Cheap PAYG phone advice needed

first78

Hello, I'm going to a festival with my children soon and wanted to ask what the cheapest phone would be to give them so they can call me if they get lost, or for me to call them.

I literally only want a phone and SIM for one off occasions like this but am so confused looking at phones as some aren't unlocked.

Can anyone point me in the right direction of a cheap basic phone and a cheap SIM that's compatible please?

flaneurs_lobster

No new phones sold today are locked to a particular network (although some are sold with SIMs which might make you believe so).

Nokia at Argos £13.50 + £10 Vodafone PAYG https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3100660?clickPR=plp:1:7

Nokia at Tesco £29.99 inc £10 SIM https://www.tesco.com/phones/products/06438409085085

J_B

I just wonder if one of the MSE special offer Lebara sims https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-finder/sim-only/ would work in a 'cheap' phone?

flaneurs_lobster

TCL phone for £8 at Vodafone - need to buy a £10 bundle (and remember to cancel any auto renewal).

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/phones/pay-as-you-go/tcl/onetouch-4041

TimeLord1

What networks are they using now or don't they currently have mobile phones yet ? 

first78

TimeLord1 said:

What networks are they using now or don't they currently have mobile phones yet ? 

They don't have phones yet. I don't want them having them yet but want to be able to keep in touch while we're away.

first78

flaneurs_lobster said:

TCL phone for £8 at Vodafone - need to buy a £10 bundle (and remember to cancel any auto renewal).

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/phones/pay-as-you-go/tcl/onetouch-4041

This looks ok, is it easy to cancel? I don't want to end up on the phone to customer services for hours 🙈. Would I just cancel a few days before the end of the month if it's a 30 day rolling contract?

first78

J_B said:

I just wonder if one of the MSE special offer Lebara sims https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-finder/sim-only/ would work in a 'cheap' phone?

This looks like a good offer. How do I find out what phone I could use it in please?

first78

flaneurs_lobster said:

No new phones sold today are locked to a particular network (although some are sold with SIMs which might make you believe so).

Nokia at Argos £13.50 + £10 Vodafone PAYG https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3100660?clickPR=plp:1:7

Nokia at Tesco £29.99 inc £10 SIM https://www.tesco.com/phones/products/06438409085085

Sorry if this is a silly question but does this phone come with a SIM? 

savergrant

On the argos link you can buy it with or without the £10 sim package. If you buy the sim package they will send you a sim. But you could get a cheap sim deal for about £1.
The tesco link seems to be suggesting that if you buy £10 topup you get that deducted off the phone price.
In your place I would go for the cheapest phones and lebara monthly sims then request a pac for each sim BEFORE they go and keep it safe. That way it is easy to cancel even if the phones don't make it back. The only thing you need to remember is to identify which pac belongs to which phone number.
Give the pac to a junk payg sim (a free one with no credit) a week or so before the 30 days runs out and you won't be charged for another month.

TimeLord1

first78 said:

TimeLord1 said:

What networks are they using now or don't they currently have mobile phones yet ? 

They don't have phones yet. I don't want them to have them yet but want to be able to keep in touch while we're away.

Maybe you could use a walkie-talkie system to stay in contact they have a good overall range  and kids might enjoy that more.