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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: bronxdude on February 14, 2015, 01:03:52 PM

Title: Best MMM cellphone?
Post by: bronxdude on February 14, 2015, 01:03:52 PM: What do others recommend as MMM approved smartphone that can play music, have gps, email functionality, take good pictures, web browsing and Skype?

I currently went into (more) debt paying for an iPhone 6 but after much reading would like to find a suitable alternative. I'm currently on cricket but am thinking of switching to Ting and subsequently paring down my current 4gb/mo data habit.

Any thoughts?
Title: Re: Best MMM cellphone?
Post by: the_gastropod on February 14, 2015, 01:26:50 PM: Hey bronxdude:

I'm pretty happy with Ting. I picked up a used iPhone 5C for about $180. My bill is typically $21. Based on your username, I'm assuming you live in NY also—Sprint service is pretty solid here. I have full LTE service pretty much everywhere I go. Ting has my recommendation.
Title: Re: Best MMM cellphone?
Post by: APowers on February 14, 2015, 02:37:40 PM: Don't forget to check out the Superguide in the "Share Your Badassity" section. It's stickied up at the top of the threadlist over there.

We have a Moto G with Republic, which has been great for us-- we use it as a home phone on the $5 plan. It's actually more smartphone than we need, but we're coming from previously having only a basic landline (no long distance, even), so any smartphone would be super-amazingly over-featured in comparison. The super-guide recommends against Republic, so do your research.

I also deliver pizza, and bought a used (refurbished) Moto E, which I'm using on Platinum Tel's PAYGO service, which is cheaper still, since I only need about 20 min of talk per month.
Title: Re: Best MMM cellphone?
Post by: ender on February 14, 2015, 02:53:55 PM: My wife and I are both on Republic Wireless $25/month plans (runs about $60 total after taxes).

Our phones cost $150 new.

We've been pretty happy with them overall.
Title: Re: Best MMM cellphone?
Post by: alsoknownasDean on February 14, 2015, 07:27:15 PM: Normally I'd say that the most frugal smartphone is the one you already own, with a budget carrier (which is how I'm rolling with my old iPhone 5). Not in your case with an expensive phone though:)

Last-gen Android flagships are pretty good value, as is the Moto G (although it's camera sucks), or the Nexus 5 (probably better value used now).

Most higher end phones offer the following over a budget model:

- Faster processors
- Better cameras
- Better screens
- Better connectivity (specifically 3G vs 4G)
Title: Re: Best MMM cellphone?
Post by: minority_finance_mo on February 15, 2015, 12:33:37 AM: I always use websites like Swappa.com (http://www.swappa.com) to buy my phones used in "like new" condition. The phone comes out perfect, and I get a 25-30% discount. If you can wait to get a better price, you can pick up new phones for 50%+ off. Best of all, if you keep your phones in pretty good shape, you can resell them for minimal loss in value. Think of it like renting a phone for years for ~$50-100.

Right now I'm using a Note II. I love the large screen for reading articles on the way to work, and the camera is great on it. Cost me $200, but I probably could have gotten it cheaper had I waited. I think the phone is ~$400ish new now.
Title: Re: Best MMM cellphone?
Post by: gooki on February 15, 2015, 12:55:22 AM: If you don't like Android, refurbished iPhone 4s 16gb unlocked can be had for $143 USD including delivery. Still a great phones if you don't need a big display. Got one for my mom recently.
Title: Re: Best MMM cellphone?
Post by: jms493 on February 15, 2015, 06:12:11 AM: Here in the hudson valley and nyc area we use straighttalk. Unlimited everything for 45 a month. No contract and i was able to use my verizon S4. No plans to get a new phone for years.
Title: Re: Best MMM cellphone?
Post by: iamadummy on February 15, 2015, 08:56:38 AM: I got the verizon S5 and very happy
Title: Re: Best MMM cellphone?
Post by: JimLahey on February 15, 2015, 12:13:55 PM: I would look at the coverage map for Sprint if you're looking at Ting. Sprint is spotty around here. Ting isn't much cheaper if you use a lot of data. I would consider downgrading your plan on Cricket. They just increased the data caps so the $35/month plan has 2.5GB of data. Also if you pay the iPhone 6 off and keep it for 2-3 years you will still come out ahead of someone on a two year AT&T or Verizon contract. If you still want to get rid of it look at Swappa to sell it and/or find a used phone or get the Moto G like others recommended. Personally I am using my Galaxy S 3 that I bought over two years ago when I was on AT&T. I'm currently using Cricket.
Title: Re: Best MMM cellphone?
Post by: bronxdude on February 15, 2015, 02:27:58 PM: Thanks everyone for your thoughts and suggestions. For now, I'm just going to keep the iPhone 6 (main reason = good resale value) and lower my data usage to subsequently lower my monthly rate plan on cricket.
Title: Re: Best MMM cellphone?
Post by: chrisviola on February 15, 2015, 04:30:34 PM: Amazon's Fire Phone is pretty powerful and is regularly on sale for around $200 unlocked, with a free year of Prime which I was already paying for. For service I use AirVoice Wireless' $10/month plan. Decent for anyone who doesn't spend a lot of time on their phone or using the data.
Title: Re: Best MMM cellphone?
Post by: Spork on February 15, 2015, 04:51:26 PM: I have heard good things (but have no personal experience) with Blu phones. They have models under $100 new on Amazon. I still use an 10 year old dumb brick phone personally.