you go PIN to extend for another 120 days.
At callingmart dot com you can have the PIN loaded onto the phone and can set it up to load automatically a new $10 PIN every 120 days.
https://www.pagepluscellular.com/activate/
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
Ah okay, good to know, thanks much!
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
I have the same questions as the OP and Red Rocket looks pretty good to me for my unlocked iPhone SE. Does anyone out there have an even better deal or is that it?
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
I get unlimited calling for $14/month (and no taxes or fees) through my cable company (Spectrum). However, it requires that you are also a cable or internet customer. I don't use cable, but ince they are the monopoly on internet service in my area, I qualify. If 5G arrives, the equation might change.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
This site will tell you what's cheapest based on your entered criteria: https://prepaidcompare.net/
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
The Tello website also mentions they support WiFi Calling. That's an awesome feature.GeMoney wrote: ↑Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:42 amYes it will expire in 90 days if no other purchase is made but if you have a monthly (30 days) plans as I outline, the balance is maintained.indexfundfan wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 9:17 pmWill the $20 credit expire? The website seems to say it expires after 90 days.GeMoney wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:01 pm Check out Tello https://tello.com/
I do a hybrid. I use the pay as you go talk which is $.01/minute. You need to start with a $20 (before taxes) prepaid purchase but afterwards you can have it auto top up for $10 when the balance falls below $2.00. On a monthly basis, I buy the unlimited text and 500mg data monthly plan for $5 (no taxes). If you manually renew the plan one day before the plan month ends, any unused data is rolled over to the next month. If you need more data 1gb is $6.
I haven't spent my original $20 yet so my monthly cost is $5.
Did you have a chance to try it out?
I was tired yesterday and I'm tired again today. I'm retired.
Re: Cheapest Per Minute Cell Phone Plan
I went with red rocket. 100 minutes of phone minutes and 100 texts and some data. So far all free. The first chip would not work but the second one did. And so far all good.