Comments on: 5 Ways to Lower your Cell Phone Bill http://frugaldad.com/2008/12/19/ways-to-lower-cell-phone-bill/ Tips for living frugal while still having a life Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:33:01 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Frustrated2 http://frugaldad.com/2008/12/19/ways-to-lower-cell-phone-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-19888 Frustrated2 Wed, 11 Mar 2009 03:29:11 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=943#comment-19888 My bill was almost 150.00 a month and I almost cut it in half. Try http://www.onlinebillreview.com they scan your bill and save you money. I now get a 23% discount every month because of where I work. I've been here over 3 years and didn't know I could get a discount! Go check them out they should be able to help you. My bill was almost 150.00 a month and I almost cut it in half. Try http://www.onlinebillreview.com they scan your bill and save you money. I now get a 23% discount every month because of where I work. I’ve been here over 3 years and didn’t know I could get a discount! Go check them out they should be able to help you.

]]> By: Matt http://frugaldad.com/2008/12/19/ways-to-lower-cell-phone-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-14739 Matt Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:28:40 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=943#comment-14739 If you're an occasional user or don't care about data usage, there's a small company called Consumer Cellular (www.consumercellular.com) with very low rate plans and no contracts. I'm not affiliated with them except as a customer, but AARP recently endorsed them. Our contract at T-Mobile just ended and they wouldn't match the rate, so we've recently changed our plan to them. They have minute plans starting at $20 for 200 minute or $30 for 500 minutes, with an extra $10 for each additional line. I couldn't believe the savings on our plan. If you’re an occasional user or don’t care about data usage, there’s a small company called Consumer Cellular (www.consumercellular.com) with very low rate plans and no contracts. I’m not affiliated with them except as a customer, but AARP recently endorsed them. Our contract at T-Mobile just ended and they wouldn’t match the rate, so we’ve recently changed our plan to them. They have minute plans starting at $20 for 200 minute or $30 for 500 minutes, with an extra $10 for each additional line. I couldn’t believe the savings on our plan.

]]> By: Dad Knows Stuff http://frugaldad.com/2008/12/19/ways-to-lower-cell-phone-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-14377 Dad Knows Stuff Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:24:08 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=943#comment-14377 Here's one that might seem a little extreme, but if you're in a position where you need to make a few bucks, and you want to lower your bill for a couple of years, try what I did: Get a job (or second job) at Radio Shack. Coordinate getting an employee rate through the carriers you sell at your store (around $20/month for 3000 anytime minutes, 1000 N/W). After it's all locked in, you can quit or stay at the job as your financial circumstances dictate. I've never heard of anyone losing their employee rate once they leave. I've been gone for 2 years and still enjoy $20/month. Here’s one that might seem a little extreme, but if you’re in a position where you need to make a few bucks, and you want to lower your bill for a couple of years, try what I did:

Get a job (or second job) at Radio Shack. Coordinate getting an employee rate through the carriers you sell at your store (around $20/month for 3000 anytime minutes, 1000 N/W). After it’s all locked in, you can quit or stay at the job as your financial circumstances dictate. I’ve never heard of anyone losing their employee rate once they leave. I’ve been gone for 2 years and still enjoy $20/month.

]]> By: Scordo.com http://frugaldad.com/2008/12/19/ways-to-lower-cell-phone-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-14363 Scordo.com Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:32:38 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=943#comment-14363 Have folks tried calling their carrier and asking for a lower rate, especially around the time your 2 year plan is up (I'm sure someone has mentioned this, but the method does reduce cost)! Best, ttp://www.scordo.com/blog/blog - a practical living blog Have folks tried calling their carrier and asking for a lower rate, especially around the time your 2 year plan is up (I’m sure someone has mentioned this, but the method does reduce cost)!

Best,
ttp://www.scordo.com/blog/blog – a practical living blog

]]> By: The Penny Pincher http://frugaldad.com/2008/12/19/ways-to-lower-cell-phone-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-14300 The Penny Pincher Sun, 21 Dec 2008 19:31:02 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=943#comment-14300 In the United States, you are fortunate to have a somewhat competitive market. Here, in Canada, we pay some of the world's highest rates in the world. Our cell phone oligopoly (a handful of companies) of course claim they have extra costs because of the size of the country and small population (a load of crock, because only a small fraction of the country actually has cell coverage and the regions covered have a higher population density that the United States). To make a long story short, our cell phone companies love gouging us. My solution: a Virgin Mobile prepaid cell phone. Just as long as I buy $15 worth of airtime every 6 months, my phone number does not expire. I don't use it as a phone, and keep it mainly for traveling or emergencies. On average, I might spend $5 or $10 on my cell phone. It only cost me $50-or-so when I bought it and it had a $20 credit included. In the United States, you are fortunate to have a somewhat competitive market. Here, in Canada, we pay some of the world’s highest rates in the world. Our cell phone oligopoly (a handful of companies) of course claim they have extra costs because of the size of the country and small population (a load of crock, because only a small fraction of the country actually has cell coverage and the regions covered have a higher population density that the United States). To make a long story short, our cell phone companies love gouging us. My solution: a Virgin Mobile prepaid cell phone. Just as long as I buy $15 worth of airtime every 6 months, my phone number does not expire. I don’t use it as a phone, and keep it mainly for traveling or emergencies. On average, I might spend $5 or $10 on my cell phone. It only cost me $50-or-so when I bought it and it had a $20 credit included.

]]> By: Dana @ Letters to Elijah http://frugaldad.com/2008/12/19/ways-to-lower-cell-phone-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-14166 Dana @ Letters to Elijah Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:50:26 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=943#comment-14166 Hubby and I got the best rate around. Since we use it for work - we just asked our boss to take over the plan... and he said yes :) sweet! Hubby and I got the best rate around. Since we use it for work – we just asked our boss to take over the plan… and he said yes :) sweet!

]]> By: Bill in NC http://frugaldad.com/2008/12/19/ways-to-lower-cell-phone-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-14165 Bill in NC Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:16:17 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=943#comment-14165 Prepaid works very well up to about 300 minutes/month. The cheapest for occasional use is T-Mobile prepaid, because once you add $100 in refills, any refill (even the $10 one) extends expiration for another year. Page Plus is probably the cheapest prepaid Verizon reseller, but require a minimum $10 refill every 120 days, though you can manage your account online. Most other prepaid plans require you to add (every year) a $100 card to extend expiration for a year. Prepaid works very well up to about 300 minutes/month.

The cheapest for occasional use is T-Mobile prepaid, because once you add $100 in refills, any refill (even the $10 one) extends expiration for another year.

Page Plus is probably the cheapest prepaid Verizon reseller, but require a minimum $10 refill every 120 days, though you can manage your account online.

Most other prepaid plans require you to add (every year) a $100 card to extend expiration for a year.

]]> By: jim of Blueprint for Financial Prosperity http://frugaldad.com/2008/12/19/ways-to-lower-cell-phone-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-14164 jim of Blueprint for Financial Prosperity Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:57:57 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=943#comment-14164 I always schedule my long phone calls for the weekend, when I have the energy to talk to my parents for an hour. :) I always schedule my long phone calls for the weekend, when I have the energy to talk to my parents for an hour. :)

]]> By: DavidK http://frugaldad.com/2008/12/19/ways-to-lower-cell-phone-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-14162 DavidK Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:38:56 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=943#comment-14162 No problem Joe. Amen to the charges for text messaging. Being in IT myself, it seems outrageous to independently charge for something that should be just covered by the existing plan charges. I understand they have to cover the equipment and pay the support people who care for them, but we pay enough for these plans already. And since the infrastructure is already in place, what is left that we're paying for? I guess that we really are paying for all those people standing in the background of those Verizon ads. No problem Joe.

Amen to the charges for text messaging. Being in IT myself, it seems outrageous to independently charge for something that should be just covered by the existing plan charges. I understand they have to cover the equipment and pay the support people who care for them, but we pay enough for these plans already. And since the infrastructure is already in place, what is left that we’re paying for? I guess that we really are paying for all those people standing in the background of those Verizon ads.

]]> By: Joe http://frugaldad.com/2008/12/19/ways-to-lower-cell-phone-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-14160 Joe Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:33:46 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=943#comment-14160 My response wasn't intended to sound mean, or any other negative adjective. I just wanted to make sure that any readers got the truth. If anything like that bled through, it's more an indication of my frustration with Verizon (and the outrageous charges for text messaging in general, by all carriers). My response wasn’t intended to sound mean, or any other negative adjective. I just wanted to make sure that any readers got the truth. If anything like that bled through, it’s more an indication of my frustration with Verizon (and the outrageous charges for text messaging in general, by all carriers).

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