Pay less as you go

It’s been four months since wifey Julia purchased a Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) mobile phone and minutes from 7-11. As an illustrator chained to her home studio, she has very little need for a mobile phone. But when she’s away at Sheridan teaching, or meeting up with friends, a handy comes in handy.

For $100 she got 500 minutes and a very simple but nice Nokia handset. That’s less per minute than most of us pay during peak hours on a monthly plan. The best thing about 7-11’s minutes is that, unlike other PAYG programs, they last a full year. I was worried she would burn through her minutes fast enough to justify committing to a monthly plan, but I my fears have been allayed. After four months, the numbers are in and she’s spent $65 of the $100. That’s $16.25/month!