Originally Posted by gloopy

That's because you did a lot of things at once and that helped move numbers around so you don't see the cost. That's how they set it up, and that's what they count on you thinking of it as.

Plans change. Lately they've changed a lot. They used to build more core cost in to all the plans, which is why they could "subsidize" the phones for you. Now plans are generally cheaper and include a lot more (minutes and texts were all add on extras for most plans not that long ago) so if you did nothing other than move your paid for phone to the plan you have now, you would be paying even less per month than you are now.

But all most people care about is "out the door" or "per month" costs. That's how they obfuscate the true price of the phones they are selling. Rest assured you are paying full retail for your phone, and it costs about 700-800 dollars.

Part of that may be offset by your trade in, and the $299 "down payment" even though they don't call it that. But you are essentially financing the remainder into your plan. You don't see it because while you were doing all that, she moved you to a cheaper plan, and that's great. But that plan was available to you regardless, and you could have moved to that same cheaper plan anyway with your old phone, and if you did you would be paying less per month than you are right now.

Whatever your monthly bill is, it is higher for the next 12-24 months than it would be under the exact same plan had you switched to that exact same plan and brought your own paid off phone (your old phone).