Are Phone Payments Part Of The Debt Snowball?

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[kendrapratt]

I was telling my husband I wish they’d address this more! It seems like alot of people are in debt over financing phones and end up having astronomical phone bills

[scottbitz]

My wife and I only did a phone payment plan once and that was only to get her off her parents plan and my parents made part of the payment as a Christmas gift, but now we buy our phones outright. It's just cleaner and there's no debt!

[CurtisJBergerJr]

The line item in the budget for the insurance you don’t actually have and just pay yourself just in case you need a phone repair is so awesome!

[thenewwayhome]

Obtaining a phone in cash is way more advantageous these days than going into plan/debt. Great advice from George!

[ShakaBroski]

That happened to me too when I was trying to buy a phone outright at AT&T. They didn't understand what I was asking and didn't know how to let me just pay for it all together that day. I had to just go home and pay the whole phone off in one transaction on my AT&T account.

[letty]

Same thing happen to me in Best Buy, I asked how much is this phone and she gave me a monthly payment, then looked confused when I asked for the total cost of this phone.

[TownspersonB]

My phone buying process is just: Go to the stores to see how each phone feels in the hand, go home and check out reviews for the phones I like, then buy the phone in full from the manufacturer's website, without a carrier. Just transfer the SIM and data over, then you're done (unless you decided to send your old phone in for a discount). Although, phones are apparently changing to a new eSIM's, so I'd have to look into how you switch from a normal SIM to an eSIM, or if that's even a thing I'd want to do.

[FrenchCruller]

That's ridiculous, what Dr. John was saying about the people at the phone store! I've never been into a Verizon or AT&T store that didn't tell you the buy-it-now price right up front. In fact, if you're a prepaid customer, you're not even allowed to use the payment plan option.

[IncendiaryPanda]

I totally had the exact same experience when I bought my current phone! They had no clue what I was asking and I had to ask like three different people that I wanted to buy it right now for cash 😂

[ainlLeek]

Do some research and buy a phone from Best Buy/Amazon/etc and not from a carrier, and use it with a $25-$40 prepaid plan.

Five years ago, I got a $300 phone at Best Buy, and they set me up right in the store with my existing Verizon plan. I'm still using it and happy with my purchase!

[Solo]

now phone companies are doing 36 month plans for payment plans on the phones, it’s better just to save up the money & buy the phone cash from the manufacturer. Phone companies ripping people off now a days

[mattenderle]

Make sure your phone doesn’t have some sort of discount to it or promotion. If you pay it off, you could be screwing yourself.

[budgetboss_j]

Any time I go into my cell phone provider I pay for what I need out right. I can’t stand monthly payments. They expect you to add it to your monthly bill and I’m like no I’ll pay the total amount today.

[sisuguitar]

I would rather pay $600 less for a phone by trading the old one the paying $1200 out right.

[Bmmrl]

Was paying $232 for two phones! One was paid off while I was paying monthly for the other phone and iPad.
Decided to pay them all off and switch to Verizon’s prepaid phone. Best thing ! Only paying $110 a month.

[Polo]

I included my phone payment plan in my debt snowball and it was the first thing that I paid off.

[sbkpilot]

Host: do you have Everydollar?
Guest: yes I have every dollar allocated some place
🤣

[leemason]

I have been guilty of this like millions of others but since becoming debt free I will NEVER take out a new phone on a phone plan. I will happily just have a sim only deal and pay monthly for my bill but with the handsets in future will be done with cash.

[itsblack]

I always buy my phone out right unlocked from bestbuy or straight from the maker.

[marydiamond]

I needed a new phone at the beginning of the year. Previously, I'd pay monthly for a phone, but this time, I bought outright.
I paid $380 for the phone and it lowered my phone bill by $10/month. Best thing I ever did