What should I do with a spare mobile phone?
March 12, 2010 5:40 PM Subscribe
I have an extra prepaid mobile phone. What cool things can I do with it?
I've come into possession of a prepaid mobile phone with 100 dollars of credit (it's on T-Mobile). I already have an iPhone so I don't really need it as my primary phone–I just want something fun to use it for.
I've come into possession of a prepaid mobile phone with 100 dollars of credit (it's on T-Mobile). I already have an iPhone so I don't really need it as my primary phone–I just want something fun to use it for.
Best answer: I came across a comment on the internet a few weeks ago that suggested you should use as many of the minutes as possible, and then throw the phone away as a dramatic end to a conversation in front of a lot of people. Like scream that you never want to hear from a person again, and then throw the phone into a nearby river.
posted by 517 at 6:05 PM on March 12, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by 517 at 6:05 PM on March 12, 2010 [4 favorites]
um.... super cheap low-jack for your car? just wire it to charge off something and hide it under your seat. Then if your car is stolen give the police the number and hope they can locate it.
posted by token-ring at 6:15 PM on March 12, 2010
posted by token-ring at 6:15 PM on March 12, 2010
Donate it to a battered women's shelter or homeless shelter for the use of a resident.
posted by Pineapplicious at 6:24 PM on March 12, 2010 [13 favorites]
posted by Pineapplicious at 6:24 PM on March 12, 2010 [13 favorites]
I gave/loaned my old one to a local Ronald McDonald house.
posted by amtho at 6:39 PM on March 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by amtho at 6:39 PM on March 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
If the minutes wont expire for like a year or so, you may want to keep it in your glove box for use in case your own phone is dead, you forget your phone, etc.
posted by MsKim at 6:40 PM on March 12, 2010
posted by MsKim at 6:40 PM on March 12, 2010
I use my old phone as an alarm clock. It's got a nice loud alarm, and if I get up in the night and move beds (kids!) I can take it with me. Not so with a clock radio, which is plugged in!
posted by humpy at 8:03 PM on March 12, 2010
posted by humpy at 8:03 PM on March 12, 2010
Most cellphones will still access 911 as long as they're charged.
If you're charitable, I believe you can just drop it (and likely the charger, both in a ziploc) in a mailbox, or locate a local organization such as a shelter.
If you're the curious-type, take it apart, see what's inside.
If you have the occasional temper loss, keep it beside a hammer. Surprising gratifying to destroy inanimate objects at rare moments.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 8:12 PM on March 12, 2010
If you're charitable, I believe you can just drop it (and likely the charger, both in a ziploc) in a mailbox, or locate a local organization such as a shelter.
If you're the curious-type, take it apart, see what's inside.
If you have the occasional temper loss, keep it beside a hammer. Surprising gratifying to destroy inanimate objects at rare moments.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 8:12 PM on March 12, 2010
I too have a spare phone with credit, and it's most often used to ring my everyday phone or my daughter's phone when they're lost within the house (or we can't find which handbag is holding it hostage). If your house ain't as messy as mine, YMMV.
I also use it for downloading ringtones to share with our everyday phones via bluetooth.
Although, now that I think about it, I've probably used it more as a backup phone when my everyday phone battery has died, than as a downloading weapon. But it's used most often as an everyday-phone-finder.
And now that I've re-read your question, none of that is cool, so forget I said anything.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 10:08 PM on March 12, 2010
I also use it for downloading ringtones to share with our everyday phones via bluetooth.
Although, now that I think about it, I've probably used it more as a backup phone when my everyday phone battery has died, than as a downloading weapon. But it's used most often as an everyday-phone-finder.
And now that I've re-read your question, none of that is cool, so forget I said anything.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 10:08 PM on March 12, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by pupdog at 5:45 PM on March 12, 2010 [1 favorite]