Cheap/Free Phone

[susiestar]

I know some of us have talked about the free phone offers in the past. I started searching b/c we are struggling bad. I cannot find one in OK, but did learn something interesting.

The groups that handle these programs say even getting the school lunch program ccan be enough to qualify. The cut off is 135%-150% of the fed poverty line, depending on the company. Safeling Wireless (https://www.safelinkwireless.com/Enr...ingStates.aspx) is one company and so is Assurance wireless (http://www.assurancewireless.com/Public/Welcome.aspx)

If I find a service that covers the areas these plans don't, I will post them.

If you know of any other plans, please let me know!

This is a gov website with a lot of links, info and the financial guidelines for the program and I think links to otherprograms as well - I haven't fully investigated it.
http://www.lifeline.gov/lifeline_Consumers.html

I found a link that says it is a "partial" list by state for the phone programs, but it has the best info so far. You click on your state, and it then helps you get specific info. http://www.universalservice.org/li/l...pport/browser/

[babydoos]

Im a single parent, low income, I need a phone for emergencies Im diabetic. I have high blood pressure.

[HaoZi]

One thing about SafeLink - you can't have it AND have the landline's Lifeline Assistance. If you have the landline assistance you have to drop it before SafeLink will approve you.

[Dammit Janet]

safelink and assurance are offered here in NC.

Cory uses Assurance and likes it. He only uses the free 250 a month right now but the plan also offers steps where you can pay $5 and get 500 minutes or pay $20 and get 1000 minute and 1000 texts.

[25billbill]

i hope you can help me get a free phone.

[smurfys]

im intrested in th free phone

[sabah]

I need a cheap phone

[susiestar]

This is an older thread, but you can try the info above. there are not programs in all areas, but there are some.

You can also get a pay as you go phone as cheap as ten bucks and buy minutes to put on it. I recently priced most of the plans available from national carriers and net10 seems to be the best deal as minutes are never more than ten cents. I get 750 min for $25 a month and can skip a month or buy fewer minutes if I want. Texts and internet are charged in units of 1 minute, not meaning 1 minute of being online is one min of your paid time, but there is some equivalent they use. If you are worried about inappropriate internet use, they have some that don't go online - usually the very cheapest ones.

I would try the links above and if it isn't available in your area, go to freecycle.org and ask if someone will give you a used net10 or tracfone. You have to get a phone on a specific network, not every phone will work on each network - tracfone and net10 are the same company but you cannot use tracfone minutes on a net10 phone, that sort of thing.

Hope this helps. If you are not familiar with freecycle, it is awesome. Most areas have a group and people post what they don't need/want and what they do want. A couple years back, shortly after razr phones came out, I got one for my gfgbro after his dau washed his in a bucket of soapy water to help him (she was 2, nuff said, lol). It was in great shape, the guy just wanted something different and wasn't using it. All bro had to do is put his sim card in the phone and it worked (it was on the same carrier).

The only thing with freecycle is that there is NO charge. Things are given and received but never sold. You also might find one on craigslist cheap.

I have MUCH better service with Net10 than we ever had with att. I was shocked at how much better it was, and cheaper too.