Have you used tracfone?

Question

I'm considering getting tracfones for my daughters (they're turning 13 in April) I'd like to hear from some people who have actually used the phones.

Does the pay as you go plan work for you? Is it really cheaper than a regular cell phone plan?

Are the refurbished phones in good condition?

I don't have any other specific questions, but is there anything else I should know before I make my decision?

Thanks!!!!

Answer 1

All five members of my family use Tracfone and we all love the service. It saves us a tremendous amount of money. For example, our Verizon service plan was over $70/month for my wife and me alone and each minute cost us over a half buck at that rate (we don't chit chat on our cell phones - we use them for essential business and messages only). On Tracfone we pay about $15 every two months for each of our phones. We purchase our minutes on Ebay. There are tons of auctions there that offer inexpensive Tracfone minutes.

So, as you can see, we have cut our cell phone bill in half or better. In addition, I just recently purchased a year's worth of minutes and cut my bill in half again.

I will caution you, though, to realize that if you spend lots of time on your cell phone just chatting away, you will end up spending much more money. This could teach your young daughters how to be frugal -- especially if they have to earn the money to purchase more minutes on their phones. My 18 year old daughter uses her Tracfone just for necessary messages from us and her friends. If they try to chat, she simply says she'll call them from home on the land line when she gets there. It works for her and for us. I pay for her minutes and she is still frugal.

Try it for a few months and see if this type of phone service works for your and your daughters. If not, you're only out a few bucks. The least expensive phone (Nokia) is the best one that Tracfone sells, IMHO. You can find them on ebay at really low costs, too, or you can wait for a special from the Tracfone company where they give you the phone free if you purchase a couple months of minutes. I just checked and there are some good plans and specials right now. Check it out and good luck.

Answer 2

I would not recommend tracfone for two 13 year olds. It will cost you an arm and a leg and maybe even a foot! Net 10 is a company owned by tracfone and they cater to the high volume minute-user. It's strictly 10 cents a minute, but you have to use the minutes within the alotted time period or you'll lose them (you have to use 300 minutes in 30 days). This is perfect for teens.
The other option is t-mobile. I did have this one and they will SAY that once you spend $100 on minutes, you go gold and get ALL your minutes for 10 cents. That is untrue. You will only get the 10-cents-a min rate is you buy a $100 card. I found this out the hard way. I had reached the "100 $'s" and when I redeemed my next $25 card expecting to have 250 minutes, I was surprised and P.O'd that it's actually like 16 cents a minute!
Also, if you decide to go with another company other than these two, beware of daily charges such as the .99 cents a day charge. This adds up to $30 a month!!

Answer 3

I use tracfone and I have been using it since right before Christmas 2005. The pay as you go plan is very good because $20.00 can last you two months. My husband and son are on Virgin Mobile and my son pays for his own minutes through his job.

Tracfone is good with one exception. You can top up your airtime and every time you turn on your phone; you are reminded of what month and day that you are due to add more minutes even if you reach that date and you still have minutes left. If you are a day late; they will cut off your phone and even though you call in to add more minutes, you have to get a new phone number. No ifs, ands, or buts.

I am thinking very much of switching to Virgin Mobile. They do not turn off your phone and call you to remind you that it's time to update your minutes and you get to keep your number for the length of time you have that phone.

Cell phones are a good thing to have but with young children having them; you might want to put some restrictions on them. Good luck.

Answer 4

My daughter introduced me to a Trac Phone. I think that they are a good thing for a beginer, if you only use them when needed and not give everyone on God's earth the phone number they can be a very good thing. If I were you the 13yr. olds would be buying the future phone cards with their own money to teach them responsibility. Because if you finance this little adventure then you are going to be in the poor house cause a teenager does not realize exactly how much time that they can spend on a telephone, and those cards can get expensive.
The only real problem that I had with my daughters trac phone was, she was in a serious car accident and could not call 911 from her phone.

Answer 5

As long as there is proper cell coverage in your area.... they are great. This is the only pay as you go phone that allows you to purchase a one year activation card with several hundred minutes.... the phone is guaranteed to stay activated for up to one year... you just keep adding minutes as you need them.. Unlike other pay as you go plans that require you to keep purchasing cards every 2 months to keep the phone activated ! This is really a great deal if you don't use the phone too much, otherwise get a regular plan if you do a lot of talking !

Answer 6

i hated the tracfone i had one when i was 14 and i used more than 40 dollars a week just on the lil minute cards....text on the fone i had costed .5 mins every time i sent and recieved one...and on the plan i have -which my phone carrier prolly isnt available in your area- 300 outgoing minutes free incoming unlimited text for 40 a month....when i was only getting a hour of minutes on those cards....so yah...

Answer 7

I like these phones. But are they going to be using them to talk to their friends and text, or are they just for emergencies? Cause my friend uses up his phone cards all the time. If they like to talk a lot I would consider a plan.

Answer 8

Yes you do pay as you go. It is cheaper than the regular plans as long as you don't use it too much. If they are going to talk a LOT then it may become expensive.

Answer 9

I did not like the Tracfones, it was difficult to use. I like the Cingular plans much better for prepaid, you get more services like mobile to mobile to talk to each other

Answer 10

Pins from a Used Card would be Useless... ?