Where to get a simple flip phone with cellular only?

[Anonymous]

I want my kids to have flip-phones they can use to make emergency calls or to reach me occasionally. I don't want data, I don't want a monthly plan. Where do I go for this? I tried Verizon and T Mobile but neither offer this. Someone mentioned Target but I think they only sell the actual phones, not the minutes, but I'm not really sure. Thanks

[Anonymous]

TracFone. You can buy them at Walmart, then activate them at home and reload them online. My son has a flip phone with only call this way, exactly as you described.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TracFone. You can buy them at Walmart, then activate them at home and reload them online. My son has a flip phone with only call this way, exactly as you described.

NP here - that's what I was going to suggest as well but do the minutes expire? Because if it costs $10 for 30 minutes and those minutes are only good for 30 days, then wouldn't she essentially be paying $10 a month which is just like having a monthly plan anyway (which she said she didn't want). I'm looking for something similar for my kids but am having a hard time sorting out all the options and the ones with minutes that expire don't seem to be what I want. I don't want to be forced to buy minutes every month.

[Anonymous]

Target. I got a flip phone and then you buy a card for $35 that gives you unlimited talk and text for 90 days. I think the whole thing ran me about $70.

When I looked into this, you basically had to have some cost and time limit to having the minutes; I didn't see anything that was a pay as you go option for as long as you wanted.

[Anonymous]

I was looking at this deal but don't think child needs it yet but its for a year. Just don't put any apps on it and limit usage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was looking at this deal but don't think child needs it yet but its for a year. Just don't put any apps on it and limit usage.

https://www.hsn.com/products/lg-rebel-3-5-16gb-android-tracfone-with-1500-minutestex/8589615

[Anonymous]

I have Cricket and it's only $20 a month for my phone with 3G of data. I'm sure they have something without data for cheaper.

[Anonymous]

Ting wireless has this. They have flip phones, and you can turn off things like texting photos at the account level.
I think Virgin Mobile may have an option too.

[Anonymous]

+1 for Ting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TracFone. You can buy them at Walmart, then activate them at home and reload them online. My son has a flip phone with only call this way, exactly as you described.

NP here - that's what I was going to suggest as well but do the minutes expire? Because if it costs $10 for 30 minutes and those minutes are only good for 30 days, then wouldn't she essentially be paying $10 a month which is just like having a monthly plan anyway (which she said she didn't want). I'm looking for something similar for my kids but am having a hard time sorting out all the options and the ones with minutes that expire don't seem to be what I want. I don't want to be forced to buy minutes every month.

I have one that you can buy 400 minutes PLUS one year service for $99, and because I bought it through HSn or QVC, it came with a triple-minute-for-life deal. That means that I get 1200 minutes that don't expire for a year. Only thing is that it's not a flip phone....but it came with a nice little case. Still, my cost for cell calls/texting is $99 a year, and for someone like me who uses the cell infrequently, it's perfect.

Maybe you can check HSN or QVC to see if they still have them available.

[Anonymous]

https://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/pay-as-you-go

$3/month for any combination of minutes and texts that adds up to 30. That does not include the phone.

[Anonymous]

Verizon has Kyocera flip phones on their site. They even have a non-camera phone.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all, I look at these options. Such a scam that the minutes expire. It's not dairy!

[Anonymous]

1997