If all you use a cell phone for is emergencies, it's a good thing. Until we decided the time was right to buy 3 phones and use them regularly, Tracfone was a perfect solution for us for the last 3+ years; still have the original Nokia phone too.

When it came close to having to recharge the phone, I'd get an email or phone call form Tracfone offering to extend the time for 15-30 days or some other deal to entice us into not letting it lapse. On average it cost us less than $10/month. How is that putting money through the shredder?

The phone sits now, about ready to retire it. There's still over 200 minutes left on it.