With the current state of the economy, many smart consumers are looking for ways to save money. When I review my expenses for ways to save, I like to look first at the recurring costs – the things I pay each and every month. In those cases, one change can continue saving money for months or even years to come.
If you’re looking at your monthly expenses and notice that your wireless phone bill is costing you a lot of money, you might want to consider a service called TracFone. TracFone is a prepaid wireless service provider. What this means to you is that you can pay for your minutes in advance, so there are no surprising huge bills, and you only pay for the minutes you actually use. Further, TracFone requires no sign up fee, no activation fee and no contract. You can even transfer or “port” your current phone number to a new TracFone account. So it’s easy to get started and, if you decide it’s not right for you, it’s also easy to cancel.
TracFone may not be widely known, but it is very popular with its users. In a recent poll on my website, I surveyed 500 current users. A whopping 94% stated that they would recommend TracFone service to others!
One of the biggest advantages of TracFone is that you’ll get excellent coverage, and you won’t pay any roaming charges. TracFone doesn’t own any networks; instead they have agreements with the major network owners (such as Verizon, US Cellular, Alltel, AT&T, and T-Mobile) to use those networks. So TracFone buys huge blocks of minutes and then resells them in smaller blocks to us, and we get the benefit of using the biggest networks in the country.
As I noted earlier, it’s easy to get started. You could go to your local discount store such as Target, Walgreens, CVS, or Walmart and buy a phone off the shelf (prices currently range from $10 to $50 for a new phone, depending on the features), and activate it within minutes by calling TracFone’s 800 number or going to their website. They’ll give you 10 (if you call) or 20 free minutes (if you activate online) to get you started. Another advantage of the cheap phones is that it is inexpensive to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged phone.
What I recommend, though, is buying a “bundle” from TracFone’s site. TracFone usually offers a few different package deals that include an airtime card at regular price (currently from $20 to $100), along with a FREE phone. Sometimes the phones are brand new, and other times they are “refurbished,” but they are always in like new condition, in my experience. Either way, this is a great way to give TracFone a trial run – buy some airtime and get a free phone.
If you end up deciding to stick with TracFone service, you can either keep the phone that you got for free, or you can later upgrade to a new, more expensive phone with more features. (To see what deals are available from TracFone.com please click here. And if you order from their site, use Promotional code 23444 when you checkout to save $3.)
I’ve heard many stories of previous contract phone users switching to TracFone in just the manner I suggested, and saving hundreds of dollars per year as a result. In general, I suggest that if you use a TOTAL of 300-400 minutes or less per month, you’ll save money with TracFone (or their sister company, Net10). A good rule of thumb is that you can expect to pay around 10 cents per minute, although there are certainly other tips and tricks I can offer to help you get that amount even lower.
But for the sake of comparing TracFone to your current plan, 10 cents per minute is a good place to start. Figure out how many minutes you use on average each month, and multiply that by $.10. If the number you get is lower than your average cell phone bill, you could be saving money with TracFone. But, keep in mind here that I’m talking about ALL the minutes you use every month, including nights and weekends, free mobile-to-mobile, and other promotions offered by your current company.
TracFone is not for everyone, though. Here are a couple of things you may want to consider before making the leap:
- TracFone does NOT offer any of the aforementioned promotions such as free in-network calling, free nights and weekends, or family plans.
- The phones offered by TracFone are often not as “cool” as those offered for contract providers. They may not offer as many features, but they’re fully capable of making and receiving calls, and text messaging. Isn’t that what you really want from your phone?
- If you use 400 or more minutes, you might be better off just sticking with your current plan. In the same poll I mentioned earlier, 84% of users talk only 150 minutes per month or less, on average.
- Text messages also cost 1/3 of a minute on most TracFones (or 1/2 a minute unit on Net10 phones), so if you do a lot of texting you’ll also need to figure this into your assessment of whether TracFone is right for you.
Now, in conclusion, here is a recap of the biggest advantages of TracFone:
- It’s easy to get started and test out the service inexpensively, to see if it’s right for you.
- You always see how many minutes you have left, so you won’t have any surprises when it’s time to pay for more minutes.
- You never have to sign a contract, so you’re not obligated to continue using the service if your needs change.
- As long as your service is active, your minutes will never expire, so you’ll always get to use the minutes you’ve paid for (including if you upgrade from one TracFone model to another).
- You can transfer your current phone number in from your existing provider (called “porting”).
If, after reading this article, you think that TracFone is a good fit for you, please Click here to see what deals are available from TracFone.com. And don’t forget to use promotional code 23444 when you checkout to save $3.) And once you receive your phone, check out my tips for activating your new TracFone. It will help you get the most out of your new phone and get that cost-per-minute down as low as possible.
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excellent article…I wonder if there isnt a bidness op out there to set people up on TF ??
good info, might add that if using the phone mostly in home area, not a long winded talker, or wanting to use for business -you can port in your landline and not have long distance charges in most cases. Means additional savings giving up the landline AND if used for business you have it with you all the time! ALSO – might mention all the extra features and conveniences like voice mail, call waiting and caller ID. Thanks for all your research and info!
Am I to understand that you can drop your landline and transfer your landline number to your Tracphone?
That is the only thing stopping me from jumping on the Tracphone bandwagon ~ I want to drop the landline, but can’t fathom changing my phone number of many years.
Thanks for your info!
Hi jen
I think it’s possible to transfer a landline number to TracFone, though I’ve never done it personally. You might also want to consider whether you would be better off with Net10 or Straight Talk Wireless instead. I just put up a new post comparing Net10 and TracFone and, to a lesser extent, Straight Talk. Go to the front page of the blog or click here to find that post.
YES!!! I had my home phone number, which I had for a LONG time, ported to my TracFone. TF said it would take 72 hours, but I insisted on speaking with a Supervisor, and had it done in less than an hour. I did this in May, 2008. I never want to go back to a land line.
Beware, when this is done, suddenly you no longer have service from the “phone company”. I received a refund because my supplier makes us pay in advance.
Patrick has helped me so much over the past years, that I think he should be compensated in some way… How can we, PB??
Hi Jim
That’s very kind of you, and I’m deeply touched to see how grateful you and other users are. That alone is enough to make me want to keep doing what I do. Your question did get me thinking a little, though, so I put together a post to ask a small favor of those willing to help. Basically, I just want to spread the word about TracFone, Net10, and other prepaid phones services to people that might be able to benefit from it. My post later this week will give a little more info on how you can help with this. Thanks for asking!
Yes – you can have your landline ported to the tracfone. As Patrick says – there are many ways to get less than .10/minute if you watch regularly for specials and purchase a phone with double minutes on it. NOTE: make it clear to the tracfone person changing your landline to tracfone that it is for business and they will make an effort to do it more quickly. You will lose your ability to phone at all for a few days while they make the switch. Follow their instructions to the letter! You will do this via live person at tracfone to get it done right.
That’s great info Cher, thanks for taking the time to post. I hadn’t thought of telling them it’s a business line, but hopefully that’s info that will help speed things along. Thanks again!
I don’t understand the all differences between CDMA & GSM but I started out with your recommended LG3280 based on the limits of my zip code of most usage. My reception was inferior compared to friends that would visit with GSM phones of various providers. So I entered another zip code 50 miles away (in a different state)and purchased a w376 and I too had way better reception. Now I have a great phone & the best reception I have ever had. The only problem remaining was that I had to accept the assigned GSM telephone # out of my home state. Customer service at first refused to port my CDMA # over to my GSM phone for policy reasons that were not at all clear. But, with a great deal of patience and a sympathetic supervisor in the port dept I prevailed. All I had to do was promise not to come back again with another similar request. No problem. Thanks for your blog
One huge (to me) advantage I see is the cheap replacement cost of the phone if you lose it or damage it – it’s so cheap to replace a Tracfone without worrying about the complication of contract renewal since there is no contract! I have 2 daughters who have postpaid phone plans (on their own), and they both have had to replace their phones several times, and each one has had to (at least once) buy a phone at “full” price since they were not at a point where they were ready to renew their contracts. They pay a lot more than I do in phone bills and phone replacement. Of course they talk on phones more than I do, but that’s a choice they make.
well-done. i like that you mentioned the negatives as well as the positives. might be worth mentioning that there are trac-phone bluetooth enabled phones now. i thought i was going to have to give up my trac phone when i purchased my new car that has hands-free phone use via bluetooth capability. but trac phone had just come out with their bluetooth enabled phones. i bought the motorola w376g. with the advice in your column, i was able to have the dealership hook it up with no problem.
Good write-up.
One of the negatives that I have encountered is the support staff does not always speak good English, so you may ask to speak with a supervisor to help with communications. I think this is quite common in the industry, now.
I bought some TracFones from an apparent “illegal” source and TracFone disabled the phones and I lost a lot of minutes and the use of three phones. So be careful where you buy phones with minutes on them. TracFone said I must verify that I had purchased the minutes by faxing them receipts which I did not have.
I love this article, I was going to get a contract phone this past January after using tracfone for 8years!! Well my local cell provider dealer talked me into just using my tracfone I already have the newer Moto 376G for just 2 months buying enough minutes to equal the $50 per month it would cost me with the contract price and use my trac fone exclusively for all my calls and text messageing for just those 2 months well after less than 2 weeks I was convinced I am sticking with tracfone!! I found out I use the phone a whole lot less than I though I did as most of contact with the outside world is via internet. And even a smart phone would not enable me to do away with my internet connection and laptop and desktop. So I discovered by using tracfone as if it were a post paid cell phone I would have been wasting about $20 per month! Now I just look for deal on airtime cards that come with free phones, sell or give away the phones and use the air time cards myself.
Really like your website. I got lots of info before my recent W376g purchase.
This article looks good and although I didn’t participate in the poll I have recommended Tracfone to my dad after his fiasco with AT&T’s (formerly cingular) prepaid where he lost his 143 minutes. I recommended he buy the phone first and try it (using his 20 free minutes for online activation) in his desert location to be sure the coverage was there–then buy airtime. I told him about bonus codes and even provided him one so he ended up with 1000 minutes!
There are certainly some negatives (as with any service). Porting your number is possible although a royal pain. It takes several days to accomplish and apparently has to be redone–I think this was when I ordered a new phone–can’t remember the details now but I finely just said to heck with it and got a new number.
My new W376g is on the T-mobile network–which I know thanks to your site–it was only getting one or two bars most of the time which means no browser access and no multimedia messages. We have a W370 that’s on the AT&T network and gets 3 to 5 bars regularly. After 4 phone calls and finally putting my foot down (switch me to the AT&T network or I’m returning the phone), I’m getting a new SIM card in the next couple of days that’ll switch me to the AT&T network!
I have been very impressed with Tracfone’s website. I can do many things myself such as activate the new phone and transfer the units on the old phone to the new phone without needing to call customer service. Impressive!
I think the cheapest way to go–assuming you don’t use lots of minutes–is to buy 60 units every 90 days. The double minute phones make that 120 units and with a bonus code you can easily get 180 units which lasts me for 90 days. If I’m figuring correctly that’s only about $80 a year (cheaper if you buy the refill cards at Sam’s Club or get it on sale at Target).
Well-written article! You have given good information in a concise manner. You may want to check for typos such as “buy phone off the shelf” and “going out to their website.”
Thanks for all of your help with the use of TracFone.
Nice article! One point of interest to potential switchers would be that migrating your current cell phone number to a tracfone is quite easy. It is automated on TF’s web site, and in my experience it works quite well. When I switched from Sprint to TF several years ago I ported my number to TF without a problem. Since then I’ve switched it between several TFs over the years, also without issue.
I do wish TF had a more reasonably-priced text message service. TF would be a great option for tweens and teens who desperately want a cellphone of their own without burdening parents with expensive monthly bills. The prepaid nature of the phone means the kid knows exactly how many minutes they have for whatever time period a parent chooses and can ration themselves accordingly. (Or use it all in the first day and learn a lesson the hard way…) However, kids are huge texters and at 1/3 min per text (even to read one) that will likely eat minutes up too quickly to be practical. I think TF is missing a business opportunity here.
Ive been told one major draw is the ability to have a cheap “drop” phone. Walk into any Walmart..pay cash…go to a public computer such as you find in most hotels anymore…and you have a phone that is truly private. No records of who or when you call….If you ever need to get rid of it…..no paper trail. Just drop it.
A must have if you have a Significant Other and partake in “Extra Curricular” activities……so they say.
Ref: “Now, in conclusion, here is a recap of the biggest advantages of TracFone:”
Suggested addition (based on my temporary trout season “Safety Phone” need)
If your home TracFone is GSM and you visit in an CDMA only area (you will note no service) just buy a $10 phone from a LOCAL store and activate it via the web for 20 minutes and 60 days of service. (If needed add a 60 Min/90 day local purchased card but this is not required for 20 the minutes).
When you return home transfer the time and service days to your home account number. Save the CDMA phone for your next CDMA area need; just to buy a TF card and activate it again.
you might mention the expiration time (usually 90 days) on the service. when I buy a 60 minute card for 20.00, then get 60 minutes of bonus and 60 minutes from DMFL, I really don’t think of it as 180 minutes at ~11 cents a minute, I think of it as another 90 days service at a little less than $7.00 a month.
You should also mention that international calls can be made at no addtional charge. I call England with my Tracfone and the sound quality of the call is excellent.
I think you should stress more the “time problem” in that you MUST renew every 60-90 days or you lose the minutes purchased. Also do not let your minutes accumulate over 500 if possible as you cannot transfer them without a LOT OF HASSLE and sometimes not at all. I lost 300 minutes recently when they would not transfer more than 500 “at a time” and then took 2 more weeks of calling everyday and still nothing but runarounds when I gave up and they switched off prior phone even though there were minutes and time left (which btw don’t call them for anything unless you have two hours minimum to spend trying to resolve any problems). Research if possible whether or not the phone you purchase will work in your location and DO NOT RELY on what tracfone tells you. I have two and the one that tracfone reccomended and I purchased directly from them will not work at my home and so I went to a local Walmart store where the person was knowledgeable and sold me the right phone and got me a local number (something else trafone had not done for me over a period of three years of calling every so often). So when everything is fine they are very good but like the little girl with the curl they can be very bad particularly if you have a problem
We have been tracfone users for years, however we recently switched to at&t – if you live in an area where there isn’t a lot of wireless compeition and the terrain/ environmental reasons, and population isn’t conducive to having wireless towers then you will find areas – such as vermont or upstate New York, where you will be roaming with a tracfone, you can dial *22891 to reset the location (only to keep it local within your area code) it doesn’t always work though. Tracfone runs off of Verizon in VT & parts of New York. and there are a lot of places that you will not get a signal. Unicel (which is now AT&T) has a much wider range of availability here. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like TF bought minutes under them. So with anything, before you invest, investigate.
(BTW good article). (The area can also greatly limit the type of phone that is available to use there also).
I love my tracfone. We have had other more expensive providers and had to drive 15 minutes to town with them to get reception. The TF gets reception even in our rooms that have no windows and solid wood walls. We are in the middle of the woods and most phones don’t work here, even landlines are not dependable.
I also learned today I can e-mail my tracfone. (didn’t know the addy) 7 digit phone # @mms.mycingular.com.
This will be handy when I need to leave my husband a message.
Now I just need to figure out how to get my pics to the pc…lol.
I have heard several complaints on other sites about using the internet on the TF, haven’t tried it yet.
Has anyone heard anything?
Thanks for the info.
Hi Melissa
The “internet” on TracFone and Net10 phones is really restricted. In fact, by definition I would say it’s not the internet at all, since the prefix “inter” implies that you can access things beyond your own borders, so to speak. But with Trac/Net10, you can get only things within their own version of the web. Basically, this is weather, some headlines and sports news, and the various downloadables that TracFone sells such as ringtones and wallpapers. You cannot, for instance, go to ESPN or CNN’s mobile site, or any other “real” site for that matter.
If someone uses 300 to 400 minutes a month would they not be better off using NEt10? NET10 is a much better value per minute then Tracfone.
Tracfone is good for people that only use theri phone for ocasional calls and emergency calls because you can get that double minutes 1 year card.
NET10 is for people that talk on a regular basis but don’t quack up a stor like teenagers or business people do, Trackfone is for people that don’t talk much but still want a cell phone to make occasional calls if they need to.
Have you done a blog on the advantages of NET10 yet? If not why not do one?
Net10 is good for those why use their cell phone frequently but don’t yap up a storm every day.
I’ve had NET10 for about 3 years or longer and have never had a problem except for problems I created my self like when I messed with the SIM PIN Number and locked the phone and had to request a new SIM card which means I lost all the numbers I had on the SIM card I locked out.
Dallas – I agree with your assessment of the user profiles of Net10 users vs. TracFone users. I wrote a post last year to Compare TracFone and Net10. I guess I should probably update that with these new Net10 phones available, and publish a revised version this year to help people decide between the two.
This is not an earthshaking change or a deal-breaker, but Sam’s Club has discontinued carrying Tracfone cards.
If your Sam’s Club has a cell-phone kiosk in it, you might check with them for Tracfone cards, in my club they took over selling the Tracfone cards but don’t have them displayed, you have to ask for them. And also, since they are independent and not really a part of Sam’s Club they won’t take Sam’s credit card. I think this was a really goofy move on Sam’s Club’s part but…
How does a Revol phone and their new campain compare to the tracfone deal?
http://revol.com/
let me know how you feel here, the offer national, unlimited and no contract text and phone.
Hi Phillip- I hadn’t heard of that company before, but I checked out their site. The biggest “red flag” that I saw was the coverage map. It looks like they have a lot of roaming areas on there, and roaming costs $.19 cents per minute. And I went to their site and put in probably twenty different zip codes of my city and other nearby major cities, and all of them showed “You have entered a zip code that is not within revol wireless coverage.”
So it looks like coverage is a major issue. Maybe they’ll get that worked out, but for now it looks like $.19 a minute is what you’ll end up paying. We can do better with Trac, Net10, or Straight Talk for now.
Hi, thanks for all the great info! I have a question before I purchase a TracFone. I understand that minutes purchased accumulate indefinitely as long as the phone is kept activated, but what about the days of activation? Do they get reset every time you add minutes, or do they also accumulate? Again, thanks.
Greg – the days of service “stack up.” In other words, if you have 40 days remaining before your expiration date, then add a card with 90 days of service, your new expiration date would be 130 days away.
Forgive me if I ask questions that you already covered and feel free to direct me to appropriate links. I’ve been a TracFone customer for 7+ years, and currently use a Motorola W260G – should I upgrade? The issues I have are:
1. There is no service at my house W260G; not a particularly big deal, since I only use it when I go into town.
2. I want a phone that has external caller ID.
3. hands-free headset vs. Bluetooth – which do I want/need? My state (Oregon) just enacted a hands-free only law. I don’t usually talk while I am driving, but you know, things happen…
4. WalMart carries (supposedly for my area): Samsung T301G, LG410 and LG600
5. Per TracFone, the following are available for my area: LG 100C, 220C and 290C.
I don’t care about downloads, camera, dbl minutes (will transfer from current phone)…
How do I choose between these six???
Thank you so VERY much!
Hi lizardicus,
Sorry for taking so long to respond. If the w260g won’t work for you, then the phones you listed in #4 won’t work very well either. I’d suggest the 220c, if you don’t want the camera. The models that have a “c” at the end work on CDMA networks, while those ending in G work on GSM networks. Check this link for more info:
http://pbush14.wordpress.com/2008/03/16/tracfone-cdma-vs-gsm/
Also check out my reviews page for details on the 220c and 290c:
http://pbush14.wordpress.com/reviews/
There are family plans with Tracfone, if you have a DMFL phone you get 100 min for the first phone for $10/month and 80 min for the second phone for $6/month, not bad.
These are the value plans you can sign up for on the Tracfone site.
You can also sign up for “deactivation” protection in case you forget to add airtime, it will charge your CC $6 but you don’t get minutes with that.
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