where can i buy cell phones without contracts?

[puffff]

i lost my phone last night. i thought my biggest headache would be recovering all the numbers in my phone book, but now i realized that buying a new phone without paying up the wazoo is going to be a problem too. i checked a verizon wireless store today, my contract isnt up til april of next year, so i'm not elgible for their deals. the best they could offer me was the LG VX3500 for $100, but i'd have to sign a new 2-year contract. not very impressive, i dont want to be stuck with that phone for the next 2 years.

so.. to get to the point, where can i buy cell phones without contracts, and not pay retail? retail on some of those better phones is like $300-$350, (retail for that LG VX3500 is like $200 according to the store). is ebay the only place? has anyone ever bought cell phones from ebay?

 

[gsaldivar]

ebay, craigslist are the only two that come to mind...

 

[Kelemvor]

I use VirginMobile and haven' thad any problems at all. It's a Prepaid plan so you just put money in your account every so often and away you go. Can get the phones from best Buy for $50 or so or get them on ebay for less...

 

[cronos]

i think there's a recent thread at HD about something like this. check it out.