Which is better - Buying smartphones on a plan or without one?

Asylum Patient

Asylum Patient

I want money
May 13, 2021
4,340
What I mean is that not only you can buy new smartphones on a plan (contract), you could also just buy them outright (new, refurbished..). Well actually I'm aware that this is a pretty stupid question by me because at the end of the day it all depends on what phone, features and services you need.

But still...I always leaned towards the approach to just buy the devices outright. Especially if you are not a power user who does everything on a phone and probably doesn't even own a computer. Maybe I'm weird when it comes to this but I think you save up a lot of money in the long run. Yeah you might get the newest phone for like 1$ but then you locked yourself in a contract to pay lets say 50$ / month, thats 600$ / year. I could just buy a nice refurbished phone for lets say 250$ outright and combine it with a good price-performance plan like 10$ / month.

In the first year I would pay a total of 600$ for the plan option and 370$ for the outright phone option. In the second year you have to pay AGAIN 600$ (50$ / month) for the plan option...but now only 120$ (10$ /month) for the other option. Yes, I am aware of the legendary motorolla c113 and other retro nokia phones (I might buy them for nostalgic reason:feelslol:) but for my wageslaving job I need a smartphone.
 
Asylum Patient

Asylum Patient

I want money
May 13, 2021
4,340
just buy a chinkphone, they mog tbh unless you wanna get laid
But they are kinda hit or miss don't you think? I once bought a 60$ "Blackview A7" chinaphone as a backup phone:feelslol: it worked but after three weeks it already had a loose usb connection and I couldn't charge it anymore. Also the touchscreen wouldn't work anymore. But yeah it was extremely cheap lol.

But I heard a lot of good things about the Redmi Note 10 Pro.
 
Alzheimer

Alzheimer

‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎
Dec 1, 2020
2,403
But they are kinda hit or miss don't you think? I once bought a 60$ "Blackview A7" chinaphone as a backup phone:feelslol: it worked but after three weeks it already had a loose usb connection and I couldn't charge it anymore. Also the touchscreen wouldn't work anymore. But yeah it was extremely cheap lol.
Xiaomi phones are pretty great, incredible quality price ratio, can't go wrong with any of their models
 
NeverEndingWinter

NeverEndingWinter

NEET
Dec 7, 2020
8,979
I get the appeal of doing both. With the monthly deals, you pretty much get a new phone without paying $1k straight up or whatever which makes sense if new phones are your thing. If new phones aren't your thing though, it's probably all the more wise to just pay outright for an older phone
 
Saito

Saito

NEET
Sep 19, 2021
5,062
Screw new phones I get mine refurbished or used, they last me at least 2-3 years.
 
NarcyChadlite

NarcyChadlite

Aesthete, scholar, Meghan's husband
Apr 11, 2021
764
What I mean is that not only you can buy new smartphones on a plan (contract), you could also just buy them outright (new, refurbished..). Well actually I'm aware that this is a pretty stupid question by me because at the end of the day it all depends on what phone, features and services you need.

But still...I always leaned towards the approach to just buy the devices outright. Especially if you are not a power user who does everything on a phone and probably doesn't even own a computer. Maybe I'm weird when it comes to this but I think you save up a lot of money in the long run. Yeah you might get the newest phone for like 1$ but then you locked yourself in a contract to pay lets say 50$ / month, thats 600$ / year. I could just buy a nice refurbished phone for lets say 250$ outright and combine it with a good price-performance plan like 10$ / month.

In the first year I would pay a total of 600$ for the plan option and 370$ for the outright phone option. In the second year you have to pay AGAIN 600$ (50$ / month) for the plan option...but now only 120$ (10$ /month) for the other option. Yes, I am aware of the legendary motorolla c113 and other retro nokia phones (I might buy them for nostalgic reason:feelslol:) but for my wageslaving job I need a smartphone.
Buying hookers and hero

:feelsrainbow::feelsrainbow::feelsrainbow::feelsrainbow:
 
Optimus

Optimus

NEET
Jan 8, 2022
561
I would never sign up for a contract. Every time I have, I would get overcharges on my bill, then its a real hassle dealing with these companies over the phone to find out why etc. This happened with at least 3 companies.

FInally I said phuck it and bought an older samsung for about 200 bucks, then pay as you go plans where there is no way I would get overcharged. This phone still does the job for light browsing, and my plan is pretty cheap considering I dont pay for data since I am mostly home on the wifi most of the time
 
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