Is it better to pay off cell phones vs monthly payments? I dont plan on leaving att anytime soon. Generally don’t upgrade when eligible. As we know iPhones dont last forever. What are your thoughts?
Cell phones - purchase vs monthly payments
- Thread starter ARB1977
- Start date
Can’t speak to newer iPhones, but I have a 4, 6, 7, 8, and an 11 that still work fine (although the 4 was CDMA, so no network use [I use it as an iPod]). If you’re not paying interest, it’s probably better to make payments with tomorrow’s money interest free!
Owen Lucas
$100 Site Donor 2023
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2021
- Messages
- 4,813
I've seen iPhones last longer than most. I know someone with a 12 that just upgraded and the old phone supposedly was working just fine.
I'd go with the pay by month deal because if you were to invest the upfront full cost of the phone into the stock market, over the 3 years or whatever, the money into the stock market should grow beyond the cost of the phone.
I'd go with the pay by month deal because if you were to invest the upfront full cost of the phone into the stock market, over the 3 years or whatever, the money into the stock market should grow beyond the cost of the phone.
It really depends how much you pay for the cell phone service.
If you pay a lot with AT&T, the free or heavily discounted cell phone is not free.
I would suggest you go to usmobile.com and check their monthly service plans against what you pay now and then do the math
If you pay a lot with AT&T, the free or heavily discounted cell phone is not free.
I would suggest you go to usmobile.com and check their monthly service plans against what you pay now and then do the math
My wife still uses her 11.
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2023
- Messages
- 1,647
Unlocked phone bought outright and monthly unlimited plan. No allegiances, no loyalties, no bogus fees.
I've been with US Mobile for 5 or so years now, and pay $26 per month out the door for 2 lines that share 10 gb of data per month.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that AT&T would be absolutely thrilled to lock @ARB1977 into the service plan that he currently is on by getting him to sign up for an interest-free loan on an overpriced phone so that they can keep milking that cash cow.
depends
For example if you are a diehard verizon fan.. and not planning on moving your service...
might as well take advantage of their bogo or other promos (phone paid by them over 24months etc)
even if it requires staying 2 years because.. you will be there in 2 years.
For me I pay mine off because that is the promo deal I had recently.
just got 2 S26 ultra 512GB for 650$ each.
sold the pixels for around $1000 total. seems fine.
Have to keep service for 120 days.. I was planning on that anyway.
If I was a new customer they had 300 off + 800 off over 24 months on s26 ultras.. which was a better deal if I was staying for 2 years..
but it was only for new customers and you had to keep the more expensive plan for 24 months. (about 45 total extra per month for 3 phones)
So if I was going to pay it off or not would definitely depend on the promo and how happy I was with my provider.
For example if you are a diehard verizon fan.. and not planning on moving your service...
might as well take advantage of their bogo or other promos (phone paid by them over 24months etc)
even if it requires staying 2 years because.. you will be there in 2 years.
For me I pay mine off because that is the promo deal I had recently.
just got 2 S26 ultra 512GB for 650$ each.
sold the pixels for around $1000 total. seems fine.
Have to keep service for 120 days.. I was planning on that anyway.
If I was a new customer they had 300 off + 800 off over 24 months on s26 ultras.. which was a better deal if I was staying for 2 years..
but it was only for new customers and you had to keep the more expensive plan for 24 months. (about 45 total extra per month for 3 phones)
So if I was going to pay it off or not would definitely depend on the promo and how happy I was with my provider.
People kill phones they just don't run extinct. I never liked paying for the phones each month but if you're not going to miss the money pay'em off otherwise pay over time interest free. I have a still very capable iPhone 10R I used for my business line up until I switched the number over to Google voice but the phone still works like it was a day old bought it 6 plus years ago still at 82% battery. Right now its a spare phone I keep charged and ready to go.
@ARB1977 If we are talking about an interest-free loan, then I would consider @Owen Lucas's point. You may want to keep your money in liquid investments. Then again, what are we talking about here? A couple a hundred . . .
It's free money through monthly payments credited to you as long as you are a customer. It costs nothing. It's built in to the cellphone companies business model.
Example-phone is $800.00. It's $33.33 via 24 monthly payments credited to your account. If you leave-you owe what was left on the contract-otherwise you pay nothing.
It's a retention thing.
We have the similar plan, pay by the gig.
All in 12 gigs a month, two lines, any of the three networks that we want and actual payment is $33 a month for both lines.
With that plan, we also enabled automatic top off in the rare instances two maybe three times a year at the very most that we use up the data. Let’s say with the long videos and stuff while on vacation.
It will automatically top off our data and we have never paid more than $45 in any given month for two lines.
What’s even more cool, my wife and I under the same plan I chose AT&T service and she Verizon both through US mobile at the one price of $33 both lines actual payment.
It’s pretty cool with the click of a mouse using your account you could switch around networks as much as you want
Being we are in a popular but sort of rural area of the coast though growing wildly crazy being allowed to try any network we want gives us choices. I think AT&T through US mobile has a slight edge so I’ll switch my wife over as well and all I have to do is log into my account and click to switch it over within minutes maybe 10 minutes. It automatically switches.
Because you don’t need the services but you’re not getting an $800 phone for $10 a month
You would do everyone a favor if you would provide a link to $10 a month
Cheapest I see on their website comes out to over $55 a month
https://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone...3p.ds&gad_source=7&gad_campaignid=16898138379
You are correct. I don't need the "services." I don't even know what the "services" is.
I think this is the link that you requested.
No.
Yes-nothing is free. My contract has been up on my S24 phone. I haven't looked in to another contract. It's been three months. So-here's the rub- I'm paying for a new phone-even if I don't have one. Because -yes-it's built in to everyone's rates. I already had an offer for a "free" Pixel 10 through them-but if that's an upgrade from what I have (other than just a "new" phone) is debatable.
You are on a competitive plan to MVNOs. Connect is T-Mobile service but not a "mainline" T-Mobile plan. Your benefit is, by the looks of it, no deprioritization since Connect is a branch of T-Mobile.