is a dumb phone plus an ipod close to an iphone????

[Ottakee]

My disabled daughter might be needing a new phone before too long.  Right now she has an iphone 4.  I think the monthly bill is about $40 which is her access and phone fee.

 

I was wondering if getting her one of those free government sponsored phones with 300 minutes and unlimited text and then an ipod would be similar to her having an iphone.  She uses very little to no data outside of using our wi fi at home or around the community.

 

I am just trying to think of a money saving thing.  We could pay off the ipod in about 5 months compared to being locked into the phone for 24 months of payments.

 

Would this work?  Any downsides?  Any other options?  She rarely makes phone calls and would be fine with the # of minutes since she could text.  She likes facetime (which I think she could do with the ipod here at home) and music and some free games, etc.  Do ipods stream netflix, etc. like the iphones?

 

[Guest]

It's a little inconvenient and less integrated, but if she is around wifi a lot an iPod will cover the gaps on email and such quite well.

 

I went without a cellphone for almost ten years and still barely use texting or calling, it's definitely doable!

[Spy Car]

My disabled daughter might be needing a new phone before too long.  Right now she has an iphone 4.  I think the monthly bill is about $40 which is her access and phone fee.

 

I was wondering if getting her one of those free government sponsored phones with 300 minutes and unlimited text and then an ipod would be similar to her having an iphone.  She uses very little to no data outside of using our wi fi at home or around the community.

 

I am just trying to think of a money saving thing.  We could pay off the ipod in about 5 months compared to being locked into the phone for 24 months of payments.

 

Would this work?  Any downsides?  Any other options?  She rarely makes phone calls and would be fine with the # of minutes since she could text.  She likes facetime (which I think she could do with the ipod here at home) and music and some free games, etc.  Do ipods stream netflix, etc. like the iphones?

 

 

An iPod Touch will stream Netflix (etc). You could also consider an iPad Mini.

 

As Arctic Mom said, "it's a little inconvenient and less integrated," but you'd have most of the same functionality as long as the iPod/iPad was on a WiFi network.

 

Bill

[Seasider]

I am glad you asked this, Ottakee! DH and I are about to drop back down to call/text only phones in order to put the funds towards reclaiming a near debt free status and tackle a big renovation project. We have iPods and an iPad - I'm just in the habit of using my phone all the time. I had thought of my laptop but it's not nearly as convenient to carry as an iPod, and wouldn't let me utilize the apps.

[Tsuga]

Does she use/need the iPhone for GPS navigation?

 

Sorry, don't know the nature of your daughter's disability.

[Lanny]

With the free government dumb phone, for voice calls and SMS messages, she can use her iPhone on WiFi to do things other than making phone calls and sending SMS messages.  We have a Samsung Android phone that my wife installed "WhatsApp" on when she was out of town, about 15 months ago, and somehow (this should be impossible) the IMEI number of the phone was changed. The phone works perfectly, for everything but making/receiving phone calls and sending/receiving SMS messages. It works perfectly on WiFi for WhatsApp and other things.  If the Display on the iPhone she has is big enough and it works properly, you may not need to buy an iPod.  We are done with 12 or 24 month contracts here and went to "PrePaid" about 6 or 7 years ago. We have saved tons of money. We just bought new (Motorola) Android phones and signed up with Virgin Mobile (a virtual operator) for a non binding contract. If we need more Data or something, we can change quickly. I'm not even sure if that would require a change. A guy I know in NV uses some other service and he is very happy with his provider. I can't remember the name of the company he uses.   IF her iPhone is dying, consider buying an Android Smartphone or a "Phablet" (they have a display about 7").  For a man, carrying a Phablet around would be an issue, because of the size, but for a woman, carrying it in a purse, that's not an issue. And a Phablet would be uncomfortable to hold to your ear for more than 2 or 3 minutes, but your  DD would have the government phone for making calls.  

[wendy not in HI]

I don't think you need to buy a new ipod - she can use her iPhone 4 just like a ipod.  

 

We have a few old phones floating around here that are used like ipods - movie streaming, music, internet-ing, etc.

[Ottakee]

Thanks for the input. They very rarely email. They have chrome books from school as well. I know it would be 2 devices to handle but a whole.lot.less costly.

[Lucy the Valiant]

I use an iphone 4s on Tracfone's "BYOP" (Bring Your Own Phone) program, and run it most of the time on our home wifi. It is shockingly cheap - I bought it used, and use it for texting, e-mail, calling, quick internet questions (it is slower than the newer phones because it runs on 3G when not on wifi), etc. When the iphone is on wifi, all texts to other iphones are free (this basically cut in half my texting needs, coming from a cheap Android).

 

This isn't for everyone, but it has saved us quite a bit of money while still giving us the "smart" things we need (now, I WISH I could justify a brand-new iPhone 6s plus, ha . . . but what we have has worked surprisingly well).

 

It works as a GPS, too.

[Alessandra]

The downside I see is that it can be burdensome to have two devices -- two things to carry around and not lose, two things to keep charged up, etc.

 

I originally tried something like what you are thinking of for my dd, but it was more trouble than what I expected. The we got a used iPhone 4s -- month to month ATT at $25/ month with no data. There is plenty of wifi at home, school, library -- no need to pay for cellular data.

 

But then we don't have access to government issued phones -- so that could be a game changer.

 

Is something wrong with the iPhone 4?

Edited February 26, 2016 by Alessandra

[justasque]

If you already have the iphone 4, can you just use it with Tracfone's BYOP program?  I pay about $12 per month, which includes some minutes, some texts, and some data - enough for my needs.  (I am in wifi range most of the time.)  Once you own a phone, you really don't need to be paying $40 per month to use it, so long as you don't need massive amounts of minutes/texts/data.  

 

I've done the phone + ipod thing and the phone + inactive iphone thing, for various reasons, and both are do-able.  But if you actually have an iphone that works already, the Tracfone BYOP program is probably the easiest, the cheapest, and the option that gives the most functionality.  *And* you can do it in 30, 60, or 90-day chunks, so if after 30/60/90 days you want to go with another option, you are free to do so.

 

 

I use an iphone 4s on Tracfone's "BYOP" (Bring Your Own Phone) program, and run it most of the time on our home wifi. It is shockingly cheap - I bought it used, and use it for texting, e-mail, calling, quick internet questions (it is slower than the newer phones because it runs on 3G when not on wifi), etc. When the iphone is on wifi, all texts to other iphones are free (this basically cut in half my texting needs, coming from a cheap Android).

 

This isn't for everyone, but it has saved us quite a bit of money while still giving us the "smart" things we need (now, I WISH I could justify a brand-new iPhone 6s plus, ha . . . but what we have has worked surprisingly well).

 

It works as a GPS, too.

 

 

The downside I see is that it can be burdensome to have two devices -- two things to carry around and not lose, two things to keep charged up, etc.

I originally tried something like what you are thinking of for my dd, but it was more trouble than what I expected. The we got a used iPhone 4s -- month to month ATT at $25/ month with no data. There is plenty of wifi at home, school, library -- no need to pay for cellular data.

But then we don't have access to government issued phones -- so that could be a game changer.

Is something wrong with the iPhone 4?

 

[Alessandra]

I did not realize that you could use iPhones on Tracfone, good idea.

 

Adding one more pro iPhone comment -- peer pressure. I don't know the special needs situation, but in some cases, you may want to make sure that a kid doesn't have an ultra dorky phone, in case of teasing.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Alessandra

[Arcadia]

The good thing is a non-smartphone's battery usually last longer than a smartphone. The bad thing is a non-smartphone is useless as a GPS if you need that function and hard to locate if misplaced.

 

I had a flip phone (Motorola Razr) and a ipod touch. It was lovely since my phone rarely ran out of battery power and I took lots of photos on my ipod without worrying that battery will be flat and no one can call me.

[wendy not in HI]

If you are looking at cheap cell plans:

 

I use my old iphone 4 (verizon) on Kittywireless for about $20 a month.  I can text, call, and use internet away from home.  I don't have unlimited internet, but I use it all the time to check my email, facebook, and gps around DC and I have only used up all of my time once (when I tried downloading a book with my wifi turned off.)  My husband and daughter also use old iphone 4s's (verizon version) with kittywireless.  It is the silliest name for a cell company in the world, but I have been with them for about 3 years and I think it's just great! I'm hoping to buy a newer (used) iphone later this year or maybe next year.  I have been saying that for over a year, though, and my iphone 4 just keeps on going!!

[Nan in Mass]

I have a flip phone and an ipad mini that just uses in house wifi (so no monthly bill). I love the combination. I can't google in the car, but I am usually with other people who can so that isn't an issue. I carry the phone around with me for communication and use the ipad at home for everything else. My 20 something sons use stupid phones to self limit their access to various types of technology. Leave the phone at home or turned off when you don't want to be interrupted. see your textbooks on the tablet. Limit your access to the internet by taking the old style ipod for music and leaving the tablet behind.

 

Nan

[AngieW in Texas]

There are companies like Ting that just bill you for what you actually use. 

 

My 17yo is on Ting now. Her monthly bill for her iphone6s is just $25. She uses practically no minutes, but does a lot of texting. She does most of her data through wifi, so she's on the lowest fee for that.

There is no contract. This also means that there is no subsidy for her phone.

 

She had to have a new phone because her iphone 4s stopped being able to send or receive phone calls and then she could send texts, but not receive them and then it stopped charging. Her iphone 4s was only 2 years old but we bought it refurbished. The rest of us have 2-5 yo iphone 4s and are still going along fine.

[catz]

We have wifi only smart phones with unlimited voice and text through Republic Wireless for $10 a month plus the cost of the device.  You can get a moto-e for $129.   It depends on your area though - you can check it here.

 

https://republicwireless.com/tools/coverage-check/

 

We've had Republic for over 2 years now for all 4 of us.  We pay $40 a month for 4 wifi only smart phones.  It's been a great fit for us.  We used to pay more for 2 stupid phones.

[AngieW in Texas]

I switched the whole family over to Ting in June. I should have done it long before now. We went from $302/month for 5 smartphones with Sprint to just $89 for the same 5 smartphones with Ting. 

[happypamama]

I am just about to get a smartphone after having a regular one for years because StraightTalk from WalMart finally offered a really good deal. I can say that I very much dislike texting on my regular phone. It's slow and very cumbersome, although it would probably be easier on DD's TracFine, which has a keyboard (but on hers, texts show up like closed messages, not like a conversation like they do on my iPad, which is slower). I can text easily from my iPad via WiFi, but only to other iDevice people, plus then it means that when I'm out and don't have WiFi, I can't use it to hear from my husband. And having two text conversations with him, one via iPad and the other via regular phone, is annoying. If she's had an iPhone 4, she might find going back to a regular phone annoying, but then again, if she uses the iPod as a text device and is home most of the time, it might be okay.

[MysteryJen]

My dd2 would say "not even close." But from where I sit, her setup (dumb phone and iPod) seems very functional.

[DawnM]

I switched the whole family over to Ting in June. I should have done it long before now. We went from $302/month for 5 smartphones with Sprint to just $89 for the same 5 smartphones with Ting. 

 

 

But you are not comparing apples to apples (no pun intended.)

 

If you are paying $89/mo, my guess is that you have limited calling and texting and limited to no data.

 

Our usage is such that we DO need unlimited call and text and data plans. 

 

I did the little "compare" feature and it says, "looks like we can't save you money."

[Daria]

I just bought my son a pay as you go Smartphone for $15.99 from virgin mobile. You can get some pretty cheap plans, and it has GPS, uber, and a gamer which are the features he uses most.

[DawnM]

I would look into an iPad mini for her. 

 

Does she text much?  You can only text through iMessage on an iPod or an iPad.  That might be a downside.

[J-rap]

Two of my kids had a dumb phone + an iPod for several years, until just this past year.  Worked for them!

[Ottakee]

Thanks all.  We are still thinking.  She wants the iphone for facetime but mom isn't so hip on facetime as she wants to be on it too much.

 

We are more rural and Verizon has the best service in our area, hands down.  AT&T is ok but Sprint and others dont' work in our area.

 

I would love to lower our monthly phone payments.  I do use my phone for lots of talking and texting so almost need umlimited.  The rest of the family could get my with less talk and text and even more limited data and just use wi fi.  Husband and I have droids, and 3 older kids have iphones.

[Daria]

I just bought my son a pay as you go Smartphone for $15.99 from virgin mobile. You can get some pretty cheap plans, and it has GPS, uber, and a gamer which are the features he uses most.

Camera . . . the phone has a camera. You will be glad to know the phone did not come with a game-playing human. I believe you have enough humans to take care of already.