My phone is starting to show its age, and I wonder if I can eek out another year, but my wife is definitely at the point hers has to be replaced because the regular phone call function isn't working unless she's plugged in headphones. The "black friday" deals out there just stink so far. I mean, our phones have been paid off for a year now, but it seems every discount is for new phone lines only.

I buy new unlocked phones off eBay. I never but the current model always a year out. Saves a bundle

I have had nothing but bad experiences with eBay, so I just can't bring myself to do it

You must be the rare exception. most of the fraud is buyers scamming the seller there

Those Black Friday phone “deals” are so infuriating. “Bring in your old phone and we’ll give you a new one!!!!” ……. But only if you sign up for a whole new line and a whole new “unlimited” plan that’s going to cost you more than the plan that you were on and twice as much as the unlimited plan that you were on years ago before they forced everyone to switch to limited plans.

They did pull a fast one on the unlimited stuff and completely resetting the base price.