What's the best way to replace a cell phone if you don't want a new contract?

[maddjax2]

I'd like to get new phones for my kids but don't really feel like renewing their contract. What's my best bet? Ebay?

[Sue-Z-Q]

ebay

[Marcster]

ebay

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[Promom]

Check online the pay as you go plans. I found sites that compare the major brands. I've had mine, my son's and my daughter's for about 3 months from At&T. It's keeping my son (12) from going crazy on the text messages. Good Luck and happy Holidays.:)

[Lyricsmama]

Ebay or by buying them at FULL retail price (yuck)

[com]

It depends on what company you are with. Example, I'm with At&t and if I need a new phone but don't want to extend my contract, I can just buy a go phone(at&t prepaid) and stick my sim card in. They have them at Walmart, Best Buy, etc. Most of the time they are fairly inexpensive.

[rennakay]

This is what I did twice. I needed two new phones and didn't want to sign a new contract so I went to verizon ( that's who I had a contract under) and noticed the pay as you go phone were exactly like the ones that are on contract but $200 more. I asked why couldn't I just buy the pay as you go but use it on my line? I was told that it wouldn't work they are only for pay as you go. BUNK. Called verizon when I got home and they said of course they will work, so off to walmart I went and bought them for $35 and $50 then came home, went on line and there is an area on verizon where you can change the phone id number and that's all there is to it. But, the pay as you go for verizon are the old software so we went to verizon and had the tech update them buuutttt, he fried my phone so he had to give me one of their $300 phones after all and when my son took his in to have it updated he said he didn't want to fool with it and just gave him one of the $300 phones also. I did tell him we purchased them from walmart. Yipeee no contract but of course that didn't last too long, son just had to have the orange NVey

[Sugar&Spice]

Tracfone! We all have them. Usually they have a special offer where you get a free phone if you purchase minutes. We don't use them for lots of calls. If you are going to be using lots of minutes, then this wouldn't be your best choice. We have bought the year plans for around $100 in the past but they have a new family plan that I plan to use when we need to renew. www.tracfone.com

[nikkilugi]

Ebay - but make sure to check the feedback of the seller. I have had really good luck on Ebay buying cell phones knock on wood.

[pinkroses4mommy]

We have Cingular, and my daughter wanted a new phone. I bought one of the pay as you go phones (19.99 at Wal-mart- price matched it for $5.99 on BF) , activated it, and then put the sim card from her old phone in it. Now she has a new phone. Just make sure that the phone you buy is with whatever carrier you have. (The one I bought was a Cingular pay-as-you-go phone because Cingular is my carrier.)

[Xfeg]

craigslist.org Its just like the classifieds in the paper but there are pictures and you can write as much as you want. Its based upon your city so its all local. DH and I were going to get matching pink razrs for $75 total. (he didnt mind) but then i decided not to get a new phone. They are used but normally in great shape. Its a lot cheaper than ebay!

[Karmarose]

I have alltel and bought a pay as you go deal they had for 19.99. It was a good Motorola phone and 100 mins. Then I asked them to change the new phone to my number and my old phone to the new pay as you go deal. I had to replace mine because my old one quit working so it was a great option.