# Cell phone deposits?? Need help



## Ricker (Nov 23, 2007)

Well I just turned 19 got a job making decent money. Now looking to get a phone with either sprint or T-mobile. I've read that if you dont have credit or have terrible credit they may make you pay a deposit. Which in my case is none. I've never owned a credit card or anything that has to due with credit. I do have a bank account. With saving and checking. From what I can gather it seems some people my age get charged with the deposit and others dont. Also have read that Sprint usually does charge as T-mobile is some what more lenient. So I guess my question is does any one know how to get around it if it does pop up? Or talk them down? Also replys from people that work or use to work in that field would be awesome. But also want to hear from everyone as well.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Oddly enough, no credit is better than bad credit, so you can certainly try. If they reject you, then you get a free credit report and you can see where you stand. Buying a phone online (amazon) with a service plan that you activate over the net can also be cheaper/easier than using a store. Suggest you get online and read a lot of fine print.

You should get a credit card or at least a debit card (linked to checking account) that can be used like a credit card either Visa or MC, ask your bank. Another way to deal with no credit on any obligation is to get a co-signer, who promised to pay if you don't. It has to be someone with good credit. If you ever want to buy a house or a car, you need to establish credit and keep it good (no late payments, etc.).

What does your family have? Big firms like Verizon often have add a line for $10/mo to a "family" plan and you don't have to be family or even in the same state. If you add on to someone else's plan its cheaper than any individual plan. And if you are mainly calling home, the calls between phones on the plan are free. 

For individuals, from what I've seen, you should look at the pre-paid or pay-as-you-go plans. You can buy phones at wal-mart and warehouse clubs that come with a certain amount of minutes and you can buy more. They avoid the credit check and/or deposit issue altogether and are cheaper per minute if you have low usage. 

A lot of third party minute sellers use the major carriers networks, so you don't get lower quality. If you already have a phone, you can just get an activation. I've only looked at Verizon compatible phones, since thats what I have. You can get a PagePlus activation on e-bay and use and old Verizon phone and pre-paid minutes they buy on Verizon's network. I bet there are similar things for the other type of phones. The pay-as-you go plans at the big corps, are, IMO overpriced. Verizon's is more than a monthly plan.

I don't like the "free phone" with 2 or 3 year deals. If you get a lemon, you are really stuck. Add to that, service prices are expected to fall and it sucks to be locked in. IMO, it makes more sense to buy phone and service separately, but thats not how the industry is setup in the county. Phone-free plans are out there, but you really have to look.

Here's a site with good links. http://clarkhoward.com/topics/cellphones.html


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## Ricker (Nov 23, 2007)

Thanks emc7! My mom and dad use the prepaid option walmart has called straight talk. They werent happy with the service they were givin by two companies. The link you provided was very helpful. The request a 14-30 day trail I would of never thought of. Well hoping I may be one of the lucky ones and they dont ask. Hopefully my job that i have helps. Do they ask how much you make?


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## Albino_101 (Aug 14, 2008)

Ricker, get a like target credit card, and continuously charge items on it at target, and pay it all off each month, you should have decent credit in 3 months.


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## sneasle (Jun 25, 2008)

When I went to college my mom got me a student discover card. It's a 'special' card they issue, has a low limit and a low maximum charge amount with a slightly higher interest rate, but they don't care if you don't have any credit. 

I've had that card for quite a while now and discover has been good to me, never giving me an issue when I call in to request a short term credit bump for a larger purchase.


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## Ricker (Nov 23, 2007)

Well before I get a credit card I want to make sure this job will stay. See right now I just work the first and last week a month. With the chance of more days in between. Believe me its better pay just for them two weeks then you would believe. So im hoping they like me enough and we get busy for them to let me go full time then I will have np getting a card


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I know it seems like a tangent, but a lot of places will ask for "a major credit card" in lieu of a deposit or credit check. Why don't you call a couple of cell-phone places and ask what their policies are?


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## Ricker (Nov 23, 2007)

Tried last night when I got home guess it was to late and they already closed going to try again tonight if same thing happens. I will go to them tomorrow


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

online is better IMO, because the rebates that come with phone are usually given instantly online versus in the store you have to pay it up front and wait for a mail in rebate.

Alternative, verizon, at&T, and others for a smartphone your going to be paying upwards of min. $85 a month after everything, because they charge data plans which is a crock to me. 

I unlocked a iphone and took it over to T-mobile, saves me about $40 a month and only costs $35  

Verizon Droid', can be used with PagePlus & Cricket  again saving $40 a month on a bill. Something to consider, buying a phone from ebay and doing that....the extra $100 forked out for a cell on ebay with no contract is much better in the long run, pays for itself in nearly two months.


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