What is a carrier?
Carrier is a commonly used term in the US and Canada for a company that provides voice or data services. These services can be either wireless or through wired landlines. (For example: T-Mobile, Verizon,Sprint, Time Warner, AT&T, Cricket Wireless, etc.)
What is a no-contract phone?
When a cellphone is bought, the customer will have an option to either buy the phone with a subsidized price and sign-up with the said carrier or pay-up the entire cost of the phone and choose a carrier of his/her choice. While the former comes with typically a two year contract which binds the customer to stay with the carrier for the said period and requires a hefty termination fees to be paid in case he chooses to switch to another carrier within the contract period, the latter is called a no-contract phone. Almost all phones and carriers in the US have both contract and no-contract plans.
How to own cheap cellphones without contract?
No-contract phones can be bought with two types of payment options. One is to buy a lump sum amount as a one-time payment and the other one is through installments payed through PayPal or credit cards with an interest fee distributed over the period of payment. If the usage of the phone is limited to just text and call, it is better to pay for the phone upfront and have a flexibility to switch over carriers whenever preferred based on the type of plans offered.
At the same time, prepaid, also known as pay-as-you-go options, are offered by most carriers these days which means you can buy a phone of your choice with an amount paid in advance for the services to be used. This will help to control the budget on phone usage itself and also not paying unnecessarily for the features that are not used. Once the prepaid amount is used up, the phone can be returned back or topped-up (prepay the amount again) to continue with the services.
Prepaid phones eliminates the costs incurred on activation, overage, changing carriers, and termination fees, and at the same time gives the flexibility to choose the phone and the carrier making it a cheaper option over the traditional contract phones.
Although no-contract plans are offered by all major phone manufacturers, only some phones will be compatible with the carrier’s network. So, this has to be kept in mind while buying a phone or a carrier to save up on unnecessary charges for the features that will not be usable.
It is also a cheaper option to own a basic model if the usage is limited to just voice and texts. As there will be no features in the phone to get updated, the overall life of the phone itself will increase. Retaining the phone for more years helps in recovering the initial investment on the phone.
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Storage Ideas for Small Spaces
Read moreA small area is often viewed with apprehension and a misconception that it doesn’t have enough scope for experimentation surrounds it. But the point remains, small apartments are best for young couples who have just started their journey together. You do not require a lot of space to adorn your private space in a way that reflects your personality and style. Follow these tips and decode small spaces.
Think vertical
When you have pared down on all your belongings and possessions, you will always face the dilemma of determining the place which would stack up all your essentials effortlessly. If you take inspiration from the cities, you will be able to understand how the different aspects such as people, homes, and institutions work within the limited footprint. This logic would help you to get creative with home furnishing and come up with smart storage ideas for your small residential space. And it needs to be mentioned that one of the best and least utilized spaces in the residential homes is the vertical space. So, rather than investing in low dressers and storage cabinets, you can invest in a few wardrobes as well as closet units including the closet systems. By making use of the vertical spaces, your apartment would be quite an efficient city rather than a juggling suburb.Opt for multi-functional pieces
When it comes to larger homes, you have the option to look for items that serves a single purpose where a couch functions just as a couch, a dining room is left only for dining. But if you have a small apartment, it would be great if a particular furniture piece could be used as for a few purposes. The best means of achieving this is by using multi-functional storage furniture for limited spaces. This gives you access to the furniture that can be used in different ways and alternative purposes without any one particular usage. So, what you can do is convert existing pieces of furniture into pieces that can offer different types of usage. Furniture with storage spaces are a viable means of utilizing space wisely. You can also look for wall beds which come with shelves and optional table option on the front side. There is a host of designs to select from that would match your existing home decor seamlessly. This is particularly useful for the small bedrooms that do not have cabinetry or wardrobes to store in the daily essentials. -
Tips to buy a hearing aid at a reasonable price
Read moreLoss of hearing is not an easy thing to deal with. Often hearing loss leads to social isolation, inability to earn income, lack of concentration, depression, dementia, etc. As per estimates, more than 40 million people in the US suffer from hearing loss. In fact, it is a chronic condition, which is more common than heart disease and cancer.
If you have been diagnosed with permanent hear loss, know that you are not alone. And thankfully, hearing aids are there to help you lead a normal life! Hearing aids such as Costco hearing aids have enabled people to get on with their lives while combating this disability like pros.
Usually, a majority of people suffering from hearing loss do not opt for hearing aids owing to its cost. And it’s true that most of the hearing aids are priced high. So, are you one among them who are reluctant to buy hearing aids as it is not within your budget? Listed below are a few tips to help you get hearing aids at a reasonable price.
- Check with your insurance company
Most of the health insurance policies do not cover the cost of hearing aids. Don’t expect your insurance provider to finance your Costco hearing aids fully. However, you may check with them before buying one. Some of the insurance companies in the US offer a partial refund in specific policies. You can also make use of pretax dollars or health savings account in order to buy the hearing aids.
- Do not spend on features you don’t need
Technology is progressing by the minute and you will find products including Costco hearing aids with premium features. An example is its Bluetooth capabilities. Do you think you will make use of such modern features? If no, it’s better to avoid it and save some money on it. While you look for an economical hearing aid, opt for the one with the basic features. Also, discuss with your healthcare provider about which one would work best for you.
- Don’t be reluctant to bargain
Before stepping out to buy a hearing aid, make sure you do a ground research about the pros and cons of the product. For instance, if you are buying Costco hearing aids, go through user reviews and conduct an online research about the product. The point here is when you know the pros and cons, you can confidently bargain. It may or may not work, but still, you can give it a try. Also, you may find some surprise offers or discounts at times. Grab the chance then!
- Get in touch with organizations
If you are out of funds to get hearing aids, this will make the next best option. There are many NGO’s, social organizations, clubs and groups that help people in buying hearing aids. You may have to go through a set of procedures to get financial support from such organizations.
- Choose the product wisely!
Finally, don’t choose the wrong product since you will have to spend twice on buying a hearing aid. Take your audiologist’s opinion before you buy the product. You should find it useful and feel comfortable while wearing it. It’s favorable if you can go for a written contract with the retailer while you buy Costco hearing aids. This will be largely helpful if you want to replace or exchange the product later due to ineffectiveness. Mention the length of the trial period as well.
So, now that you have enough ways to find a reasonable hearing aid, do not put off your plan to buy them. Instead of saying no to hearing aids, choose an affordable one. However, just because a product is affordable, do not compromise on the quality.
- Check with your insurance company