Pay as you go phone plans? Looking for a way to NOT carry my new phone
 

I got a new phone &, at the cost, am reluctant to carry it on my rides. My old phone still works & for what I do on rides (emergency calls, get texts) it would be fine.
Anyone use a "pay as you go" phone plan? Looking for something I can buy a bucket of minutes and get texts, maybe a bit of data, and they don't expire until I've used them. These things used to exist.
I'd also need to get a new number with it. My plan is to forward texts from my main # to this one & give the new # out only to people who might REALLY need to contact me.
Of course, robocalls will eat up most of the minutes, I'm sure.

On the off chance both phones use the same SIM card, you can just swap before each ride.

I use Ting. We both get a $25 credit if you use my referral link, https://z7nbog44inc.ting.com/

My bill runs under $70/month for 3 phones. I’ve had Ting for 6-7 years, and no issues whatsoever.

I've got my phone set to "silence unknown callers." Any caller not in my contacts goes straight to voice mail. Might help with your bucket of minutes concern...

Tracfone should provide the service you seek. At least they used to.


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Is it possible to buy a second sim? Same #, just as a backup & leave it in there so I don't have to pull the case off every day? This is a great idea, btw. Thanks. Hadn't thought of it.

Does voicemail not count against minutes?

you could get a case that has a warranty if your phone is damaged. I think Otterbox does this...

If you use an iPhone
 

Invest in an Apple Watch. Pay $10/month to your cellular provider and you can make and receive calls and messages on it from your shared phone number and you can leave your iPhone at home. You can even use it for Strava. The only thing it lacks is a Garmin app so it doesn’t connect to a Garmin Edge. But I have to think Garmin will release an app at some point.

Scammers rarely leave a message.

i like red pocket.

I use a Tracfone flip phone. I have actually used it for years. The phone cost $30.00 and I buy 120 minutes for $30.00 about every 3 months or so. I can text, call, and it has voicemail. I like it a lot because that is all I really need. While I see the need for smart phones and they have their place. I just don't need a mini computer that just happens to make phone calls.
So if you just want a cheap phone for taking on rides I would suggest a Tracfone.
Have a great day.

I have tracphone service with a galaxy s7. The new service policy now costs about $20 per month, compared to an older method where I bought minutes that kept piling up that only cost about $10. I now have unlimited calls and texts, but pay for data time separately.

I don't carry my phone.

And I thought I was the only person left in the world that did this!

In my case it works. More than the monthly cost, I simply don't need the bells and whistles of a smart phone. And like Dave above, I usually don't even carry a phone.

Besides Tracfone, Net10 is another pay-as-you-go provider.

I have a friend who swaps out his sim to a cheap or used phone for rides. Seems more cost effective if you have an old phone laying around