Will you help me become a zombie...I mean...buy a cell phone?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (220214)
Walnut Creek, California
August 23, 2019 6:14pm CST
I left my drug dealer flip phone in Montana. As many of you know, I hate smart phones and have refused to buy one up to this point. Leaving my "emergency phone" in Montana was an accident. I was charging it and forgot to return it to my day pack when I left the cabin.
So now I have a plan (a horrible one--I get coverage virtually nowhere) with Virgin Mobile and no phone. I learned that I can buy a "phone with no plan," and Virgin Mobile with link my new phone to my plan. So now I have to decide which phone to get.
I went to Best Buy today and checked out some phones. They range in price from $30 to $500. What should I get? Are there brands that are better than others? Should I just dump Virgin Mobile and start fresh?
I am a blank slate in this area. I do all of my internet stuff (including visiting MyLot) at home on my desktop. My main reason for having an emergency phone is so I can call people when my Comcast goes down or the power goes out.
11 people like this
12 responses
@TheHorse (220214)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Aug 19
@LadyDuck I'm perfectly happy doing my computing at home. Yesterday, while cycling together, Horse Jr. and I had a conversation about meters versus feet/yards. He has just returned from Europe and "informed" me that everyone uses meters in Europe. I said (thanks, @Maluse) that there are only about ten countries that use our weird system. Suddenly, we both realized that we don't know which is bigger, a yard or a meter (I really didn't know). We did NOT stop cycling and whip out our phones. We cycled, visited a pet store, and came to my computer when we got home. I let him do the research. Of course (he's 10) he typed in too many words, but I did not correct him. We got the info we needed: it turns out that meters are a bit longer than yards.
2 people like this
@Tina30219 (82065)
• Onaway, Michigan
24 Aug 19
LG is good. Go with what you know is good. As for service if you have no problems with the comps you are using now stick with them.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220214)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Aug 19
@Tina30219 I would say that Virgin Mobile and Best Buy both fit in that category at this point. Sorry companies, I mean.
@1creekgirl (41722)
• United States
24 Aug 19
I'm not the best one to advise you. We have Samsung Galaxy S9's and like them fine. Just switched to Verizon because we didn't have coverage in Charleston. Our kids keep trying to get us to get IPhones, but I sure don't want to learn a new operating system. Good luck!
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (41722)
• United States
25 Aug 19
@TheHorse Yes, IPhones are from Apple.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220214)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Aug 19
@1creekgirl Hah! So I'm not a TOTAL fuddy duddy.
@moffittjc (121695)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 19
If you're just going to use the phone minimally, like for making actual calls, I wouldn't splurge on an expensive or fancy phone. Like JJ said in his comments, just get another flip phone. I agree with his assessment that you can get a good LG flip phone for a reasonable price.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (121695)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 19
@TheHorse That, my friend, I have no idea about. I guess it would depend on if Virgin has LG flip phones available on their plans.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220214)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Aug 19
@moffittjc I tried calling Virgin Mobile today but couldn't get through to a human. They may lose a customer.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (117141)
• Anniston, Alabama
24 Aug 19
I have to buy another myself, I have a trac phone but its one of the newer ones, well, 4 years old, or 6.
2 people like this
@marguicha (223721)
• Chile
24 Aug 19
I use my cellphone as you use yours. I have been offered newer and more expensive cellphones by young men with engaging smiles. I still have my old, decrepit and inexpensive one. With $500 you can almost go to the moon. Think about it.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220214)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Aug 19
With a $500 cell phone I suppose I could be on the internet all day, listen to music I can listen to later at home, not notice the coyote walking through a neighborhood, or the squirrel chattering at me, not say hi to people on the street and brighten their day (and mine), and not see the lost parrot in a tree. I could become a zombie!
1 person likes this
@marguicha (223721)
• Chile
24 Aug 19
@TheHorse My eldest daughter is a zombie. It is not nice to be around one. When she comes to visit, I have to tell her to turn off the monster.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220214)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Aug 19
@marguicha How old is she? Poor thing.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137636)
• United States
14 Sep 19
Soooo... did you check out TracFone, pony? It is probably the plan you should look into, honestly.
I am curious what you bought and which company you went with. Please enlighten me. 
I do wish you'd ask me... I would have been happy to help you select your next flip phone. *grinning and teasing you*
I do wish you'd ask me... I would have been happy to help you select your next flip phone. *grinning and teasing you*
@wolfgirl569 (108108)
• Marion, Ohio
24 Aug 19
I like the Samsung smart phones if you are going to get a smart one. For traveling Verizon is probably the best or a company that bounces from those towers. We liked Consumer Cellular while we were with them. They use Verizons towers. They have low monthly prices too including the phone cost.
2 people like this
@Dena91 (16688)
• United States
24 Aug 19
I use to go through Verizon with my Samsung. Decided about a year ago $50/month bill didn't make a lot of sense so went back to trac phone and bought an LG smart phone. Operating system same as Samsung for the most part. Either one I would recommend, both easy enough to learn.....I did!!!
If you are able can you just get yourself another flip phone? If you don't do a lot of internet stuff on the phone it seems a flip phone would suit you best.
If you are able can you just get yourself another flip phone? If you don't do a lot of internet stuff on the phone it seems a flip phone would suit you best.1 person likes this
