PAYG Mobile with no time limited top up

Buck

Buck

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Adrian
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Hi

Youngest Buck will be going to school on the bus in September and we want to get him a mobile phone for basic texting and calls like we did for eldest Buck Jr. so he can let us know if there is a problem with the bus not turning up/late etc.

I can get a Nokia 130 for the princely sum of £3.74 but looking on the various websites (carphone + direct with providers such as vodafone giffgaff etc. their PAYG plans all appear to expire after 30 days regardless of what you have used.

Eldest Buck would use a £10 top up per term (on T-mobile but not available for new SIMs now) whereas this will look to cost us £30 per term now on other deals.

Any pointer for PAYG top ups that don't expire each month please?

Thanks
 
We have used Tesco Mobile for years. We use the phones very infrequently and the credit doesn't expire.

We use the 'Lite' tariff btw. You do get some tariffs with extra free - the free does expire bytuwhat you pay for doesn't.

AL
 
I'm on EE PAYG and top fairly infrequently. Credit doesn't expire - it's close to 6 months since I last did it! MiL is also on EE PAYG and hasn't topped up for even longer. IIRC we have to use it once a month or so to keep it live but the credit isn't time limited.
 
I use EE and top up £10 every two to three months. I have no idea what tariff that is - it is what came with the phone.
 
I use GiffGaff, not the Goodybags which do expire monthly; but just buy their Airtime Credit which will last for up to 6 months like most providers:
- Airtime credit to use our pay as you go rates - 15p/min, 5p/text or 5p/MB for data

- you also probably know that provided you top up once every 3 months you get "Free Giffgaff to Giffgaff calls and texts" - I do this within our family - I top up £10 every 3 months and then calls to my parents will be free for an hour. Could be useful for your family group?

I have also recently obtained a PAYG SIM mainly for the odd amount of data from the Three Networks on their 3-2-1 tariff as GiffGaff changed their data rates to make it costly for the small amount of data I use.
I read from their blurb on their website the credit will not expire :)

"With mind-blowing rates of 3p a minute, 2p a text and 1p a MB of data, you can talk, text and browse your heart out. Once you’ve topped up, the rates don’t change after 30 days – they last until you use your last penny."
 
You with BT Broadband by any chance? They give discounts on their mobile deals to their customers. Not sure of the latest deals but I have a contract sim for £5/month.
 
I am on EE PAYG,i only topup when i really need to,the only thing is EE calls are 30p a minute & texts are 12p,so i am thinking of maybe looking at giffgaff as their calls are cheaper.:)
 
Thanks everyone.

Good information and helps narrow down the research.

Thanks again
 
TESCO

add £10 - which has no time-limit
they give you £20 - which expires in a month

add £10 get £20 etc etc - so you never lose the top-ups
 
The only problem with that is that you could end up with loads of paid for credit which you would never use.

I probably top up once a year ;)
 
Poor kid will be the laughing stock in year 7 without a smart phone ;) all the friends will ask to connect via whatsapp imessage etc and youngest buck cant. Whilst a blessing undoubtedly it is also good to go througj that and the associated issues together woth the others. Minutes and texts are unheard off with the younger generation, everything involves around data.

I just give them my hand me downs when my contract is up.
 
Last edited:
It depends whether three have any service, here they are even more hopeless than the others - but you can also use EE - but not for data.
Mine is on Virgin mobile and everything is 8p, it's probably a no longer available historic plan, but does not expire provided you use it at least once a year even just send a text.
The signal is so patchy here it rarely seems worth bothering with, though I sometimes use it for data when away from home.
.
 
Al1944 said:
The only problem with that is that you could end up with loads of paid for credit which you would never use.

...snip...;)
Click to expand...

not quite
I use what i need during the month of 'free £20 .....then use 'my' £10 down to say £1 - then add £10 top-up
lasts me ages....:)
 
Hmmm 3 looks ok then.:)
 
My teenage kids are both on PAYG with 3 Mobile - used with cheap smartphones (Moto G handsets). Their standard 321 deal posted by Jockwav above is indeed non expiring. Each time you top up £10 also gives them an additional 150gb of free 4g data, which is a nice bonus.

A non-smart phone for a Yr 7 pupil is unlikely to be taken out of their bag! Also a smartphone will get use in the evenings when they can hook up to your WiFi for free.
 
Maybe a bit late - but I'm on Orange - and I'm in the UK every 6 months for around 2 weeks - hasn't died yet - the balance is always there.....
 
jockwav said:
:)Pay As You Go SIM | PAYG SIM Deals | Three
We make your credit last longer by offering the lowest Pay As You Go rates in the UK: 3p a minute, 2p a text, 1p per MB of data. #makeitright.
www.three.co.uk/Store/SIM/Pay_As_You_Go

Just found this one,what a great tarrif,is there a catch i can,t see?.:):D
Click to expand...

jockwav said:
Hmmm 3 looks ok then.:)
Click to expand...

ecoleman said:
3 PAYG doesn't expire.
Click to expand...

The fact the credit does not expire was why I went 3 but now using it more and the tarrif imo is AFAIK good for what you get :)
 
Agree.

The 3 SIM card arrived today and going with Buck jr tomorrow to collect his phone.

I'm with 3 already so I can call him for free as well :thumbs:
 
lostsoulal2 said:
I use GiffGaff, not the Goodybags which do expire monthly; but just buy their Airtime Credit which will last for up to 6 months like most providers:
- Airtime credit to use our pay as you go rates - 15p/min, 5p/text or 5p/MB for data

- you also probably know that provided you top up once every 3 months you get "Free Giffgaff to Giffgaff calls and texts" - I do this within our family - I top up £10 every 3 months and then calls to my parents will be free for an hour. Could be useful for your family group?

I have also recently obtained a PAYG SIM mainly for the odd amount of data from the Three Networks on their 3-2-1 tariff as GiffGaff changed their data rates to make it costly for the small amount of data I use.
I read from their blurb on their website the credit will not expire :)

"With mind-blowing rates of 3p a minute, 2p a text and 1p a MB of data, you can talk, text and browse your heart out. Once you’ve topped up, the rates don’t change after 30 days – they last until you use your last penny."
Click to expand...

Another GiffGaff fan here, I've got my whole family using it and as "lostsoulal2" says it's free to call other GiffGaff members as long as you top up once every three months. Buy a voucher from any PayPoint store and you're ready to go.
 
Buck said:
Agree.

The 3 SIM card arrived today and going with Buck jr tomorrow to collect his phone.

I'm with 3 already so I can call him for free as well (y)
Click to expand...


I am guessing this is a "perk" of using an older 3 Sim Card as the current 3-2-1 Sim card does not indicate Free "3 to 3" calls?
 
lostsoulal2 said:
I am guessing this is a "perk" of using an older 3 Sim Card as the current 3-2-1 Sim card does not indicate Free "3 to 3" calls?
Click to expand...

Yes, I get something like 1000 free 3-3 calls per month. Never used any so far !!
 
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