Autopay or Airtime Cards?

[touchofwhimsy]

There are many good reasons not to have cc information on various sites, yet I can imagine it's hard to match the autopay discount I noticed on some of the TF plans. TF has changed a lot since the last time I had a phone on the service and I'm not quite sure which way to go. Thoughts or experiences with autopay?

[Lisme]

Autopay used to be typical TF problematic, but I decided to give it another chance last year. I signed up for autopay 60 min / 90 day cards and it worked fine. It triggered a couple of days before the due date, so it wasn't down to the wire. I was just wanting to test it.

I guess they are using a better vendor now.

[touchofwhimsy]

Thank you for this information. I'm debating whether to deal with the rewards program or just put it on autopay, so it's good to know it's not problematic these days.

[loboheeler]

Thank you for this information. I'm debating whether to deal with the rewards program or just put it on autopay, so it's good to know it's not problematic these days.

Keep in mind that some of the plans listed on the website are stating you only get 2 months discount with Auto-Refill. The ones with a "*" are limited like this.

[dfriz]

I use a Visa card with a $50 limit set for use with autopays. If they try to nick me for over that it bounces.
Most of my autopays are under $10.
I did notice that Page Plus adds a $1 service charge for credit card payments.
I tried autopay with them and they wanted to refill every month instead of every 120 days.
H2O does the autopays every 3 mo. with a $1 discount.
I could use one of the phone card people, most of them are charging for autopay.

[vljenewein]

I have 3 phone I feed. My Daughter's Tracfone LG Journey, which I got her since she is out of work and finally got out from under the contracts payments of Verizon.. to never probably go back My wife's LG Rebel 4, and my LG Premier Pro Plus. ALL use those tracfone cards I buy at Walmart (or wherever) and give me 90 days of service. I love the fact that I buy them as needed when the service date is up. I notice that both my wife and daughter's phones triple the talk/text/data when I buy a card. So a 60 minute (90 day) card gives daughter 180 min, talk 180 texts and 180 MB data. She goes through a LOT more texts than data. My phone is good till 2060, so I just buy 500 minutes for $10.00 as needed. I buy 500 minute for my wife's phone once in a while. It all depends on how much she calls or gets calls. Some months it may only use about 20 minutes. Another month it may use 200 minutes,but at 2 cents a minutes, that is not bad for talk time. Wife's phone service is due in July of this year, so will buy her another cards before then. Daughter's is up in May.. . same thing. $20.00 every few months is not bad for phone service. (19.95 / 60 min. card + 90 days.)

So when someone asks me how much my phone bill is, I say it's roughly $5.00 a month, and they can't beat that with their $60.00 / month plans. Grant it, they can make unlimited calls, but we just don't make that many calls anymore in a month.... and I can always use Google Voice and talk for free.

[rpz1]

I did notice that Page Plus adds a $1 service charge for credit card payments.......
I tried autopay with them and they wanted to refill every month instead of every 120 days.

I use a CC all the time on PP for my replenishments (PayGo), never a $1 charge. Where'd you see that ?
Their 120 day PayGo plan $'s can also be used as a cash balance (for extra data, intl calls, etc, or use to make your monthly renewal) if you have a monthly plan. That's probably why it wanted to refill monthly. Just a guess.

[touchofwhimsy]

Keep in mind that some of the plans listed on the website are stating you only get 2 months discount with Auto-Refill. The ones with a "*" are limited like this.

Thank you!

[touchofwhimsy]

I use a Visa card with a $50 limit set for use with autopays. If they try to nick me for over that it bounces.
Most of my autopays are under $10.
I did notice that Page Plus adds a $1 service charge for credit card payments.
I tried autopay with them and they wanted to refill every month instead of every 120 days.
H2O does the autopays every 3 mo. with a $1 discount.
I could use one of the phone card people, most of them are charging for autopay.

Great idea!

[touchofwhimsy]

So when someone asks me how much my phone bill is, I say it's roughly $5.00 a month, and they can't beat that with their $60.00 / month plans. Grant it, they can make unlimited calls, but we just don't make that many calls anymore in a month.... and I can always use Google Voice and talk for free.

Personally, I much prefer the $5 phone bill. I have similar conversations with some family members. I probably use a bit more of everything than you do, so mine is not so low. Good job keeping the phone expenses so low. TF does offer some ways to be creative and save more.

[GeezLouise]

Great idea!

I like to use Pinzoo to refill Tracfone and PagePlus devices.


Sent from my iPad using HoFo

[Tracfancier]

Buy airtime from Target using their red card and save 5%. Buy in-store or online and receive the PIN by e-mail.
Some weeks they have a special percentage off airtime that stacks with the 5% red card discount.

[touchofwhimsy]

Thank you, Tracfancier. That sounds like the best way to go.

[loboheeler]

Buy airtime from Target using their red card and save 5%. Buy in-store or online and receive the PIN by e-mail.

Is using a Target Red Card any more secure than any other online purchase? It is a PITA, as it draws from you bank account, and that has to be tracked. Not a big Target fan, and seldom buy from them. They dropped some items I used to buy online.