WELL the time has come! Looking for some help my Wireless gurus

My folks Verizon contract is up! After adding my uncle a few years back and having to go around and around with him and his texting issues we had to put the unlimited stuff on just to protect them from a big bill. ---even though he paid his part.
My folks have since both had major health issues...even have had to sell their house and downsize by almost 75% of all their belongings. It's been a rough year.
So I know Verizon for just the 2 of them isn't that expensive---but in the long run being stuck in a contract and my mom who suffers from short term memory loss at times doesn't pay on time then they have late fees and everything else. It isn't worth it.. they don't leave the area that much.

SO I'm looking at 3 options for them. BOOST mobile with the shrinkage plan that eventually would be 35 a month. I mean they are paying 166 a month right now. 100 bucks is nothing.
My mom texts occasionally and she hates her flip phone because of the last of keyboard but likes the flip phone also. So I was looking at the rambler which is unique as it has both. My step dad prefers a flip and I was looking at the samsung one they have.

STRAIGHT TALK--- 45 for my mom and the 30 plan for my step dad. Want to keep them on the CDMA side of the coverage. Only a slider keyboard or a blackberry lookalike for mom.. flips for step dad---but don't look like they are very sturdy or reliable. He's a concrete truck driver. Not hard on the phone..it just has to stand up to him opening and closening it sometimes without thinking its a phone not a piece of concrete. LOL
OH and the 1500 minute plan from virgin mobile.. also a option!!!!

The biggest thing is that I can put either of these plans on AUTO refill!!!! That will keep my mom from "forgetting" as I could set up to just come out of her account on the day her check goes in. No worries...no muss no fuss. But I've read horror stories about don't do auto refill or give them card from straight talk and or bad CS. So I'm like okay... and how about porting... NO issue there I would assume.

and or cricket! for 35 a month I think is the plan? but I know the coverage isn't as good.

So my Wireless friends ---what would you do?????? Any recs throughly received
Thanks all!:help:

 

No one? Nothing?

 

Hi Joseph

Thanks...it has to get better. I was looking into the others only because they have a little bit better coverage down in the Salem/Willamette valley oregon area where my folks live. Tmobile works okay for me in the town I live in, and I use it for emergency,etc. NOT to talk talk talk on. My folks got rid of their home phone and only have their cell phones. My step father is also a Redi-mix concrete driver and goes all over so it better to stick with verizon/or sprint type network. Cricket I think is questionable???? don't want them getting roaming charges.
NOT worried about the family plan. 2 lines they can be individual. Right now they pay 150 bucks for 3 lines...which they are dropping the 3rd line, and even with the extra charges off for the unlimited texting (which was only added as the 3rd line became a flippin textaholic! LOL) My mom does maybe 40 to 50 a month.... if that. So I was thinking just one of those unlimited plans for her as her phone is the main phone---bills, doctors, family,etc. and my step dad could get by on one of the 1,000 minutes a month plan. He only uses maybe 150 minutes and a month and most of them are to his job, my mom, and a couple of his friends.
I'm just trying to get them down in price--and honestly I'm tired of having to go behind them and ask well are those people you calling on the verizon network- do I need to add them to the friends and family list, and so on and so on. You catch my drift on that one ....

Boost seems to fairly good with the handsets and the plan---but the CDMA side of Straight talk is better coverage as it uses the Verizon network. I just question the quality and durability of the handsets....

Sometimes the individual plans seem to be a better fit than the family share. With unlimited it doesn't really affect it either way

 

BUDNEY! Once again you save me and pull me from the fire! that is awesome! I'm going to check them out tomorrow, but the map and such looks awesome!!! and if I can use their existing phones that would be even better!!!! The coverage goes even further up hwy 22 towards detroit and surrounding areas. If this works out---that will be awesome!!!! 44.95 for mom and 29.99 plan for step dad

Thank you very much for telling me about them! had no clue. I'd heard of mypcssomething (saw it at Rite aid)
awesome!

Thanks again and hope things are well with you!

 

They were going to be the next ones to check on Will check into Pageplus though because it'll be a big bonus if they can just continue to use their existing phones

 

Thanks!

I actually ended up moving them over to PagePlus. Was painless and simple and they could keep their phones.
ONLY issue that I'm wondering----

on the verizon side I could send emails to their number at vzwpix.com for picture and vzwtxt for text.

Does anyone know what the extension is for pageplus picture/text? @pageplus.com?