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Did you buy your iPhone outright, or pay monthly?
- Thread starter geoff5093
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I try to pay for my iPhones up front rather than owe my "soul to the company store". (For those of you who are old enough to remember Tennessee Ernie Ford)
My current and previous iPhone were bought subsidized on contracts because that was the only way for me to get and stay on my employer's discounted plan, which is considerably cheaper than other comparable plans. However, now that my contract is up and buying again on contract would require me to give up my current plan for a new, more expensive one, I intend to buy my next phone outright and stay on my no longer offered plan for as long as I can.
A new plan would probably cost me about an extra $25-30/month, which adds up to $600-$720 over the course of 2 years, plus the subsidized price of the phone. So definitely cheaper just to buy the phone, plus I'll have the freedom to switch carriers or plans at any time if something better comes up. (iPhones bought from Apple in Canada are not carrier locked).
A new plan would probably cost me about an extra $25-30/month, which adds up to $600-$720 over the course of 2 years, plus the subsidized price of the phone. So definitely cheaper just to buy the phone, plus I'll have the freedom to switch carriers or plans at any time if something better comes up. (iPhones bought from Apple in Canada are not carrier locked).
I upgrade annually and I take advantage of my employer discount through my carrier, which allows me to have the latest iPhone discounted. However, before that, I used to always pay in full for my iPhones and then sell them later to upgrade again.
Cash up front for me always. I don't buy phones on the installment plan. But I only get a new phone when I really need it. These incremental upgrades aren't worth the top dollar being charged. Something really innovative comes along then I might buy one sooner.
Android user, but I'll post. Cash up front.
$700-900 may seem a lot, but when you consider your use case and how long you might keep the phone for, it's practically nothing.
$700-900 may seem a lot, but when you consider your use case and how long you might keep the phone for, it's practically nothing.
Apple Upgrade Plan
I get a new phone every year, no matter what, so this makes it easy. I’m tired of arranging meetings with people I find on Craigslist to sell a phone.
AppleCare+ is included.
Hopefully they’ll set aside some extra iPhone 8 stock for the Apple Upgrade people this year, possibly making the phone a little easier to get.
Plus, since Apple only requires you to turn in the phone itself when upgrading, I get to keep the accessories. Never hurts to have extra chargers and EarPods laying around just in case...
I get a new phone every year, no matter what, so this makes it easy. I’m tired of arranging meetings with people I find on Craigslist to sell a phone.
AppleCare+ is included.
Hopefully they’ll set aside some extra iPhone 8 stock for the Apple Upgrade people this year, possibly making the phone a little easier to get.
Plus, since Apple only requires you to turn in the phone itself when upgrading, I get to keep the accessories. Never hurts to have extra chargers and EarPods laying around just in case...
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I'm thinking I might just buy outright with cash. It's a lot of cash for a phone but paying monthly seems out of this world to me for a phone.
I've always paid like 200 or 300 back in the day when you could buy it from att with a 2 year contract.
Not sure how to go about next time around in the most cost effective way.
I've always paid like 200 or 300 back in the day when you could buy it from att with a 2 year contract.
Not sure how to go about next time around in the most cost effective way.
Once the prices are known, I suggest that you crunch the numbers. Find out how much more you will pay each month if you buy it on contract, multiply by 24 months, and add to the subsidized price of the phone. If it's equal to or greater than the price of buying outright (or even maybe if it's a little less, because being free of a contract is worth something too) then buy outright.
Used to buy outright (5-6s) but switched to the AUP this last year. Really great for those of us who upgrade every year, saves the hassle of selling the old device every year and especially taking care of the cosmetics of the device for a higher resale value. Plus having AppleCare is a great bonus
Traded in a paid off iPhone 6 for the iPhone 7 last year. Currently getting $27/mo credit to offset the installment of the iPhone 7 so I'm pretty much just paying $8/mo for the storage upgrade.
Wasn't actually planning on upgrading but figured I'm not gonna get a better offer ($650) for my iPhone 6. Granted, I forfeit the credit and would have to pay the remaining balance if I leave my carrier. As far as US carriers go, I'm okay with my network coverage and plan cost (essentially paying $40/smartphone line) so I don't see myself switching. Honestly, the trend for service rates seem to be going up with the reintroduction of unlimited data plans so I'm probably gonna stick to my grandfathered plan for the foreseeable future.
Wasn't actually planning on upgrading but figured I'm not gonna get a better offer ($650) for my iPhone 6. Granted, I forfeit the credit and would have to pay the remaining balance if I leave my carrier. As far as US carriers go, I'm okay with my network coverage and plan cost (essentially paying $40/smartphone line) so I don't see myself switching. Honestly, the trend for service rates seem to be going up with the reintroduction of unlimited data plans so I'm probably gonna stick to my grandfathered plan for the foreseeable future.
Bought my 10.5 on ATT's installment plan, because I could walk out of Best Buy with the iPad, with no money upfront. Only way I could do it!
Paid in full for my 6s for lightly used for 2 months on eBay for my phone, and paid in full for wife's SE at Apple Store. May consider AUP for next my phone, but since I got the warranty extended on the battery under a service campaign and don't really need a new phone, I have a while to decide on this.
Depends. The Apple Upgrade Plan is basically a 0% interest loan with AppleCare+. So that's what I do. My wife and I have had our phones for 1.3 years now and although upgrading is tempting, knowing that if we keep our phones the full 2 years they're ours and we can sell them back to Apple for $230? or so in 7 months... vs upgrading now and paying $110+ in taxes and losing any resale. Selling back to Apple in 7 months means I should get 2x the tax back that I paid ($200 or so) per phone. Just requires patience. 
Tempting to get a new phone now knowing I could get another new one in a year again.
I've considered paying outright but $2k for 2 phones is kinda painful at this moment vs $44.xx/mo x2 (my phone and my wife's phone).
Tempting to get a new phone now knowing I could get another new one in a year again.I've considered paying outright but $2k for 2 phones is kinda painful at this moment vs $44.xx/mo x2 (my phone and my wife's phone).
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I traded in my iPhone 6 toward a 6s Plus in February 2016, when Apple was doing the $300 trade-in promotion. This was right around the time when my 6 began suffering from random shutdowns when the battery would hit around 50% and requiring the phone to be plugged in to power it on again. I figured I'd take advantage of the deal and ended up financing the remaining balance (around $650, including taxes) on the BarclayCard for 12 months, interest-free. The convenient thing about it was that there was no set amount and I was free to pay whatever I wanted during the 12 months. I paid off the phone in 6 months.
We did the same thing close to the same time you did. Got $300 for each of our iPhone 6+ (my wife and I) -- used that to get 6s+ on the Apple Upgrade plan. Tho they make it impossible to pay ahead but for 0% interest.... :/
I did the same thing with my 10.5, but I have been unable to sell my 9.7. The highest offer was $450 for a 128GB Space Gray LTE with case. I'm not giving it away....unless I give it to my kids...
Always buy outright every year.
That way I sell my old iPhone for over half the price of the new one, and I only pay £15 a month for a SIM only plan which includes 30GB of data.
Best, most cost effective way for me.
That way I sell my old iPhone for over half the price of the new one, and I only pay £15 a month for a SIM only plan which includes 30GB of data.
Best, most cost effective way for me.
iPhones were never just $200-300. They came with a mandatory data plan which added $30 to your monthly bill so the additional cost of the iPhone over the length of the 2-year contract was $920.