Need a new phone but don't want to pay $600

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

My cell phone is old and I need to update. AT&T no longer gives free phones. No matter how you pay for it, a new phone ends up costing over $600. I do not want to change carriers. Any ideas on how/where to get a better deal?

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

You can buy one on ebay. Just gotta make sure it uses the same system as AT&T, the sim cards.

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

I'm leery of eBay since I know a couple of people who bought phones and they didn't work.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

I'm leery of eBay since I know a couple of people who bought phones and they didn't work.

If it doesn't work then you can open an "item not as described case" and get your money back.
There are some small cell phone stores that do a lot of sales, I'd check their feedback of course.

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

Thanks, Chris.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

I've bought inexpensive cell phones on eBay and on Amazon. I use Boost, but the principal is the same--just stick with your carrier and buy a brand-name phone brand new in original sealed packaging.

I also don't mind having a phone that's a few years old. Right now I have a Samsung Galaxy S3. Yes, the rest of the world is on to the S6, but I am back in 2012 or so! It's fine for my needs, and it cost about $150, so if it stops working or I drop it, it's not a tragedy.

[LisaH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LisaH]

If you can handle android, this is a very good phone at an affordable price. My guys (DH + 2 DSs) all switched to this one now and swear by it. They got the top line ($349) one.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Which one?

[LisaH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LisaH]

Sorry. Hyperlink added now. It's called One Plus.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Is that unlocked?

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

Wacky, I have a Galaxy S2 so mine is even older than yours.

Lisa, thanks for the link. I will check it out. I've only used android so that one would be fine.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

I don't know why, but I've always been reluctant to get a phone anywhere but at the "store" for our provider. Dh and I both just upgraded our phones with Verizon. We both ended up with the Samsung Galaxy 5. Since the 6 has just come out the 5 was less. I think we paid $200.00 each and got a $50.00 rebate on each of them. This required a two year contract.

[LisaH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LisaH]

Yes it's unlocked. See review here.

[easyrider Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close easyrider]

We have had five lines with ATT, then US Celluar, then Verizo, and now TMobile. TMobile has the best plans for traveling to other countries, really good in the cities but not so good outside of the cities. The phones can be inexpensive to $700 +. They has a deal for $100 on LG smart phones so we bought three of these and two of the $600 sansung phones. That was about $1600 for phones spead out over two years. No activation fee. No $40 a month smart phone fee. It was a pretty good deal, imo.

[ronparise Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ronparise]

Theres a guy in Ft Myers "Dr Rob, The Phone Doctor" He fixed my I Phone 6 after I crushed it (dont ask) He carries a whole array of used phones. Id bet there are guys like Rob in every town