I waited for a sale at Best Buy.

The phone was expensive, but they put it on your monthly bill. I got it at Target and got a 300$ gift card for getting it there. My monthly bill is cheaper than my home internet. If you have family I suggest seeing if anyone would let you get on their family plan. I used to think I would never even need a cell and was late to the game, now I'm addicted and would have a struggle without one. Good luck in your research.


Peace

Had a flip phone prior to that.

It is a Moto E, which uses an Android operating system. I will be upgrading my phone in a few months, to a better one. I think the phone itself cost $100 or so. I am on a no contract, pay as you go Verizon plan. $40/month, unlimited call/text and 3GB data.

I had a hell of a time getting used to typing things in on a small touch screen...it takes practice, but you get good pretty quickly.

The Moto E is a decent budget phone, but I will be upgrading to something with a bigger screen, more memory, and a better camera.

I use the phone several times a week for GPS navigation. I also use it for calls/texting, and I take many pictures with it. I also use it for the internet, especially for things like looking up part numbers and/or tools that I need when I am working on some project and not sitting at my desktop.

If you get an Android phone, get something that has more than 16 GB of memory...at least 32 GB.

Large screen and I use it mainly for texts, Google maps, and some emailing. Having a browser in there to look stuff up is a big plus. The camera is OK and comes in handy once in a while. Android 8- something or other.

Oh, and it makes phone calls.

Boost Mobile is 50 bucks a month with no contract, but there are cheaper plans out there.

My plan is only $30 a month.

I have unlimited data, but only the first 3 gb is high speed. Regular speed is usually plenty for me though because I have wifi at home.

It replaces my very old tiny flip-phone that served me well for years.

I recognized a major flaw in the smartphone package when I discovered there was no manual -- nothing to read through in order to understand how the damn thing works. I later discovered that you have to learn how to use the phone in order to access the manual that is buried in about four different layers of navigation. In short, you need to learn how to use the phone before accessing the manual that will tell you how to use the phone. Circular logic!!

Starting with the first layer, there is so much junk I need to go through and get rid of. Like I would EVER use a Walmart app!!! Not if it was the last open store on earth. It will be so much more simple once I get rid of all of those.

I was very puzzled by one app. It was labeled ICE. At first I was offended that a phone company figured I would need instant access in the event I saw someone who just might be undocumented. Later I discovered that it was actually 911. So why didn't they just label it 911? No, that would be too easy. And, it is buried about three layers deep. Not very handy if I should actually NEED to call 911.

I've figured out how to make a phone call, how to answer a phone call, how to retrieve voice mail messages. That's about all I ever needed a phone to do and my old flip phone did just that. But my daughter and my granddaughter thought I should be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. They picked the phone. I'm appreciative that they did this for me (and paid for it), but so far, I'm not very impressed with the technology.

The box said it was a Galaxy J7. The only real information provided with the phone.

ICE has been promoted as In Case of Emergency. Mine is spouse's cell.

Some years back I visited family and a member of the family called on that smartphone to talk to me and left a message. I could not retrieve and call back! I needed my host to "magically?" hover her hand over it, to scroll down to the target. I've often see members of the family "let their fingers do the hovering" to find whatever they are seeking. I cannot. Some years back another family member who was visiting gave me her cell to take a picture. I pressed and pressed (I thought) nothing.

Sigh

I use a phone for phone calls. Cellular is handy, but I seldom take it with me. I like being away from the phone sometimes. Was a computer programmer for years. I use a computer for internet, jukebox, television, whatever. I use the tools I need. I have no need for a smartphone. I don't want my crescent wrench to double as a blowtorch either.

Seventeen years ago, when we were visiting the city before moving, we had that expensive, bulky, pay as you go AT&T cells. Was convenient to drive around with the classified ads to visit rental properties.

It's not as fast as our kids' phones but does everything I need it to. With a 64gb SD card, it is carrying around 35gb of mp3's and some photos too.

Get this: It's a Tracfone, less than 7 bucks a month. A good deal unless you have to actually deal with Tracfone, in which case, hold on for a likely unpleasant experience.

Does your iPad have a maps function to help you if you get lost? If so, I don't imagine you really need a smart phone, too.

Dropped my $800 Iphone in the lake and lost everything. So, I got the cheapest model and like it much better. Fits in my pocket and does more than I'll ever need and only cost half as much to drop in the lake.

I got it free with a two year contract with my provider. I imagine I could find a cheaper deal, but I love Credo’s politics.

It's kind of billed as the "budget" model but it's got the iPhone 5 "slim long" form factor/screen which I like, and it does EVERYTHING.

I hope when mine gives up the ghost I can just get another SE. I don't want a bigger screen or anything - the SE is perfect.

from $400 to $350 too.

You have to buy the phone from them for it to work on their network. I was planning to replace my iPhone 5 (which was still operational after 3 years, only the front-facing mic stopped working, meaning I couldn't talk to Siri - this was a common thing with that model with no real fix) I had been planning to pay around $260 for the base SE, but when it came time to buy, they had reduced the price to about $160, and I actually was able to buy the next step up with more memory which was now on sale for the same ~$260 I was planning to spend on the base level one.

Looking at the site, they list used iPhone 6s now for under $200 and a new SE for $275 (although out of stock!)

to google for streets, theaters, restaurants, even radio stations that provide traffic reports. Also checking emails, even visiting DU..

Family members now interact with whatsapp "whatsupp?" And someone suggested that iPad can use it, but the Apple guy said that one needs a smartphone, needs a phone number.

I am in no rush. I am perfectly happy to continue connecting via emails and posting regular pictures. But... curious.

Yes, we were ahead of the curve - using Mac when everyone was using DOS, did not have to upgrade every year.

But now, as seniors, our comfort is more important.

I could not have gotten there without it. It got me an airport shuttle when I was out of town. I just used it to buy something when I didn't have my wallet. I feel much more secure when I have it with me.

Was around $100. We have the T-Mobile 55+plan with unlimited everything for $60/month for 2 lines. The 60 is a flat fee that includes all taxes and fees and is guaranteed for life.

It may have gone up to 70 unless you do an auto pay, but we really like it.

It's $70 a month for two lines including taxes. She bought an iPhone and I got a J3 for about $170.

I guess I could get by without, but I use it a lot. I guess it’s like I use to not have a computer and used public phones away from home. I was okay without a television for years. We used to be okay with local newspapers to read.

My kids can’t imagine their existence without a smartphone I think. I guess that is the trap of technology. If you break a rib, an X-ray can aid the doc. In the westerns Doc Adams would have to give it his best guess.

It’s good and bad. It’s up to you.

Cost was less than $200, and I like being able to check news and sports scores, plus weather forecasts. I also have an inexpensive tablet, and I use both of them to get on the Internet with my old 2007 model Dell Inspiron laptop.

So, for the $100 I pay a month, I get to stay informed on the go, and have more than enough bandwidth to do all of my genealogy work on the laptop. Once the phone and the tablet are paid off early next year, my bill should drop to about $85-90 a month. I'm satisfied for what I get for that amount of money.

for my data/voice. I'm in Europe but I presume that there are sim free contracts in the us too. I make a lot of my phone calls or text messages using apps like Whatsapp, Skype and messenger, so I never get near my monthly limits. Actually I should reduce my contract cost further....must look at that.

But in the overall smartphones are incredibly useful, and I wouldn't be without one.

Edit : I pay about 50 dollars a month but I think I can get that down to something like 30....for the 50 I get 400 minutes and 30gb which is too much as I use wifi a lot too.

I think was a little under $800. Monthly service is around $100 for two phones with unlimited plans at AT&T.

I use it a lot for Internet, steaming music, and several apps, including some for financial institutions.


I think you misheard that $400 a month cost. I can't think of and phone plan that would cost that.

I see little kids with them and I think "What do his parents do for a living"?

I also refuse to own one for several reasons.

It's getting to be a bit of a struggle though, as even my bank now wants me to install their app as the only way to do online transfers.

"It's really easy! All you have to do is install our app on your phone", they tell me.

"I don't have a smartphone", I say.

"Well, we're currently working on a solution for our elderly customers who don't have a smartphone yet."

"I'm not elderly. I just refuse to own one."

"Oh, but it's really easy. And ehm... well, we can help you get a smartphone if you feel you can't afford one."

"I can easily afford it. I just refuse to own one."

"Well, the technology is really easy to use now so you don't need to be afraid to use one any longer."

"I'm a software engineer. I'm not doddery, I'm not senile, and I love technology. I really just refuse to own a smartphone."

"????"

I may have to change banks over it. It's really just another way that trying to adapt the world to my needs instead of adapting to the world has got me into trouble.

I use Yahoo mail (in addition to Comcast) and on regular basis they pester me to add my "mobile" to stay connected..

My dentist wants to remind me of my appointments via text. I rarely check my cell phone, to they have to continue with the automatic call..

I'm getting so tired of every business just assuming that everyone owns a smartphone! I do not either.

And don't get me started on places that don't accept cash.

Just like when you ask for information and they tell you everything is on Facebook. I have never used Facebook. My friends and family think there's something wrong with me for not having a Facebook account. Sorry, I say, I just don't want one, and in light of recent events, I'm glad I never had one.

Agree with the frustration others have mentioned over these damn things requiring several layers of use just to access a very commonly used function.

The assumption of connectedness/internet is taxing

She asked me about "Cartwheel."

"I don't have a smartphone."

She had no words, just stared at me, dumbfounded.

Apparently that wasn't a response that was in her script.

Siri, the lady sitting next to me keeps saying I should stop at the next gas station and ask for directions. Am I lost?

All life's questions answered.
Right there in your pocket.

Don't really need one. If my boss needs to call me, he can call my home number, or talk to me at work. Maybe I need to call a tow truck or check a tap list. That's the only reason I'd need one. Too many people treat their phone like 'MASTER' and check it constantly for orders.

Wolf

we think alike.

Android 5.0
Unlimited calls
Unlimited text
5Gig data - then charged.
Unlimited WiFi - try to do all Internet here.

Free phone & charger at plan start up
$35.00/month
Same phone
Same battery
Same charger transformer
3 total replace USB charger cables thus far.

Have had it four years counting.

Touch screen difficult at first took awhile but got used to it.

It's the best phone I've ever used, period. Virgin is no-contract, so you have to pay for the phone up-front, but I got the SE (which is a non-flashy, not the latest phone they carry) on sale for $140. The plan I'm on is $35, but I get a $5 discount for using auto-pay.

I use it to navigate as GPS, look up information on the go, transmit my Walgreens member card info to the terminal (it has Apple-pay but my bank, unfortunately, doesn't participate...) It connects to my car to play podcasts to override the radio, I can make phone calls handsfree in the car via Bluetooth connection, and from my computer with a headset if the phone is in the other room. This sounds minor, but being able to use voice commands to do all kinds of things including set a timer without touching the phone is amazing. It listens for "Hey, Siri" and I can tell it to do something or ask a question...even something as simple as "How hot is it outside?" Another stealth feature is if I can't find my phone, I can walk around calling "Hey, Siri?" and if the phone is in hearing radius it responds. In the car I can have Siri read text messages while I'm driving and I can say things like "Text Dad 'I'm on the way.'"

also that it uses the same operating system as my Ipad making app sharing so easy.

I'm paying $45 month through U.S. Cellular which seems pretty good since I'm getting unlimited talk, text, and 2 gigs of data which is enough to meet all my needs.

Your $140 price is the best I've seen. Paid full price $350 for mine. I think I have seen Consumer Cellular advertising $200 which was lowest for SE I had seen until I saw your post.

Which is not a downside to me, I've never had any issues with them - perhaps that's why there's a discount since you can't take it off their network.

If you use a Mac it's amazing how easily the iPhone integrates. I didn't know until I discovered by accident I could make calls from the computer using the phone (which can be in the other room - Bluetooth range). I was in my contacts just going "what does this button do?" and it says "Calling Dad using your iPhone..." Speaker and mic activated, the computer is now a phone without me doing anything except initially syncing it to the computer on activation.

I love how I receive incoming calls to my Iphone on my Ipad and talk throught the speaker. Its great when I'm on or near the Ipad and I don't know where my Iphone is. I discovered it completely by accident when I was using the Ipad and it started ringing and announcing a call. Very cool feature.

That and FaceTime

with family member. And I had to tell him that if he could not make it over, to please call That him sending me emails, I have to sit at my computer, that I don't have a smart phone to get them.

I paid 100 or so for it (I forget).

I use wireless republic and pay 12.00 a month for unlimited cell/text. My daughter's phone cost about double that (another Moto - G) and I pay for her monthly plan at 20 a month - also wireless republic.

You do know that you can now use voice commands with your phone

I got a smart phone a couple months ago for the possibility of using it as a wifi hotspot via some kind of ap. I had to go a hundred miles to get it as it was only offered at a certain store. I had it for two weeks and I took it back, I hated it and I couldn't get the wifi hot spot to work because I only get one or two bars of signal in my home. I have a laptop for internet, email, coming here to catch up on news.

If your situation works for you and you're happy, then why change?

I didn't get a smartphone until I needed a smartphone. Two different taxi services made me wait over two hours for a ride on two separate occasions. I wasn't going to wait a third time. So I bought the cheapest Tracfone smartphone on the site and installed the Uber app and never looked back.

I will never have to hear "We're short drivers. They're coming I promise... blah, blah blah." again.

But last month we were in Philadelphia. With a bit of limited mobility so could not walk much. In front of the hotels - plenty of taxis. Away, even around Independence Hall - more difficult.

Finally, at the wedding site, in the evening, we had to have our host to call us an Uber. And, yes, she did well that evening. Everyone was calling for Uber. Normally there would be many taxis waiting there.

In hindsight, I should have carried the taxi's phone number - listed on the door - with me to call when needed.

.... And I have a Verizon Samsung Galaxy J-3. It cost me$79 plus tax, and I have internet access, I do banking on it along with other services, has a nice front and rear camera that I can receive photos on and send photos, and it's great to have handy to access information I may need on the spur of the moment. By the way, it's a pretty good phone too. Cost me $45 a month 4 internet access phone and texting. Wouldn't have it any other way. I have talk to text, and I would not go through that agonizing, painful flip phone, button-pushing texting again for anything in the world.

I think will stay with the $200 a year for both of us. For now.

She still has to pay for a service which right now costs her$30 a month. I am curious as to what service you can get for $200 a year. I know mine adds up over a year's time but since it comes in small increments at a time it doesn't hurt at all. I do get a ton of use out of the service I have so for me it's worth it. Hell, it's worth it to me not to have to push a button a hundred times to send a five-word text.

Spouse purchased in June for one year with double the minutes - $110.47 (incl. Tax)

I purchased in August with time until Nov. 2018: $78.62

Same amount for the June one, and I suspect that my November would be the same.

Now, it does vary on how many minutes one uses and since we don't use them that much, we purchase the minimum, almost.

https://www.tracfone.com/shop/plans

Thanks for the info. I may try to steer my wife that way. Me? I guess I'm just too spoiled now.

When hurricane Sandy hit us, the cell towers were all down in the first two hours. Power was out 4 days. We never lost our landline. The landline costs us about $21 / mo. For the twice a year I might want to text, I can use a computer.

As of yesterday morning, or, perhaps Wednesday evening, after our neighbor mowed his lawn - no landline!

Should have suspected when no scam calls were coming. We have a base unit in the kitchen and several cordless extensions spread around the house. And yesterday all we've heard was a strange noise, almost like statics. We do keep an old Princess phone that does not need electricity and... it was dead.

CenturyLinke will come... Sunday morning. What if we did not have even a flip phone? No 911 access?

After rebate it was $40. I live on it. Surf the net. Emails. Play games, listen to music, and read books.

Don't have a computer. Without my phone, I would be a very unhappy man.

I used to say I did not want a smartphone, until I got one. Now I can't live without one.

...I posted here asking for advice on smart phones and service plans. I'm going to San Diego this month and I've never been there before. Thought I should have something other than my prepaid flip phone so that I could have Google Maps and the Uber app. But frankly, the more research I do the more I'm tempted to just go old school and buy a map of the city and just figure it out. Everything cost far more than I'm willing to pay for something that I'm not going to use that much and the reviews I've read about some of the cheaper phones are a bit TOO consistent in their complaints regarding the phones negatives. San Diego seems to have a pretty good transit system (at least, it looks that way online) so I'm kinda leaning towards just getting around the way people used to do it before smart phones.

it may be too much of a hassle.

Yes, San Diego is really small town and easy to navigate.

I have a Samsung Galaxy S9. I paid $500 for it (I waited for a sale). Previously I used a Samsung Galaxy S4 that was having charging problems and slowdown issues (2013 model).

A smartphone is required for my job (and I get a cell phone stipend). I have unlimited minutes and texting with 2 GB data (mostly used for GPS as other things I do over wifi at home/work). I'm (at least) a generation younger than most on this forum and have never had a landline in my own name.

...we havent bought a brand new phone yes as I dont like the fact I have to use a Bluetooth headset. We both have unlimited text and talk and its under 200$ a month for everything unlimited.

Ps..my hubbys chevy cruz radio is like what you described....and the buttons are tiny.

Unlimited talk,

Unlimited text,

Unlimited data,

$81 a month.

for $150.00 and paid cash so there's no payment plan. My carrier is Consumer Cellular. I pay around $65 a month. I have unlimited calls, unlimited texts, and I'm not sure exactly what my data gig (if that's the right way to say it) amount is but most months I'm okay (I normally have access to either my laptop at home or my desktop at work to do my internet surfing). Having said that, having the internet on the phone has helped me out many, many times. Whether I need it as a GPS to get me places (my car doesn't have GPS), or I need to check my email, I'm very, very happy with it.

This is my second post in this thread, as I given this some thought.

Start out with with a good "budget" phone...either Android or a cheaper iPhone.

Do a few Google searches on the differences between Android and ios (iphone) operating systems. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, but they are both good systems, in my opinion. Understand that whatever system you choose, you will be with it forever unless you really hate it. As you learn the phone, you will tend to stick with what you already know, and you may be reluctant to change from one to the other.

Once you decide on the operating system, and then the phone itself,, look for the most beneficial "PREPAID" plan that you can find, for the phone that you choose. This allows you to pay month to month, without a contract. That means you can always ditch the phone and/or plan anytime if you don't like it.

As you start using it, find the users manual online. These manuals are very informative, and tend to be very easy to read.

Don't worry about typing/texting on the phone. When I first got mine, I literally could not do it. I had to go into a Verizon store and have an employee help me get started. I felt like I was learning a new language...but you adapt to it very quickly.

we use them for a continuous glucose meter (diabetes), and a variety of other health reports. Great for doctor visits (too frequent now days).

Of course, now we're using an Apple Watch to do some of the same things but it's harder to see and "buttons" are even smaller than the phones.