We gave up our home phone landline a year or so ago, and it's almost completely a great experience (no telemarketers, lower expense, etc.). We have a landline in an upstairs bedroom that has been converted to my husband's office. He also has a cell and I have one that I use for business and personal calls.
We have a wonderful rescue dog but she gets so incredibly stressed if crated for more than an hour or so. Sometimes we just need to be out longer than that, and lately we've had a ton of appointments further away, requiring us to deal with unpredictable rush hour traffic and so on. We have a good crew of neighborhood tweens and teens who are happy to dog sit. But many of them don't have cell phones, and it's just not practical for them to use the office phone. Yes, it's there in an emergency, but if I want to call them to tell them my approximate arrival time, they aren't going to hear the office phone. Plus I don't really want them answering business calls anyway.
So I was thinking it would make sense to get a low-end prepaid cell phone that just stayed with them or in the kitchen. They could contact their parents as needed, or me, and I could call them. Obviously I would monitor it for excessive usage. I don't think I need a lot of features - maybe just a few preprogrammed numbers. Not sure I even need texting - probably not as I'm sure it's not cheap.
Is there anything I should know about these phones? Brand names you'd recommend? Amount of calling hours? I think many can be replenished with more time, right? Any advice would be appreciated!
ETA The office phone is a Vonage Grandstream VOIP. It saved us a fair amount of money over our old Verizon set-up (the standard 2 line phone with light-up buttons to choose the line). I have an no-longer-used phone jack in the kitchen but I don't know if I can just plug a second handset in there since 2 lines originally came through it to a no-longer-used 2 line phone. I know I can order another phone from Vonage (need to check the costs) but I'm looking for a short term solution at the very least.
Sorry - I haven't been clear enough. I don't "already have the lines there" because they were inactivated when the lines "ported" from Verizon to Vonage. The reason there's no phone in the kitchen anymore is that the line is, for all intents and purposes, dead. Plugging in a standard cordless & base won't work - it MUST be a VOIP phone connected to the internet. I could order another phone through Vonage but I'd have the cost of the set (not cheap) and a monthly charge of $15 or so. So I'm looking at hundreds of dollars a year just to provide a phone for sitters. That's why I thought a cell might make sense especially if it's by minutes and not by a 3 month period. However, renewing at 3 months might be okay too. Unless I'm missing something.... Thanks - keep the ideas coming.
ETA in response to questions - No, the Vonage phone is not wireless/cordless! I don't know why people don't believe me. It cannot be moved downstairs and plugged in either. Please believe me. It's a VOIP and must be connected to the computer upstairs in the office. No, the kids do not have cell phones and tablets/laptops - that is the problem that I discovered and why I posted this question. There are many, many kids who just do not - parents don't want them having them until high school, or that was the deal they made with their oldest kid and now they won't change the deal for the younger ones. I don't have kids at home - mine is grown and gone. Yes, I guess I could undertake a new installation for an entirely new carrier, with all those fees, and then pay monthly charges for a phone that has no use other than for the sitters. But it doesn't seem to make financial sense. I'm not worried about a low-end cell phone disappearing with these sitters - I'll be coming home to the kid and the phone, and they won't get paid if the phone isn't on the counter where it belongs. I can see it would be a problem if I wasn't here, but the whole point is that they stay until I return because the dog (who has PTSD) requires it. I agree it's a topic worth considering, but I know it's not an issue in my case. Does this help?
I'm not helpful sorry, just wanted to say that's a great idea! I'm thinking just a Wal-Mart or dollar general phone, buy a phone card with minutes and there ya go! I'd definitely do that opposed to messing with a landline or any of that other confusing (to me!) stuff you already have going on. :)
I can't really answer about prepaid cell phones, but I have another idea you might find less *risky*...
First, if you have a landline still upstairs in the office, then why not just buy another handset for downstairs? You know, where you have the base station and multiple handsets that you just plug the power cord into a wall socket to recharge the individual handsets?
If you don't want to do that b/c you don't want them answering your business line, you could probably set it up to have a different ring tone.
Alternatively, you could get an Ooma and do the same thing. The monthly fee is just taxes once you buy the Ooma itself. Ooma is VoIP service. You can set up all kinds of ring tones. Basic service averages $4/month, and you use it just like a landline. Multiple handsets, etc.
ETA after your SWH:
So, since you have NO landline, maybe look at switching from Vonage to Ooma. From my research, it gets better reviews. The sound quality is top notch, and while yes, you'd have to buy the Ooma box thingee initially, it's a one time cost, and it is like a router, in that you can plug any phone you want to into it. We just use the set we already had (a base station with 3 additional handsets). We still have the additional handsets plugged all over the house and there is no change in how they function--except it comes through VoIP instead of a hardwire landline that costs $70/month.
It might cost a little up front, but in the long run, it pays for itself and has great features. AND, you can add an additional phone number, not just the ported one. So you could actually have an office number and a home number if you wanted.
Just a thought.
Yes, there's a start up cost (but there is with a prepaid cell phone as well, and you have the issue of keeping up with it and passing it around to your sitters or whatever, etc.). With Ooma, they wouldn't even know you didn't have a landline. At least go to their website and check it out. We love it.
http://getvoip.com/blog/2014/02/18/ooma-vs-vonage/
http://www.ooma.com/
And don't be confused by all the *extras* you can purchase with the teleo for Ooma. If you have the right stuff at home already, you only need the Ooma teleo itself, not all the wifi jacks and other accessories. All we bought was the teleo (and it plugs into the line between the DSL modem and the router). Then we plugged our existing phone base/answering system into the Teleo. That was it. All the other hand sets we had plugged in (not into phone jacks, but into power outlets only) didn't need to have anything done to them at all.
I can blacklist calls (and the system even has it's own database of telemarketers and junk callers that it filters out if you want), forward calls to my cell phone, program it to turn the ringer off for certain time frames, or have different ring tones for different callers or for the 2nd phone number. It's pretty sweet. I don't use half the features... ok, not even half... but they are there if I need them.
I don't know if international calls are an issue for you since you use your current line for business. But if not, and you are paying a fair amount for monthly service, then you'll make back the cost of the teleo unit in no time. If you go with basic service, the charges are truly less than $4 per month. With premier service (all the bells and whistles) it comes out to about $14/month (TOTAL). The Teleo was about $140, and you can order online, or go into a store an pick one up in person (I think Best Buy had them when we got ours).
I have switched my phone and my oldest son's over to StraightTalk from Walmart. It's great - we used our existing phones and kept our numbers, installed new sim cards (they sell them for $1 for a multi pack) and pay $45 a month each for 4G data, unlimited talk and unlimited text. Coverage and service are fine. Their lowest plan is $30 a month.
StraightTalk is owned by TracPhone, which also runs Net10. Net10 has a 200-minute, $15 a month plan that might be what you need. They also have some off-brand phones that are $10 or $20 that you can buy, or you can use an old phone (ask around, someone might have an old one sitting in a drawer that they don't need).
Overall, I've been please with the pre-paid phone service and can't imagine ever going back. Check out Net10 and see if what they have works for you.
I like my prepaid Verizon Motog $45/month unlimited text and call.. but probably to fancy for your needs. It's a smart phone. Lots of people in my town have cheap prepaid basic track phones (i think basic flip phones) which may be perfect for what you're talking about. Go to a Best Buy or Walmart or local store that has things like that and find someone who knows all the options and have them run down the details and costs of each.
A couple of years ago, ATT had a "go phone" plan that was month to month. I had an old ATT phone that I wanted to activate for my daughter - so it was $25 got you 200 minutes and 100 texts and it lasted up to 3 months. If you didn't use the minutes and texts within 90 days, it all disappeared and you would simply recharge it for the next time. The grocery store has all kinds of phone options like that - simple old school phones that cost $9.99 and then you buy minutes on a card. If you're just looking for emergency use, that's even cheaper than the cheapest month to month plans.
ETA: remember, though, that if you're working with teens/tweens, make sure there is a home base for the phone. Wall phones can't get misplaced. Even cordless landlines go missing in our house.
(ETA based on your SWH) - just so you know, I just meant by "go missing" that it's easy to leave it in one room under a couch cushion and then not be able to find it the next time you need it. Not that I thought a kid would take it.
Do you have WiFi they can use? Many tweens don't have cell phones, but pretty much all of them have some kind of handheld device that they can use to text through WiFi. They can communicate with you or their parents that way.
ETA: Wow, I didn't know that kids without iPods exist ;) Actually, that could be a cheaper alternative for you. You could buy an older version iPod Touch (craiglist is good for this, an iPod 4 is less than $100) and have that at the house. Then they can text you and vice versa using that, and no extra monthly fees for you.
And all that said, to answer your original question, I don't have a pay as you go phone, but my parents do. I don't know alot about it, but my understanding is that as long as they use it once per month, the account stays active. They rarely use it, so they put new minutes on, about $50 at a time, twice per year I think. It works for them.
You may want to consider a magicjack:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/161792/magicjack_voip_call...
It might fit your needs and is very easy to setup and inexpensive.
I think your Vonage phone is cordless as well, sorry I don't know the setup. I too have a home office with multiple lines. Through Verizon I use what I think is called "smart ring" where I can have a different ring for a selected line. You can bring down the office phone and teach the kids about the ring.
*** ETA - Okay, let's work on the dog! I too have a fairly new shepherd shelter dog. She is huge, afraid and loud when she is left alone. I had a raffle door prize basket that included a "sonic egg"...a device that emits soundless waves to calm the dog. I never thought a little plastic egg could be such a life saver to get us over the hump while she was in training. You can see it at PetSmart, I swear it works!!
Did you check with your current carrier on how much it would be to add a line? You can buy a basic phone for $40 or less and then "share" minutes. I would think that would be way cheaper than pre-paid phones. We had them for the kids to start but they were WAY more than having an iPhone. lol Good luck.
Love my vonage for our landline..
With that said. I had bought my son a cheap tracfone while he was in 7th grade and it was fine for his needs at the time.... I'd put a couple of hours on it at a time
He's since upgraded to an android and currently on my cell phone plan
Why not look into a landline that only allows local calls. You already have the lines there and I think the cost of a prepaid would be about the same. You will always need to add minutes and they expire after a few months (at lease they used to years ago).
Or get another Vonage line, my husband has three for his office.
The lease expensive would be a cordless with the extra one to plug in (like described below) and have your sitters only answer when they see your number or their families numbers.
ADDED**
You can get a phone through the cable companies now, I would look into what they charge.
While I agree with not having a teen/tween getting a phone too soon (from a parenting point of view) the reality is some parents get phones for their kids when they are pre-schoolers and I can't think of any teen I know who doesn't have one at this point.
I think the teens/tweens who don't have cell phones will be getting them soon enough and you don't need to worry about it.
In the mean time, just use kids who already have their own phone or are comfortable with not having phone access while they dog sit your dog.
Don't over think it - there is no problem to fix.
sorry, don't know enough about the prepaid cell phones to offer anything useful. but i agree it's a great solution to your dilemma.
i'd love to cut the expensive landline, but the cell coverage is just too spotty out here in west cowpie. :P
khairete
S.
If the second line is available,, you can buy a decent phone for $20 or less. I bought one at Fred Meyer. I suggest you want the second line to have a number different than the office number. You can price different providers. They can activate the second line. You can call Vonage to see how much a second number would cost from them. I suggest a land line might cost less than a prepaid cell phone. I think my basic landline cost is $12.95/ month tho I'm not sure. When you load a prepaid phone, unused minutes are lost if not used. There is no limit on number of calls on a landline. Unlike cell phones, they do charge for long distance which can be confusing.
I suggest you would have less difficulty with a land line, too. The phone can't be carried out of the house or get misplaced/lost. Even tho i try to always leave my cell in plain view, i sometimes can't find it when it rings. It's not as much fun for a teen. They're less likely to make calls. Would your kids use the prepaid cellphone? I suggest you would have more control using a land line than a cell.
After your SWH: I'm suggesting that another provider might be able to use the line already installed in the kitchen.
My landline bill only covers my landline. It's through a company that only supplies landlines so it's not connected to a computer.
