Good idea for a thread! We use Verizon and have 4 iphones.

DH has unlimited data, the other three phones each have 2 gig. We pay $5 for a monitoring thing for the teenager's phones which we use to cut off their data if it gets near 2 gig. They use their phones to listen to music all the time and Pandora is a huge data suck.

Add all the bogus fees and charges together and we pay $275 per month. Which sounds like a lot but it works out to $70 per phone. Which isn't too bad???

Last year we had 3 smart phones with data and paid Verizon about $200 a month. DD's phone had extra data and monthly insurance since it was brand new.

DH retired 6 months ago and immediately returned to a flip phone which saved on the data portion. Then we switched all 3 phones to my son's plan since he gets a 20% discount from his office. Now we're paying $115 a month which includes unlimited everything.

I am interested in researching the portable Hot Spot devices - then I won't have to worry about utilizing that feature on my phone which drains the battery.

We use Trac phones. We have to buy a phone card about every 3 months to keep the same phone number. We have no tower out here in the woods. It gets reception in dead zones that other phones can't do. We bought Double Minutes cards that you install every time you put in the new minutes. It is good for life. The phone cost about $40, the minute card costs $20 and the double minute card was around $40. We don't text or use the internet on them.

We use Trac phones. We have to buy a phone card about every 3 months to keep the same phone number. We have no tower out here in the woods. It gets reception in dead zones that other phones can't do. We bought Double Minutes cards that you install every time you put in the new minutes. It is good for life. The phone cost about $40, the minute card costs $20 and the double minute card was around $40. We don't text or use the internet on them.

I wish you could use the iphone with talk, text and wifi (no data). I like my iphone features but I don't really need wifi and data,

I have an moto g android that I use for work when we have to check mobile websites. I have that set up for wifi only. Basically it's like a small tablet. I paid $40 for it and have no monthly charges.

Verizon -3 smartphones.
1 iphone, 1 Samsung android, 1 Nokia windows
unlimited talk/text of course
10 gig data shared between the 3 phones
$184/month

That's Dh and me, and one 26yr DS living and working in another state. We pay for him because we want to. Oldest DS in yet another state is on AT&T and would still be with Verizon on our plan if there was decent coverage where he lives. When he was on our plan, he paid us 2 x /yr to cover his cost - his choice, not ours.

One phone, unlimited talk and text, 1/2 GB data for $29.99 month from Red Pocket Mobile, which uses the ATt&T network.

I have a flip phone and fill it with minutes for $100 per year from ATT Go Phone. I have an iPad mini with prepaid service from Verizon for $20/month that I use for Internet access when I'm away from wifi. There is a phone number assigned to the Verizon account that I could use for texting or Facetime if I so desired, but I don't. So, my total cost is about $28 per month.

Other family members' phones are through their work so I don't know what the cost is.

1 iphone 6 plus, AT&T, unlimited data, 200 texts/month $85.

We pay about $130, Verizon, 2 IPhones with unlimited talk/text, can't remember how much data but we don't ever go over.

1 Iphone, $30/ month. 100 minutes, unlimited text, 5 GB data on TMobile ( aka Walmart plan). I use it mostly for data and average about 10 minutes of calls per month. I ordered the SIM card thru TMobile and followed directions from the macrumors forum to track down the hidden plan :). (Prepaid)

This post was edited by daki on Wed, Jan 14, 15 at 21:53

As I read through this my head spins..it seems we cannot compare apples to apples. Smart phone/tract phone/flip phone...

We have four sliders, for $10 per phone a month unlimited texting. I don't know the minutes--but we never use them all, not even close. Bill comes to $125 a month. We will have a land line on top of it. No way to we get our money's worth. We have all been scammed.

I am floored by what you are paying for phones. So far,I have resisted getting a smart phone. I use a flip phone and pay $10 per month for minutes. I rarely use the darn thing, although there are times when it is handy. I had a phone paid for by my employer before I retired. I use my ipad mini to get on the web via wifi when away from home. If I can't pick up wifi,I live without it.

I have to admit that having internet access at all times is very tempting, but not enough to pay the cost.

My phone bill has stayed the same for at least 6 years due to just renewing my contract-- nice to have a set rate I can budget for.

Considering the damn thing is my alarm clock, kitchen timer, stereo, paperback book, dictionary, camera, video camera, notepad, compass, white noise machine, calculator, and oh yeah -- phone -- I think I get my money's worth

Verizon, 1 smart phone, 2 mobile hotspots, one home phone (I want to drop but DH is old school), 2 iPads. Shared data on all devices runs between 277 and 300 per month. I am satisfied with Verizon but I honestly think the costs are too high. I am considering a switch to Sprint but I am concerned that there coverage area isn't as good as Verizon's.

We have 2 phones with Virgin Mobile, each phone cost under $20. I am on an old plan where we pay $20 every 3 months. I mainly have the phone for emergencies/long distance as I detest talking on the phone and we have a land line. I do have an ipod touch for many of the fun things at home but if there is no wifi when I am out and about, I figure I can live without. When my phone needs to be replaced, I will be looking at Trac phones or the like prepaid because it is pointless for me to pay even $20 a month for the limited amount I use it and my current plan is no longer available. However, I do feel that I need a phone as I live in a rural area on poor roads and have a daughter with diabetes so if there is a problem, I want to be contacted.

DH's phone we pay $20 a month for. I cannot remember what it includes but he uses his a bit more for work and never uses all of his minutes.

I should also add that my 16 yo and 13 yo do not have phones. When the 16 yo starts driving, we may have a prepaid family phone for emergencies or he may be able to borrow mine, not sure yet but it is not a huge necessity in their lives yet.

This post was edited by tishtoshnm on Thu, Jan 15, 15 at 11:30

just a heads up that the current issue of Consumer Reports has a "Step by Step Guide to Phones and Plans"

I use an iPhone 5 and prepaid minutes from AT&T. I buy $25 worth of minutes about every three months, and add $5 worth of data whenever I'm traveling where I might be without wifi. Most of my contacts use AT&T as well, so phone calls and texts to/from them is free.

Most months, I spend less than $10/month on cell service with PTel. I have an unlocked iPhone, but I mostly use it for the apps, and largely with wifi. Since iMessage will use wifi, messaging is free most of the time.

But to be fair, the cost of network service should be included, as well as our cheapest possible landline, which we have for the security system. But we don't even pay for long distance; Google voice within the US is free, and can connect to either the landline or cell phone.

Page Plus Cellular (managed and set up through kitty wireless so we are on automatic monthly payments). My husband and I each have the 55 plan which uses Verizon network/coverage, it's unlimited talk/text, and 3 GB of data which is plenty per person for us (it's actually unlimited data but throttled after 3 GB), for 55.00 per month. We can use any Verizon smart phone with it (used or new). So for us both it's, 110 a month. We've had it for two years now and so far it feels like we still have Verizon, but without the extra fee charges they liked to add, no contract, and I don't have to worry about remembering to purchase prepaid cards etc.