New phone time!

DarwinsFavoriteTortoise

So, I'm finally making the jump from prepaid to contract cell phones.

Demand for my time has increased dramatically in the last few months because of a new job, and therefore new text-crazy friends, so it just doesn't make sense financially to stick with prepaid. Unfortunately I'm a poor ass mofo for now, so there are some budget restraints.

Cost I'd like the phone to be $30 to $50 bucks with the contract. The monthly bill CANNOT go over 50 dollars, and it has to include unlimited texting (sigh) since my GF just HAS to use my phone to text her friends and I will be using it to text a bit as well.

Type I need a phone with a QWERTY keyboard. I have big manly fingers, so they keys can't be squashed together. I mean, they can be tiny, but not TOO tiny.

I have been looking a bit myself, but nothing beats personal recommendations.

For the record, I am currently located in Las Vegas, Nevada, so I get pretty much all the major carriers.

Elin

Just a basic check with major carriers in your area is showing me plans with unlimited texting are about 60 a month before taxes. You could go with this Cricket Plan. It's 40 a month with unlimited texting. Cricket is still considered a prepaid phone company, but they have plans. Two issues that they usually have is that they don't travel well, lots of areas don't have them, and the phones are expensive because they aren't a huge carrier. The service in your home area is usually excellent though.

DarwinsFavoriteTortoise

From what I saw, Sprint has 50 dollar a month plan with unlimited texting, and T-Mobile has one (with less minutes) at 45 dollars a month.

So it mainly comes down to a good phone.

RubberAC

Your best bet is to go to their closest location and try them all out.
You really need to get a feel for the size, weight, grip of your phone if you want to avoid regrets further down the road.
Of course durability and the like are a bit harder to determine.

Elin

The best phone with sprint is the Centro, but it is NOT made for big man fingers, more like dainty baby fingers. Also keep in mind the fees on contract phones. For example, on my Verizon plan I have 11.44 in taxes and fees per month. So a 49.99 plan will probably be 55.00 a month.