We wanted to get an extra cell phone to keep in our motorhome. One reason was, we were locked out because the door latch failed. Luckily it happened in our driveway. Now, our concern is, one of us would be in the motorhome without our phone. The other reason is, on our last trip out west, there were many dead spots. We have Consumer Cellular (works on at&t), which works great for us. We thought having a phone on a different carrier would help. One of them would work, if the other didn't. Thinking Verizon. We just want a basic flip phone, with voice only. We're trying to keep the cost down. Verizon wanted $30 per month, plus the cost of the phone, plus activaction. Anyone have insights.I've read some other posts on this, but most were about voice & data plans, or a basic phone added on to an existing account. This would be one phone only.

my wife doesn't want any part of a smart phone only a flip phone to make and receive calls. For her we have a pay as you go plan with Verizon for her phone and instead of $30 a month for minutes that expire at the end of each month we pay $104 for 400 minutes that are good for a year. Works out to about $9 a month. Sounds like what you are looking for. Had to call Verizon for initial setup. Now we renew yearly on her phone without talking to anyone. I think with a credit card it can be setup to automatically renew.

So you had to call Verizon to get that deal? Sounds like a good deal. They never said anything about it at the Verizon store. Thanks for the info.

Tracfone using Verizon towers has worked great for DH. I use Straight Talk on Verizon for about 12 years and wouldn't change. I talk too much on my phone so tracfone wouldn't work. DH buys his minutes about once a year and I on the other hand get unlimited talk and text and 10gb a month. We use my phone for gps, streaming music while camping, and surfing the net. It works great for us. Verizon towers were the deal breaker on our phones.

Tracfone has a couple models out that get double and triple minutes. Their flip phone was double minutes. I have their LG phone that gets triple minutes. If you buy a card with 200 minutes, it adds 600 minutes. Love this phone for 3 years now. Runs on Verizon and only costs $7 or $8 a month minimum to keep it current. Check the Walmart or similar. It also texts, takes nice pictures and sends in text amongst about anything you could want.Brian

Thank you for the tracfone info. I was wondering about that. They seem like the easiest solution for us. I'll look into them today.

extra phone | Good Sam Community

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Feb 24, 2018
If you add a 2nd phone to your existing account then it will be on your existing carrier so the same dead spots.

If you go with any of the el-cheapo phones. Well some use Sprint (Avoid) some T-mobile (At one time T-mobile phones roamed on AT&T I do not know if this is still the case. My last phone or the one before it showed Verizon towers but would not connect where I was.. May have been where I was, ASK before you buy)
and some use AT&T
And some use Verizon.. Not sure which use which service but you can get service (Voice only( for about 20/month if I'm not mistaken. Just make sure it is the carrier you want.

NOTE: I am NOT a fan of Verizon but that has nothing to do with this thread.

Another possible solution.

A pair of battery operated 2-way radios. or better yet. A Technician Ham License.. Amateur Radio... When all else fails.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Feb 24, 2018
I will agree with the Tracphone plan. It works great, we have it and have it for our great-granddaughter. It runs around $8 per month. The smart phone only plans are the best deal by a long shot if you just want it as a backup phone. You can get them as low as $6 per month.
charlysmom_dad
Explorer
Feb 24, 2018
Thank you for the tracfone info. I was wondering about that. They seem like the easiest solution for us. I'll look into them today.
Cobra21
Explorer
Feb 24, 2018
Tracfone has a couple models out that get double and triple minutes. Their flip phone was double minutes. I have their LG phone that gets triple minutes. If you buy a card with 200 minutes, it adds 600 minutes. Love this phone for 3 years now. Runs on Verizon and only costs $7 or $8 a month minimum to keep it current. Check the Walmart or similar. It also texts, takes nice pictures and sends in text amongst about anything you could want.
Brian
lap527
Explorer
Feb 24, 2018
Tracfone using Verizon towers has worked great for DH. I use Straight Talk on Verizon for about 12 years and wouldn't change. I talk too much on my phone so tracfone wouldn't work. DH buys his minutes about once a year and I on the other hand get unlimited talk and text and 10gb a month. We use my phone for gps, streaming music while camping, and surfing the net. It works great for us. Verizon towers were the deal breaker on our phones.
charlysmom_dad
Explorer
Feb 24, 2018
So you had to call Verizon to get that deal? Sounds like a good deal. They never said anything about it at the Verizon store. Thanks for the info.
haydoracin
Explorer
Feb 24, 2018
my wife doesn't want any part of a smart phone only a flip phone to make and receive calls. For her we have a pay as you go plan with Verizon for her phone and instead of $30 a month for minutes that expire at the end of each month we pay $104 for 400 minutes that are good for a year. Works out to about $9 a month. Sounds like what you are looking for. Had to call Verizon for initial setup. Now we renew yearly on her phone without talking to anyone. I think with a credit card it can be setup to automatically renew.

Forum Discussion

extra phone

About RV Must Haves

Related Content

Carrying extra water

Extra water

No extra car

Extra Keys

Phone GPS