We are in your situation as well so I will look forward to good advice. It would be cool to have a smart phone but not smart enough to pay what it costs. I have enough connectivity in my life.
I can access the net with my tracfone if I really need to but I don’t.
When the iphone 3GS came out I wanted it but had the choice of paying in full or getting it for much less but then locked into a plan. I calculated out the total costs and found the pay up front and use pay as you go at about $1000 cheaper. Now I was happy to forego the internet connection because I felt I had enough internet in my life and if I ever needed it on the go it was also available for daily or weekly plans. I also was not a heavy user of the cellphone so it fit me fine. Still have the iphone and still going strong. This works if you are a low level user. If on the other hand you use the phone and internet a lot it would not work as well. You really need to figure out how much you use or need the various services.
“It would be cool to have a smart phone but not smart enough to pay what it costs. I have enough connectivity in my life.”
I’m “connected” to the Internet 24 hours a day at home. When I was a wage slave, I was connected at work too. I don’t find the need to be connected otherwise.
A cell phone is handy sometimes, though. I’ve NEVER used a “plan”. They suck WAY too much financial juice out of the cupboard. In my part of the country, Verizon gives as good a coverage as any, and has the best pre-pay plan. I bought a phone for $30.00, and paid $100.00 (1000 minutes) up front on the account to become an instant “gold” customer, which means all my money rolls each years as long as I put at least $10.00 in the account each year.