This whole country is resistant to saving money. Every time I try there are obstacles. Many of which only exist to extract more money or create frustration that will encourage me to pay for future solutions. Companies know that if they add some friction to make it a little bit difficult to save money then people will spend to make the problem go away.
I am not a typical consumer. I'm not even a typical human. I am willing to expend time and effort to save money. To the point of absurdity. It's a combination of stubbornness and righteous indignation. Often times something could be done cheaper but they aren't which makes me angry. I also have way more time and effort available than money. Often this combination of personality traits leads me into trouble. I do not learn.
I decided it was time to upgrade my phone. My trusty Samsung S7 still works. The issue is that I have been making video comedy sketches for Instagram. The phone overheats quickly while filming. Sometimes the audio gets cut for no reason. I don't mind re-filming scenes or fixing errors when I'm the only person involved. When I invite others I don't want to waste their time with faulty equipment.
I purchased my S7 on Amazon back in 2019 for $164. New it retailed for $670. So I saved about $500. I used the phone for almost 3 years so I spent the equivalent $4.55 a month. Straight Talk is my phone carrier. I pay $55 a month for unlimited mobile data and also 10 gigs of mobile Hot Spot access. I use my mobile hot spot to get online with my laptop instead of having an internet connection in my apartment. Google keeps emailing me that my apartment is ready to have google fiber installed, I keep telling them I get my entertainment from the Public Library.
After doing research I found the Samsung S10 was at a price point I liked. $240 for a refurbished (used) phone on Amazon v.s. the original retail of $899. This would be a significant upgrade. 128 gig v.s. 32 gig hard drive. 8 gigs v.s. 4 gigs of Ram. The screen is also slightly longer. Most importantly the front and back cameras are much better.
Now I just had to figure out a way to pay for it. Lucky for me I received a $50 Amazon gift card from my mom at Christmas time. I received a $10 amazon gift card from RBCFU Credit Union for being a loyal customer. For my birthday I received another $50 gift card from my mom and a $50 prepaid visa gift card from my girlfriend's niece's mother in law, which I of course converted into $50 Amazon gift card. It only took 4 months but I had accumulated $160 in Amazon credits.
I then took all the loose change I found by taking walks to the bank and deposited $19.31 into my checking account. I charged the remaining $80 to my credit card with the lowest interest rate. I used the coin money to pay back a portion of this charge right away. I was able to not only receive free shipping but also a free month of Amazon prime which I will cancel in 30 days. The phone arrived in a few days.
I was feeling confident. Cocky even. Everything was going to plan. Pride comes before the fall.
All I needed now was to take the Sim Card out of my old phone, put it into my new phone and fire it up. I used to work at Verizon so this was something I did multiple times a day. Couldn't be easier. What a fool I was.
After swapping out the Sim Card I restarted the phone. It was unable to find the mobile carrier network. Multiple attempts later, it was still not working. I would need to log onto my Straight Talk account and input some information to make the swap. No problem.
It was a huge problem. After combing through pages of account information and searching for advice from the web I attempted to call Straight Talk customer service. After navigating an extensive phone tree designed to break your spirit, I was able to be put in line to speak to a customer service representative. I was number 47 in line and my expected wait time was 2 hours and 10 minutes. Nope, click. It's almost like they don't want to help at all. Almost.
You'd think the discount carrier would want to retain their customers like any other but they know why you're their customer in the first place. They're the cheapest. Good customer service costs the company money. I was on my own. I worked at a store that sold cell phones and I still couldn't figure it out. I don't know what chance other people would have to get it figured out at this point.
I was able to contact a "human" through an online chat tech support feature on the website. I explained I had purchased a new phone and needed to swap out the Sim Cards. They said this was impossible, even though I had done this exact same thing to upgrade my S5 to my S7 through straight talk. The "human" said I would need to buy a new Sim Card. Fine. They were only $0.99.
I wanted to use my new used phone now. I could order a Sim Card from the Straight Talk website or I could drive to the nearest Walmart and pick one up. They were listed at the same price of $0.99 on Google and I figured I could save on shipping. The price of gas is nearing $4.00 a gallon but it was less than a mile away.
Most Walmart employees are not exactly knowledgeable about products or helpful in any way. When I arrived in the electronics department a gentleman came right over and walked me to the Straight Talk area. I explained my problem about needing to swap the Sim Cards over, which is slightly technical and he even knew what I was talking about! What kind of magic Walmart had I walked into?
Unfortunately this Walmart did not sell Sim Cards for $0.99. I could buy a Sim Card that came with an activation plan. Only $55 dollars which would apparently roll into my current plan. I told the gentleman that I was on auto pay.
Then he asked to see my new phone. I proudly showed him my newly purchased Samsung S10. He complemented me on my shrewd purchase and asked if I had considered switching carriers. He told me I could get AT&T service for $50 dollars a month. This Walmart employee sure seemed to know a lot about phones. That's about the time I got suspicious.
I looked him over more closely. He had a Samsung lanyard around his neck. He was wearing a black polo and not a blue Walmart polo. He had a nice clean cut appearance with a tasteful watch. This was no Walmart employee, this was a phone salesman working inside a Walmart.
He then proceeded to tell me I could get a free new phone by switching to AT&T. That I could trade in my old phone and then have two phones. Why in gods name he thinks I would need two phones is beyond me. Oh wait, he needs a commission. He'd sell me 8 phones right not if I let him.
He started back into his sales pitch for AT&T but I quickly started coughing loudly and walking away as fast as my flip flops would carry me. He began to follow me but I said I was going to order a Sim Card online.
I arrived home and ordered the $0.99 Sim Card from the Straight Talk website.
Best case scenario, a Straight Talk employee saw my order immediately flash across their screen and they jumped up from their computer, ran to the warehouse, scooped up a fresh Sim Card, placed a printed mailing address onto an envelope and rushed off the the post office to get me my $0.99 + $0.08 in sales tax Sim Card as soon as possible. Good thing I had it shipped to my girlfriend's place because my mailbox is still broken.
It's more likely the robots that fill the envelopes have become sentient and are on strike for more humane treatment. If the Sim Card is being shipped from outside the United States I may as well assume it isn't coming.
In conclusion, I have a new discounted phone that I may or may not be able to use soon. Why doesn't everyone do this?
What did I learn? Nothing.
Will I do it again? Yes.
Is there something wrong with my brain? Yes.
