Can you recommend a cell phone (plan-free) for short-term emergency use?

Question

My pre-teen is about to fly from Maine to Florida unaccompanied and I would like to buy an inexpensive but reliable pay-as-you-go cell phone for him to use if there is an emergency.

The last time he went, the person who was to pick him up was 45 minutes late so he was left by himself in a back office of the airline to wait which makes me very uncomfortable.

I would like a phone that he could use to call if no one is there to meet him or for an emergency.

I have a cell phone with a plan attached and don't know anything about the ones without plans. Can you help?

Thank you!

Answer 1

Verizon have a pay as you go prgram with cheap phones as low as 50 bucks, my mom got little sister one because she is going to spend the summer with my big brother in georgia. I don't know what state you live in theres a service called merto PCS it's great. or ask your current phone company if they have a service like that.

Answer 2

get one of those phones that you buy the  phone cards for I forget their name but Wal-Mart ,K-mart sell them  you can get them from $20 thru I believe $50. it all depends how much time you want on the card.

Answer 3

I went with boost mobile.  Boost doesn't have the cheapest minutes, but the minutes you buy last for 90 days.  Competitors last for only 30  - 60 days.  Minutes are .20 cents during the week and .10 cents for nights and weekends.  My boost mobile phone cost me about 30 bucks up front, and it came with 5 dollars in free minutes.  If you're just using it for emergencies, that 5 dollars could last you the first 3 months.

Answer 4

virgin mobile would be perfect for your situation.....www.virginmobileusa.com

we used to use virgin mobile but it got to expensive for using it for home use but for short term it would be perfect. my phone was only $20...you can even get it at walmart and just top up with phone cards which aren't too expensive. the reception was good in my area

Answer 5

Go to Target and buy a Trac phone.  You buy prepaid minutes.  No plan.

Answer 6

Krazer.

Answer 7

We have Tracfones.  You buy the phone (some as little as $15) and then buy cards with minutes on them.  You can get as little as 60 minutes.  After the time on the phone has run out (each card has a certain number of days as well as the minutes), and you do not add another card, the phone turns off (you lose the phone number you had).  We find we have excellent coverage and the phones are very easy to use.  So, for somewhere around $30-$50, you could have the whole set up.  As for other phones, we looked at Net 10, but you have to get 200 minutes per month.  Other services did not seem to have good coverage for our area (very rural).  I read horror stories about the Jitterbug phone.  Good luck!

Answer 8

it depends what service provider you have.. i live in canada so i dont know any in U.S but just go to the place that you bought your phone and check out thier pay as you go phones

Answer 9

buy a nokia brand. they have lots of brands that are really reliable and cheap, they also offer now a phone with application of maps and stuff for travelers or people who will travel. plus nokia is well known so you wont have problems in trying to fix it if it gets broken

Answer 10

TracFone is your best bet.  I would buy a Tracfone at Wal-Mart or K-Mart buy a minutes card and have that, no plan needed, no fees to pay every day.

http://www.tracfone.com/

And I would look into why your son wasn't picked up from the airport on time and ensure it doesn't happen again before I would send him flying anywhere.