TracFone Low Use 1 Year Plan

[Firtree]

On eBay currently there are a few phone and 1 year plans for $49.99. You get a phone, 1 year service and 1500 minutes, 1500 texts and 1.5GB for the whole year. That’s a little more than 100 min and 100 text per month and a dirt amount of data per month. 

If you were on a really, tight budget, used libraries and free WiFi for email and almost everything this could be a low cost emergency plan. [font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Less than $5 a month. [/font]

Has anyone bought and used one of these plans?

 

[MrNoodly]

Does anyone actually TALK on the phone anymore?  :huh:

 

[B and C]

I do. I detest texting. There is something about it that is dehumanizing and intent a lot of times doesn't get through. Same with email. Then there is the extremely small screen. Difficult to get along without though.

 

[RVTravel]

Tracfone has been selling them for years on ebay. I have bought them for several years as a backup phone. Can't beat that deal.

 

[trailer-t]

Thanks for the tip. I decided to buy one (I got the $59.99 LG upgrade).
Never owned a smartphone before. T

 

[Trebor English]

Never owned a smartphone before.  T

With virtually no data you still will not have a smart phone.  No Google Maps, no Amazon, no www.CheapRVLiving.com, no weather.

 

[trailer-t]

I thought it could connect to my WIFI. Must have misunderstood.

 

[Firtree]

It will connect to your WiFi and you can use it like a small tablet to travel the internet, read Cheaprvliving, YouTube.
Just need to spend some time studying. I would suggest when you are initially learning to turn off the wireless/cellular at home so you are certain you are using just your WiFi and not using any of your cellular data. -You turn On airplane mode, then turn WiFi back on. There is a learning curve.

TracFone does sell extra data for $10 for 1GB, not a great price but not terrible. You can also buy more phone and texts, separately or in packages.
Should you find you become a big user of phone talking, texting, the internet a different phone and plan like Visible may suit you. IMO this TracFone is a good low use or emergency phone setup for $50-60 a year.

 

[highdesertranger]

can't you use any old phone to call 911. no need to pay anyone anything for an emergency phone. highdesertranger

 

[B and C]

AFAIK, all cell phones whether registered to a carrier or on a data plan or not can call 911. At least this is the way I understand it.

 

[Firtree]

can't you use any old phone to call 911.  no need to pay anyone anything for an emergency phone.  highdesertranger

 Meant an emergency phone in the sense of -I have a flat tire and need AAA or I’ve got a cold can you bring me some chicken soup? 
With 1500 minutes spread over 12 months there is not going to be many long conversations or not many of them.

 

[maki2]

Perfect phone for a true introvert who does not want to be bothered and does not want to talk to anyone and who also detest anything to do with social media, Who also does not want to share things like photos of places they go or send selfies

 

[RVTravel]

With those phones you can do anything anybody else can do, within the limits of the talk, text, data amounts.

 

[obeynoone]

yeah i have been using tracphone for years, it is just a phone, there are some smart phone options. but i am not very social, and just want a cheap phone for the odd occasion when i need it. i go to public libraries or coffee shops for internet. i also have a smart phone with no serivice, but that i can get online with anywhere i can get free wifi.

i'm old and i remember fondly a time before cellphones, when i could go about my day without being bothered, and people could just leave me a message and i would get back to them whenever i got around to it. it's hard to believe but i didn't feel like i was going to die, and i really didn't feel like i needed to know what someone else was doing every moment of the day, or what kind food they were eating.