r/Frugal • u/a_new_leaf_2020 • 2d ago
š± Phone & Internet Smart phone needs replacing - and I'm overwhelmed
It's time to replace my i-Phone and I'm feeling overwhelmed. Not sure if I want to continue with Apple. Phones are also soooo expensive and there are so many options - how do you choose and how do you know if you are getting a good value? I don't use tons of apps/features. I use maps, IG, camera, texting, email, maybe a few other apps.
I'm also considering changing phone plans from Verizon. I'm over 55 and may go T-Mobile's over 55 plan. At this juncture I mostly use my phone when it's connected to wireless so I don't use tons of data.
Would love your thoughts on how you make these decisions. Thanks
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u/Leggy-Naggy 1d ago
I bought a refurbished, unlocked phone (I am a Samsung user) a few years ago for a couple hundred bucks. I use a MVNO plan with Tello (TMobile network). Costs me about $18/month, pay as you go, for unlimited calls/text, a feee calls to a bunch of different countries, and 5GB of data which I have never used up as I use wifi any chance I get and don't stream anything on there.
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u/LuckyAce398 1d ago
If you always had an iPhone, I would continue with one and consider last years model to get a better deal. With the support they get for many years I find it to be worth it
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u/stats_shiba 1d ago
Go get a refurnished 2017 model - you can buy a sim free one from $199.
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u/disneylovesme 1d ago
I have a iPhone 7 from, 2016 lol. But a 2016- useless nowadays . No apps will verify your software on your phone due to the lack of security updates so I canāt use it to actually replace my then broken phone. So 200$ is a rip off for functionality.
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u/dayankuo234 1d ago edited 1d ago
Swappa(dot)com
samsung s24s or later (7 years of software/security updates)
iphone 15s or later (USB-C charging port)
pixel 9 pro/pro XL ( US smartphone with a +40mp selfie camera)
in terms of carrier. do NOT choose based solely on price, choose the one that gives the best service in your area. (if verizon is reliable, stick with Verizon). once you know the best, THEN if monthly cost is your main priority, switch to a MVNO like Visible ($25-45 a line)
if current line costs are ok, check your verizon app for any loyalty offers. if there are any for $800-1200 off for a smartphone on "any" unlimited plan, that might be worth considering
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u/RaZ-RemiiX 1d ago
Wait another month and a half for Black Friday, then buy last year's model of whatever phone you want for less than $500 on Amazon. There are cheaper options for service than T-Mobile, such as Mint. They use T-Mobile towers and are very reliable.
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u/a_new_leaf_2020 14h ago
Thank you. What do you do though if your service doesnāt work and you only have your cell and thereās no brick and mortar to go to?
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u/RaZ-RemiiX 14h ago edited 14h ago
I've never had a problem so I don't really have an answer. In theory I would hop on a computer and go to the support section of their website to chat. In reality, I haven't stepped in to a cellphone store in the last 10 years except when I was with someone else who was buying a phone. Same thing with a mobile bank I use, they don't have physical stores but I've been using them for 6+ years without issue.
Edit: I completely neglected the fact that if my cell service doesn't work, wifi will still get me online for troubleshooting so a computer isn't necessary.
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u/amalamb 1d ago
Walmart has a deal for an iPhone 17e for $149 if you switch to StraightTalk Wireless for 12 months, on the Silver Unlimited plan at $45 a month. Total at the end of the year is 149 + (45 x 12) = 689. Still cheaper than a new iPhone 17e.
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u/StoopitTrader 1d ago
A lot of these deals come up around the holidays with various MVNO carriers. Several will only require 3 months of service before unlock, then you just cancel and switch to a cheaper carrier like Mint. I would watch the deal sites starting next month.
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u/miseeker 1d ago
70m. Check out CONSUMER CELLULAR for AARP members. Also, in the past I have bought refurbed
iPhones for considerably less than a new one. You can also purchase older models that havenāt been used. Look for the ones with less memory, as they also cost less. I use AMAZON for refurbs, they are more likely to be certified. You could switch to an ANDROID phone too. There will be a bit of a learning curve. My back up phone is a Motorola android. You cal find Chinese models of android phone for a hundred buck, but beware if you go that route.
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u/Popular-Capital6330 1d ago
Same situation here. Also overwhelmed, also not willing to spend more than $500 this time and I think my head is going to explode.
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u/JeanSchlemaan 1d ago
buy used sub $300 samsung flagship. something like galaxy s22 or s23 ultra (make sure UNLOCKED) right now (or you can save if youre ok with a smaller screen). cant go wrong.
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u/RaZ-RemiiX 1d ago
If you can, try to wait until Black Friday sales (6 weeks), then buy last year's model for <$500.
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u/akmacmac 1d ago
Look at iPhone 17e? I had the iPhone SE 2020 version and was completely fine with it for 4 years, could have probably even gone longer. I like iPhones personally and Iām more in favor of buying something that will last over buying a budget phone and replacing every couple of years. Yes, I know the 17e is the ābudgetā iPhone, but I still think it would be a good value because I would expect it to last 4-5+ years for you.
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u/FlipsyChic 1d ago
What makes you think non-Iphones need to be replaced every couple of years?
I have always had androids and that has never been my experience at all. My current budget Galaxy A17 comes with 6 years of updates. My last Samsung went for 8 years without any problems.
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u/akmacmac 1d ago
I didnāt say that, Iāve just had good luck with iPhones and feel the quality and longevity is good. I also had a Galaxy S7 way back when and it was very good too. I was just comparing to buying an absolute budget no-name phone. Realistically, I think longevity is more how people take care of their phone than what phone they get, lol.
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u/VisualDimension2795 1d ago
Same. Love my SE, but it sometimes doesnāt respond to my touch. Got an Air since itās super light. Sad that itās still big.
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u/tell_me_when 1d ago
Just want to throw it out there that if you purchase a used phone on marketplace and the price seems to good to be true itās probably still locked to a carrier. People like to go get new phones through a carrier with little down up front then they make a $20-30 a month payment (this is how most people purchase new $1000+ phones). The phone canāt be unlocked until itās paid off and if they donāt pay for it it will be shut down by the carrier.
People will get the new phone for the cost of the taxes upfront. They will then sell it for considerably less than a new phone. Someone buys this āgood dealā only for it to be shut down three months later because the seller never pays for it. The seller makes hundreds of dollars and the buyer gets fucked.
Be careful and get the IMEI number verified as unlocked. You can dial #06 * to see the IMEI and have the carrier check the status.
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u/JeanSchlemaan 1d ago
NO WAY im buying on marketplace.
ebay or amazon used all the way. ive received all but 2 perfect phones over the past decade.
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u/mostly_sarcastic 1d ago
I'm not understanding the logic in this... The original purchase still needs to be covered. If they (the scammer) pay $1000 for a device and sell it for $500, they still owe the carrier $1000. If they don't pay it off, it goes to collection. They might get away with it once, but not twice. Carriers run credit checks.
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u/TrustyBobcat 1d ago
Doesn't really matter if it hammers someone's credit if the person getting hammered was someone whose identity you stole to buy it.
I used to work for AT&T, that happens sooo often.
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u/SordoCrabs 1d ago
Is replacing the battery an option?
Like you, I don't need the latest features, just the basics. But my battery life was š© on my 2021 Samsung. But for under $100, I had my battery replaced last year at Batteries Plus, and now the phone works much better. I could probably get away with keeping this phone for another couple years.
At which point, I might get a new phone, or just replace the battery again if that's still possible.
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u/think_tank_555 1d ago
Just get a $200 used phone for now... I got a pixel, save your money and if you decide it's not good enough for you, go ahead and spend $1500. I also use mint mobile which is only $15 a month, so there's that.
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u/Spiritual_Being5845 1d ago
Cracked screens or dying batteries I take to have repaired. When my charging port malfunctioned I just switched to a wireless charger instead of paying for the repair.
When my phone canāt be repaired for a reasonable cost or is no longer supported then I purchase an unlocked phone from Back Market, Iām sure there are other similar retailers out there.
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u/advamputee 1d ago
Buy a refurbished, unlocked phone from a reputable retailer. Sticking with the same ecosystem can be convenient for transferring data (photos, contacts, messages, etc). You can get a refurbished iPhone 17SE for cheap, or an older SE model for cheaper. Itāll last years and be an easy swap from your current device (no learning curve).Ā
If you donāt use a ton of mobile data, Iād suggest switching providers to a third party network operator like Mint Mobile (uses T Mobileās towers) or Visible Wireless (uses Verizonās towers). Both of these offer phone service and some data for as low as $15-20/month.Ā
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u/BackgroundFar8208 20h ago
You can buy a refurbished iPhone. Iāve done that for my last two phones and spent around $165 for each. Is my phone a SE 2022? Yes š but it works, is in very good condition and also itās not perpetuating the endless cycle of cobalt mining and the evils that come from that
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u/FlipsyChic 1d ago
I've never been an Apple person because I don't need latest cutting-edge technology.
I just replaced my previous Samsung with Samsung Galaxy A17, and I love it. Price $199. Guaranteed updates through 2032. I like it way better than the S16 Iphone I have for work.
It's a nice big phone that does everything I want it to. I use it for Google Maps, calls, texts, email, Instagram, listening to music and Audiobooks, watching Youtube. I use a micro SD card to store my music, videos and photos (no paying for Cloud storage for me!).
The only complaints I have seen is that it can be "laggy" if you are doing something like gaming that requires a lot of memory. I noticed this while playing Meowdoku - it can be just a touch slow to put the X's on the boxes. Really not a big deal.
The other thing people have opinions about is the camera. It seems fine to me, but I'm guessing it's probably not as ultra as the latest Iphone camera.
As for cell service, I have been using $25 AT&T pre-paid for years, which comes with 2G monthly data. I don't even use that data because I use Wifi all the time. I'm planning to switch to Mint Mobile soon though.
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u/mehmehmehugh 1d ago
Pay cash for whatever phone you want and go with Mint mobile. I pay $240 for a YEAR.
Also, theyāll pry my iPhone from my cold dead hands.
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u/PineTreesAreDope 1d ago
A few things come to mind:
1. Buy used. Used phones are a great deal, even if you have to replace the battery. I buy a generation or two older, and Iām a HEAVY phone user (games, camera, etc). You could get away with 3 generations older, so like a 15, or any newer SE model.
I personally use eBay (eBay certified refurbished, which usually have a year warranty) or BackMarket. Gazelle is another good one and have been around forever.
- If you are also trying to save money, consider switching to another prepaid or pay as you go carrier. Think of Mint, US Mobile, etc. They really do save you hundreds a year.
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u/CindysandJuliesMom 1d ago
I am an android user and the last phone I bought I prioritized what I needed it for. Some features I would have liked to hCW had but I stuck hard to the ones that were important to me. Do you use tap and pay, if not then NFC is not important. Is wireless charging a big deal for you or do you just plug it in. Questions like this will narrow down what to look for in the phone. Buying the next to newest model rather than the newest will save you money.
I look online for unlocked phones and compare the features deciding which ones I need the most and which ones are not so important.
As to service I use Mint Mobel but there are others just as inexpensive.
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u/waiting4theNITE2fall 1d ago
Look at Tello. I got a new phone that does all those things for a couple hundred bucks (Moto G) and my plan is like $10 a month.
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u/4jules4je7 1d ago
Check around but I pay half moving from Verizon to AT&T. The phone doesnāt matter. Get a base model iPhone 17 or 18 and youāll probably be set for life!
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u/disneylovesme 1d ago
If you have a mainstream contracted phone company , look at their trade ins? I always buy mine outright unlocked but thatās very expensive. Itās very prorated on mainstream phone companies though.
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u/retiredcheerleader 1d ago
Not sure what iPhone you have right now but AT&T has a great deal going on with trade ins!
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u/Carolina_Hurricane 1d ago
Think about how long you want it to last before becoming too slow. An iPhone is good for so many years before it no longer supports the latest iOS and before Apple stops supporting older iOS.
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u/SlicedBreadBeast 1d ago
The iPhone 17 base model was a banger if you can find it. Price point to hardware was up there. Doubled the storage of the 15. 18 not required, some cool cpu stuff but not any difference for the average, frugal user
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u/po1ar_opposite 1d ago
I like to buy refurbished phones. Typically Walmart has lots of refurbished apple products on their website. Iāve bought iPads and a phone from them in the past.
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u/dca_user 1d ago
I used to buy old iPhones from eBay sellers.
I used to be able to get a model from 2-3 years ago for $80. Now prices have doubled or tripled. Iām not sure if the deal is still worth it.
If you go, this route, make sure you get a seller that promises free returns within 30 days.
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u/itemluminouswadison 1d ago
I recommend a used phone from swappa and using T-Mobile connect $15/month for 5gb. Same priority as other plans. If priority isnt important to you then you can get more data via an M NO check out /r/nocontract
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u/Serious_Parking_4152 1d ago
I always just buy a refurb on Amazon and itās never been an issue , and is much less expensiveĀ
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u/No_Equivalent4404 1d ago
I use chase ultimate reward to buy iphone for free. After 3-4 years of ultimate rewards, i usually have 800000-900000 points which is worth $800-900. I redeem that amount to get iphone for free (not the latest version tho)
I am using T mobile too but trying to change to Mint. There is 10 year anniversary promo going I think. $10/month for 6 months.
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u/jaedence 1d ago edited 1d ago
Don't spend over $200.
The $200 phone you buy today will have a better processor, faster wifi, more storage and a better camera, than your current iphone.
Is your current iPhone able to do everything you need it to?
Then a $200 phone will do everything it does, and better.
Buying anything more than that is a waste of money.
Here's one for $166 new on Amazon
Compare it to your iPhone.
SAMSUNG Galaxy A16 4G LTE (128GB + 4GB) International Model SM-A165F/DS Factory Unlocked 6.7" Dual Sim 50MP Dual Cam (Case Bundle) (Gray)
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u/todd_ted 1d ago
iPhone 17e?
Why is your phone due to be replaced? My 2022 SE 3rd Gen is doing fine, just had the battery replaced and will be running it until they stop allowing it to update iOS in 2-3 years.
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u/User2009002 1d ago
Wait another month or too, the carriers should be having holiday deals.
I'm in your age group and I dumped my iPhone 8 years ago for a Google Pixel. I wanted out of the Apple ecosystem and I didn't like their pricing. I'm on my third Google Pixel and I love it, integrates very well with my gmail, calendar, and google drive and google photos. I pay $30/year for an additional 200 GB of google drive space.
Why did I choose Google Pixel? The price, the battery life, the camera were all better than Apple iPhones. Also, I just don't like the feeling of being a captive to the Apple ecosystem and paying those exorbitant prices. It's kind of like going to a NFL or NGA game and having to pay the crazy prices for food and drink, after paying the crazy prices to get into the event.
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u/djSush 1d ago
When I last bought a phone, I knew I wanted android. Samsung had the phone I was looking at (one model older than the latest one) for $450 cheaper on their website than anywhere else. It was insane. If you travel internationally buy and unlocked phone. This way you can also change providers anytime.
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u/ceramic_cup 1d ago
just get a basic phone. then when you miss the ecosystem iOS provides, get an iPhone. or maybe you will just be happy with a flip phone.
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u/MobileLocal 1d ago
You can get an older refurb listed as Amazon Renewed if you shop there. Iāve had good luck with that.
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u/Bluestatevibes 1d ago
I left Verizon for T Mobile's over 55 plan. It has been great. I don't know why I stayed with Verizon for so long. I was paying $180 a month for two phones with limited data. Went to T Mobile and my bill is $85 for two lines and unlimited data.
I have been looking at the iPhone SE, because my phone is getting old enough that it will stop getting updates soon. It looks like a more basic phone and you might like to check it out.
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u/gHx4 1d ago
Take a look at Motorola. They have very affordable Android models like the Motorola Play.
Samsung has the A17, which is great for light, everyday use for calls. The A37 is better for a little bit heavier use with apps and games.
Otherwise look for the iPhone "e" series (16e, 17e, 18e). If you buy refurbished or used, make sure a cellphone shop looks at the battery and replaces it if it is bulging.
I've worked with multiple retailers that do carrier activations.
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u/Working5daysaWeek 1d ago
I switched from Samsung to Google Pixel and I'll never go back. We also switched over to Google Fi's data as you go plan, which sounds like it would be perfect for you.
I got my Pixel off eBay Refurbished and I would swear that it was new. Saved me a significant amount of money.
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u/Saab-2007-93 1d ago
Walmart straight talk. Phones under 100 bucks, 45 bucks a month no contract I have used them for 8 years now. I have been fucked around by major carriers.
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u/MeeoMeeo 1d ago
I had 3 iPhones and the last one had crummy speakers so inbound and outbound calls were tinny. I've been happy with androids since. Better and less money.
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u/Previous_Extreme4973 1d ago
I plan on getting my next phone from backmarket dot com.Ā Ā They sell refurbished phones. Has pretty good reviews from what I can see.Ā Ā I'm similar, I refuse to spend more than $300 or so for a phone.Ā I haven't had iPhone since the 4s was new, so it's been a long time.Ā I've had android ever since, and the longevity has been fine for me.Ā My current phone is 7 years old.Ā Previous android phone lasted 4 or 5 years.Ā Ā
I work from home, so I had a low data plan from US Mobile.Ā For the 2 of us, with 2 lines we feel pretty comfy with our $18/move plan
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u/Emergency_Fig6121 1d ago
A good idea would be to buy a flagship phone thatās a few years old. Something thatās reliable, good quality but less expensive than the latest tech. (Ie. An iphone 15 or a pixel 8 )
A lot of the cheaper android phones are crap, slow, bad build quality, not made to last.
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u/FifiLeBean 1d ago
I have been using Google pixel phones for years and find them quite easy. Reasonable price.
I use mint for cell service, $15 a month (paid annually) for 6gb. When my last pixel died after a drop, I got my phone from Mint and paid for it outright and a year of service (used to be on Google Fi). I've been very happy with both.
The Pixel (number)A is usually less expensive and a great phone. Mine is an 8A and over 2 years old.
I considered the 55+ options but the person I spoke to said it just means they help you get set up and offer more assistance assuming that older people don't know how to set up their phone. It's not cheaper or anything else.
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u/JeanSchlemaan 1d ago
i buy a used sub $300 samsung flagship every 3 or so years. i currently have an S21 ultra unlocked. if youre wanting to save money, this is the way to go, plus a $200/YEAR plan with someone like mint, boost, visible, red pocket, us mobile. ive been with all of those besides visible, and theyre all great. i would not get a phone through tmobile, unless you also have tmobile home internet (i have this, its incredible), as you get a $15 statement credit in that case and it could possibly make it worthwhile.
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u/bluedelvian 1d ago
Have you had a look at Tom's Guide, or on one of the cellphone subs on reddit? There are many lower cost cellphones and plans that you could do, and even some privacy focused ones if that is a concern of yours.
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u/Ageice 1d ago
Mint is doing another promo, this time for $10/mo instead of the previous $15, all paid up front for a year, as I understand it. Iām curious how to get a new phone on that plan, as mine is aging and I donāt really want to continue with it if Iām switching service. Has anyone bought a plan and phone thru them? Was it good/bad? I feel like everything these days has a bait and switch hidden somewhere in the fine print.
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u/Spoon_OS 1d ago
Can vouch for Mint. I switched a few years back to their carrier and so far I had been having amazing experience with them. Their low cost plans and optional phone replacements have one of the best deals which are hard to beat.
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u/Abalone-Objective 1d ago
The government provides no cost phones with touch screens ( not branded and very buggy) for people with financial problems. Also WiFi.Ā
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u/Shalmaneser_ 1d ago
Long time mid range motorola user here. Moto G power G5 (yeah they are very arcane in naming) I use it for voice and this: ISP->cell phone->PC->wifi routers. Three people can browse comfortably and yesterday I pulled 20G down for a game update.
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u/bob49877 1d ago
I bought an unlocked Galaxy for around $150 and have a $10 a month prepaid T mobile plan I read about on Reddit.Ā The T mobile online site would not sell me that plan for my zip code. The T mobile stores in my city Ā didn't sell that plan, either. I had to drive to a lower income suburb T mobile store and got my $10 plan there.Ā That was one of my more frugal purchases, since I signed up several years ago and they have never increased the rate.
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u/skylander495 1d ago
Cheap phones work great
I bought the cheap weird phone, a Motorola Smart phone that only cost a few hundred bucks brand new. I was concerned it wouldn't be as nice as my last Samsung phone. I was wrong to be concerned - it's been a great phone the last few years
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u/Bookkitten1124 1d ago
We have been long time Samsung Android users and have been very happy. There will be a learning curve switching from the IPhone. My partner finally replaced his phone after about 10 years. He bought the prior year's model new on Amazon, at a large discount, and took it into the store to activate. You may even be able to trade in your old phone. We've been with Verizon almost since cellphones were invented and have not really shopped around because we are on an old grandfathered plan. However, many of my friends use TMobile and are very happy with the service. I don't know if these phone go on sale on Amazon for Black Friday but if you can hold out to see, that may make sense.
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u/Camelleah1 1d ago
I got mined used from eBay from a reputable seller. No issues with it so far, price was 50% of a new one.
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u/iBringMyselfTrouble 1d ago
I shopped around and got lucky ~2 years back.
I went with total wireless because their phones become unlocked after 2 months. And they sell like 3-4 yr old iPhones, NEW wich is crazy to me. Finding a new iPhone about 2 years after release is kinda hard imo, theyāre usually cleared out or donāt go on sale/ bundles with a expensive data plan.
I got a vpn, I got total wireless and a new iPhone for $99, and a 3 month $50 plan.
So for ~$250 I got a new phone. My previous phone was also an iPhone I got used (price fatigue) and I go a pretty good deal for a 256gb one for ~$280 iirc on eBay, excellent refurb.
And swapping over to mint (they also had a āmove your number and saveā planā was easy.
I got a year of their top plan for $15 a month (paid upfront).
Mint is ok. Now the speeds get so throttled itās so much more frustrating to see full bars but get literal 3g speeds than having no connection at all. So Cal/ PNW.
Also, I checked my trade in value out of curiosity and it was around $400. Iām done with new phones but that was cool to see.
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u/a_new_leaf_2020 14h ago
Thanks everyone. The issue is I have an iPhone SE and itās 4g I think and the network is 5 now so I donāt think it will ever work as well. Iām sone places I donāt even get service
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u/sharkleberryfinn 13h ago
I just got a Motorola razr 2024 folding phone 2023 refurbished from eBay for $100. The battery lasts forever it's amazing. The little screen on the front lets me see the time and check messages without opening my phone. My screen time is down and it fits so nice folded in my pocket!
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u/litesONlitesOFF 10h ago
We buy mint mobile annually and it's super cheap. There's a few others like that.
I used my phone until it absolutely stops working. I had an LG until they stopped supporting the updates. Now I have a Google pixel 6 that I got in 2021ish. waited for black Friday and it dipped almost in half because the new ones came out by then. I dropped it at some point and my husband bought a kit to replace the screen.
You can't really know what will last, but I feel like most of the standard non-folding androids last a good while.
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u/wormnoodles 7h ago
Can around to the independent stores and ask if theyāre selling their demos? As long as they remove the demo software, you should expect the be 100% capacity. If youāre using the phone minimally, maybe it doesnāt make sense to buy new.
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u/Omashu_Cabbages 5h ago edited 5h ago
I would say, first check to see if you have any friends or family that have android phones and ask them if you can play around with it. Or check out the android phones at the T-Mobile store/a Samsung store if you have one nearby.
If you have been using iPhone/Apple your entire life, it may be overwhelming to use an android phone. Changing ecosystems can be very taxing on some people. A young person might call it a small jump, but somebody my parents age might call it a huge leap. The only way to tell if this is worth it for you is to find somebody who has one of these phones and play around with it. Or have them show you how they message people or how they take pictures with it or how they download apps, etc. etc.
It used to be that if you want something simple go with Apple. But those people have made the iPhone so convoluted and (useless) feature packed that I would hardly call it simple anymore.
Also back in the day, I recall people saying if you want more control over your phone and customizability you would go with android. That means more settings more ways you can tweak it etc. I also recall it being very easy to get viruses on android phones. Not sure if that has changed at all.
As nice as the cameras and screens are on these android phones, I have been in the Apple ecosystem too long to want to switch over. Although phones are getting ridiculously expensive, if you want the cheapest No Frills iPhone currently, you are going to have to look at the 17e or 18e coming up soon. I have the Apple credit card so I just pay $34 a month on the installment plan for my new iPhone. Iād rather pay Apple every month than mobile provider.
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u/RetroBalance 2h ago
If you can downgrade, consider a modern dumb phone. Theyāre cheap and help to lessen your internet fatigue. Iām making the switch soon.
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u/Informal-Beat-7700 2m ago
I'm very frugal with things like this. I have a Moto G Stylus, which is a midrange phone, but it was free with the purchase of a month of Straight Talk service for $45. I use TracFone for service and pay about $50 for a year of service and then if I ever need data it's $10 for a few gigabytes but mostly there's wifi everywhere.
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u/ExchangeStandard6957 1d ago
So I just purchase a phone and keep it until it becomes a problem. If you go with an older model they are not that expensive- Iām on an I phone 14 and itās fine.
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u/PlutoPlaneta 1d ago
just get a newer iPhone. switching to Google isnt an improvement. and cheap Androids will just break all the time, basically display gone every time they fall. you end up paying more over the long term and spent way more time trying to figure out how stuff works. then when you JUST did Google will change UI again.
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u/Belichicks_sleeves 1d ago
I bought a refurbished one on Amazon last year for $500. Works great. Donāt sweat it too much, itās a phone!
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u/4cupsofcoffee 1d ago
If you have an iphone already, you probably have all your stuff in their ecosystem now, pictures, files, etc. moving that stuff to another ecosystem like google or some other andriod is probably going to be a bit of a process. just get an iphone that's a few generations old.
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u/Pale-Weather-2328 1d ago
Apple is still the best and they hold their value. I get an older model refurbished on my t-mobile payment plan and my current one is now on year 5 so expensive yes but it pays for itself really. Broken down thatās like $8 a month or less than the cost of two starbucks coffee drinks a month
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u/No_Distribution_9590 1d ago
Why is it time to replace your phone? I would assume itās actually having problems, but I thought Iād check as too many people replace their phones unnecessarily. I stick with iPhones because their text to speech is vastly superior. I tried a Samsung once and hated it. But, for basic usage, you could get any phone reallyāget a pre-paid plan and a moto for a few hundred and call it a day.
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u/Imaginary_Resource70 1d ago
That depends on the keyboard and you can change it.Ā
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u/No_Distribution_9590 1d ago
Do you mean speech to text? Text to speech (IOW: having my phone read text to me including books and webpages) has nothing to do with keyboard configuration and all to do with the accessibility settings and quality of the native voice(s) provided.
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u/laz1b01 1d ago
This is really easy, buy a used iPhone. That's it.
- For phones, it's either Apple or Android.
- If you've been an Apple, it's hard to switch to an Android.
- Fortunate part for apple, they hold their value
- Unfortunate part for apple, they have no sale/discount
- Meaning that if there's no sale/discount, there's no need to be "frugal" on how or where to find the best hack to get the best deal and bang for your buck. You just pay at retail value, because everyone else in the world will pay the same amount
- However, if you are planning on switch to T-Mobile, they may be able to give you a discounted phone.
As an android user myself, if T-Mobile me offered me a free/discounted phone that I won't be using. I would choose an iPhone
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u/Sure_Fig_8641 1d ago
I always stick with the brand Iāve been using (in my case, iPhone), but I donāt buy the latest model. I currently have iPhone 14, purchased after the 15s came out. The price of a previous year model is always less of an outlay than the current latest & greatest model. Using this strategy, Iām never overwhelmed by the options.
It also depends on the reason you need a new phone. For example, a while back, my phone wasnāt holding a charge. I ran the battery diagnostic in Settings and found that the rechargeable battery was the problem. I just had the battery replaced for much less than the price of a whole new phone. Is your screen cracked? Just get the screen replaced. In short, perhaps you can have your current phone repaired before having to buy a whole new phone.
What generation is your current iPhone?