Beating Broke

Personal Finance from the Broke Perspective

How Does Tello Mobile Compare to Other Networks

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If you’re looking for a low-cost cell phone provider that gets the job of talk and texting done without all the bells and whistles, Tello Mobile may be the right cell phone provider for you.  While it lacks many of the features of other cell phone providers, the price can’t be beat.

How Does Tello Mobile Compare to Other Networks?

About Tello Mobile

Tello Mobile offers affordable cell phone service and terrific customer service.  However, since it is a discounted cell phone provider, it won’t have all the features of a big cell phone provider like AT & T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon.  On the other hand, Tello Mobile doesn’t have all of the expenses.

How Much Are Tello Mobile Plans?

Tello Mobile is an ideal cell phone provider for those who are in high school and college students just starting out on their own.  Their plans are affordable, especially for those on a tight budget.

Their cheapest plan is for no data and 100 minutes and free texting for just $5 (taxes and fees not included).

While on the other end, their plan for unlimited data and unlimited minutes is $39 per month (tax and fees not included).

How Does Tello Mobile Compare to Other Networks?

You can choose a range of options in between these two extremes based on your own specific needs.  In addition, they offer family plans that are equally affordable and designed for two to four family members.

They do not require a contract, a benefit that many people enjoy.

Coverage

Their coverage is provided by the Nationwide Sprint Network on a 4G LTE network.  Historically, among the big four Sprint is ranked lowest for coverage, so if you live in a rural area, Tello Mobile might not be the provider for you.

Interestingly, they offer free calling to four international locations—Canada, Mexico, China, and Romania.

Cell Phones for Purchase

You can easily bring your cell phone over to Tello Mobile if it has CDMA capabilities.  If you don’t have a phone or don’t want to bring one over, you can buy an affordable phone from Tello Mobile.

However, don’t look for the latest version of a cell phone here.  Instead, you’ll find older versions of phones for a lower cost or refurbished phones.  For instance, they are currently offering a refurbished Apple iPhone 8 for $399 and a refurbished Apple iPhone XR for $519.

Customer Service

Tello Mobile has polite and helpful customer service.  You can reach them via phone or email, and they have an extensive FAQs section that may negate the need to talk to someone.

However, unlike other, more expensive providers, they do not have a physical location you can visit for additional assistance.

Final Thoughts

Tello Mobile is a provider that offers the basics and free calling to a few select countries.  It is best for individuals or families who have light cell phone needs or for high school students or college students looking for affordability.

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Is It Worth Paying for Amazon Prime Membership?

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My husband and I have been Amazon Prime members for years, but each year the benefits and reasons to keep our membership (even if it does cost $119 a year) increase.  Especially during the pandemic, I’ve found my Amazon Prime membership to be essential.  If you’re wondering, is it worth paying for an Amazon Prime membership, the answer is a resounding yes!

Is Amazon Prime Membership Worth It?

Benefits of an Amazon Prime Membership

There are so many benefits to this membership!

Free Whole Foods Delivery

Amazon bought out Whole Foods in 2017, and one of the first things they did was lower the grocery prices.  (There was a reason Whole Foods used to jokingly be called “whole paycheck” by many).  Now, if you live in certain areas of the country, Amazon will deliver groceries to you from Whole Foods in less than two hours!

I discovered this service about two months ago, and we’ve used it three times.  I can’t speak highly enough of this service!  If you hate going to the grocery store or you’re avoiding it because you’re trying to limit potential exposure to coronavirus, this service is amazing.

Simply go through Amazon’s Whole Foods page, put your items in the cart, and check out.  Amazon will suggest a tip for your driver.  (It seems to be $7 for orders under $100 and $10 for orders between $100 and $150.)  You choose a delivery time, often available within the next two hours if you’d like.

Your shopper will contact you while she’s shopping to let you know if an item is unavailable and what substitutions are available.  You can choose to accept or decline the substitutions.

Is Amazon Prime Membership Worth It?
Photo by Fallon Michael on Unsplash

Within two hours, your items are at your door.  Amazon has contactless delivery, and the drivers I’ve seen have all been wearing masks.  My items have come in pristine condition two out of three orders.  On one of my orders, the shopper sent me 10 lemons instead of 10 pears.  I simply asked for a refund on Amazon, and my money was quickly returned to me for that item.

Two-Day Delivery

One of the best reasons an Amazon Prime membership is worth it is because of the free two-day delivery.  Order an item, and it will likely be to your door in two-days.  You don’t pay any shipping.  I should mention that due to the pandemic, some items are arriving more slowly, but in the last few months, that has rebounded.

Even better, I can send items to my mom, who lives across the country from me, from Amazon for free.  Just last week I sent her a book for her birthday, and she got it in two days.  This is an excellent benefit any time, but especially during the Christmas season.

Prime Video

Also included in your Amazon Prime membership is Prime Video.  You get thousands of shows to watch for free.  Not only do they have great movies and tv shows, but Amazon also produces their own shows such as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Catastrophe, and Mozart in the Jungle, to name a few.

Add on Channels

Even though there are many, many shows to watch on Amazon Prime, you have the option to upgrade to additional premium channels such as

  • HBO – $14.99 a month
  • Hallmark Movies NOW – $5.99 a month
  • Smithsonian Plus – $4.99 a month
  • Starz – $8.99 a month
  • MLB.TV – $24.99

just to name a few.  There are more than 20 premium channels you can choose from.

Prime Reading

If you’re a bookworm, try out Prime Reading.  This service comes with your Prime membership and offers you the chance to read books, magazines, and comics for free.  If you’d prefer to listen to the story, Prime Reading comes with Audible Narration.  Even better, you can read on any device you own.

More Services

The scope of this post doesn’t let me tout all of the benefits of a Prime membership.  Other features that you may enjoy include

free music streaming,

Prime Pantry,

Amazon Prime Day

Prime Wardrobe,

Amazon Smile, and

Amazon Photos (unlimited photo storage),

How Much Does an Amazon Prime Membership Cost?

There are varying levels of membership

Standard Amazon Prime Membership

Is Amazon Prime Membership Worth It?
Photo by Morning Brew on Unsplash

A standard Amazon Prime membership is $119 a year, or you can opt to pay monthly for $12.99 a month.  Many people balk at that price, but I think those people haven’t truly considered the value in that price.

Right now, we pay $13.78 for a Netflix subscription.  That is per month for one streaming service.  Even if the only thing Amazon offered was streaming, if you pay the yearly $119 Amazon Prime membership that would equate to $9.91 a month.

But we don’t just use Amazon for streaming.  We easily recoup our money in free shipping on the products we buy throughout the year and the gifts we send.

Student Membership

If you’re a student, you can get your membership for just $59 a year or $6.49 monthly.

Try It for Free

If you’re still wondering is an Amazon Prime membership worth it, try it for free!  Amazon lets you try out Amazon Prime for 30 days for free.  You get all of the benefits regular paying members get.

Drawbacks to Membership

There are very few drawbacks to an Amazon Prime membership.  The only real flaw I can think of is that Amazon Prime doesn’t cover everything.

Not All Videos Are Covered

For instance, there are still some series and movies that aren’t covered by Amazon Prime.  If you want to watch them, you have to pay for them.

Not All Items Have Free Shipping

Likewise, not every single item qualifies for free shipping.  There are a few items, should you choose to buy them, you will still pay for shipping or that require you to buy $35 worth of other merchandise before they ship free.

Final Thoughts

Is Amazon Prime worth it?  For our family, the answer is a resounding yes.  I think Amazon is actually an amazing bargain considering all the many perks you get.

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Creative Dating Tips When Broke

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When my now husband and I first started dating, I was a graduate student, and he was an undergraduate.  We were both broke, but we didn’t let that stop us.  We spent nine months mostly going on free dates before we became engaged.  If you’re short on cash, don’t let that interfere with your dating life.  Instead, follow these creative dating tips when broke and go out and enjoy life.  Who said dating has to be expensive?

Creative Dating Tips When Broke

Free Date Ideas

You may be under the misconception that dating is expensive, and it can be—if you let it.  But there are still fabulous ways to spend time together that are free or cost very little and are fun.

Scenic Drive

Why not take a scenic drive and explore the area around you?  This is my favorite activity when the leaves are changing in the fall, and the scenery is gorgeous.  But a scenic drive can be fun no matter the season.

Free Performances

If you live near a college town, see if they have any free performances.  Colleges frequently have free music concerts.  Some towns also have free plays in the summer or free movie viewings outdoors in the park.

One of our regular summer dates was a music concert the college held every Wednesday night.  We got to spend time together, listen to good music, and, best of all, not spend any money!

Trip to the Beach

You can hit the beach for some daytime relaxation and fun.  Or for a more romantic date, try going to the beach an hour before sunset.  There’s nothing better on a summer night than walking the beach, feeling the cool breeze, and watching the sunset.

Hike

Hiking can give you a chance to see how adventurous the other person is and to see how he or she handles difficult situations, if you take a more challenging trail.  Or, you can opt to take an easier trail and just have fun seeing the scenery and spending time together in nature.

Geocaching

Take your sweetie on an adventure.  Using GPS, find the nearby coordinates and the treasure that someone else has hidden.  Geocaching is a free treasure hunt that some people are almost cultish about.  This is a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Cook Together

Creative Dating Tips When Broke
Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

You both have to eat, so why not cook together?  This activity gives you a chance to see how you work together as a team and delegate responsibility, plus you get to eat something that’s (hopefully) tasty after all of your hard work.

If you do have a bit of money to spend, you can make cooking together more of an adventure by buying a meal kit like HelloFresh.  If you can’t afford that, Blue Apron has all of their recipes online for free.  Just buy the ingredients you need.

Eat2Explore has boxes that include recipes for three meals from another country.  The box includes directions, the sauces and spices you need, and a little bit of information about the country.  You supply the ingredient.  We’ve used several of these boxes and really enjoyed trying foods from other countries.

My husband and I cooked together at least two or three times a week when we were dating.  We both still like to cook, but now we take shifts—one cooks, one does the dishes.  We figure when the kids are grown, we’ll have more time to cook together like we did when we were dating.

Star Gaze

If you live in the country, there’s something so romantic about putting down a blanket, lying together on your backs, and watching the stars.  Of course, it’s fun to find constellations, but many times, if you stay there long enough, you can even see a shooting star or two.  Plus, the stillness and the beauty of the night sky make for a very memorable date.

Go to a Museum

Many museums have one or two days a month when admission is free.  Just be prepared that if you go during this time, the museum will likely be packed.

Some libraries also offer culture passes.  These can be checked out and used for free admission to museums in your area.  If you use these, you can go for free without dealing with the overcrowding that the one free day a month usually brings.

Low-Cost Dates

While the free dating tips when broke can supply you with many great dating ideas, there may be times when you want to go out and spend a little money.  These fun date ideas don’t cost much money.

Go Out for Dessert

While getting an entire meal together at a restaurant might be a bit pricey if you’re broke, you can share a dessert for a fraction of the cost.  For example, a Caramel Apple Blondie from Applebee’s is only $6.99.  Or, their Brownie Bite is just $1.99.  Plus, many of these desserts are so large, they’re like a meal in themselves.

Coffee Shop

Creative Dating Tips When Broke
Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

Going to a coffee shop can be the perfect, intimate date.  You can chat and focus on one another while sipping a beverage.

If you’re bookworms, you could get your drink at a bookstore coffee shop and spend an hour or two perusing good books and discussing them.  My husband and I loved this type of date.  We frequently went to coffee shops from the start of our relationship until after our first child was born.

Paint Together

Though you’ll have to pay for the supplies, that will likely be the only expense when painting together.  If you’re both artistic, you could try to paint on your own with no direction.  However, if one or both of you are artistically challenged, there’s no shortage of YouTube tutorials to watch.  For instance, you can now find many of the PBS Bob Ross tutorials on YouTube.

Final Thoughts

There’s no reason why being short on cash has to kill your love life.  If you use some of these creative dating tips when broke, you can continue to enjoy spending time with your romantic interest in a way that doesn’t leave you with even less money.  The most important aspect is being together.  Doing that doesn’t have to be expensive or boring.