An AT&T customer looking to cut expenses said they were still spending about $50 a month on a single line while relying on an iPhone X that had become increasingly hard to use. With a cracked screen, poor battery life, and GPS problems, the bigger concern was whether replacing the phone would make the monthly bill climb even higher.
They said affordability had become urgent and summed up the goal, saying, "Ideally, I need a new phone on a new plan for under $40 a month total."
Here's what to know
In a Reddit post, the user said keeping the same number and preserving photos and videos mattered more than getting the latest device. They said AT&T's upgrade path would raise the monthly cost to about $65 to $80, even though they were simply looking for "a reliable phone without a cracked screen, a battery that actually lasts, working GPS, and a service bill that doesn't destroy my budget."
Several replies focused on cheaper carriers and getting a phone separately. One commenter wrote, "Mint is $15/mo. You just have to get your own phone. You can get an unlocked android from Amazon for $50."
Others recommended similar budget-friendly carriers. One commenter said, "Google FI is $25 per month for everything." Another added, "US Mobile unlimited annual plan I pay $18/mo," while a separate commenter said, "Visible [is] great and $25/month I brought my own phone."
More background
One reply highlighted a possible obstacle with Mint's lowest rate: "in order to get the $15 plan, you have to pay for the year up front," which could be difficult for someone already on a tight budget.
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One commenter wrote, "It baffles me why anyone still uses the big carriers paying nearly $100/mo for phone service but everyone acts like it's normal and my $15 is some weird dumpster plan that would never work for them."
What can be done?
The overall advice was to avoid financing through a major carrier and instead combine a lower-cost plan with an unlocked or refurbished phone bought outright.
On the question of keeping the same number, one commenter offered a direct answer: "Yes, you can transfer your number to a new carrier. Easy and simple to do."
They also said the issue of saving photos and videos should be handled separately before changing devices: "This is not a phone plan issue. This is a tech support issue. Do your photos sync to iCloud or some other cloud service?"
Where can I learn more?
For anyone trying to replace an aging phone without pushing the monthly bill even higher, these stories show how refurbished devices and trade-ins can cut costs.
• Loop Mobile is offering cheap refurbished Apple products, giving buyers lower-cost iPhones and MacBooks.
• Gazelle lets customers get paid fast for old electronics while shopping for discounted pre-owned phones.
• Back Market is expanding its refurbished phone strategy as demand for lower-cost devices grows.
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