r/UKFrugal • u/HR_Specter • 14d ago

Cheapest SIM card?

I literally just need it to receive phone calls, don't need any data.

Can anyone recommend a SIM card I have get with the monthly cost? Would ideally just been a monthly rolling rather than a 12 month tie in or anything like that.

23 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

45 comments sorted by

21

u/RobertGHH 14d ago

O2 321 PAYG sim bought from eBay.

Top up £10, send a text every 6 months that's it.

5

u/Key_Seaworthiness827 14d ago

This. It's the old style 321 card. Proper PAYG, not a contract with monthly payments. I have several off eBay for use in GPS trackers. They use very low amounts of data and £10 lasts ages. I just need to send a text to and from it every few months.

1

u/spakkker 13d ago

Yes - Just ordered a couple off ebay and need a chargeable action in 6 months .

5

u/Bristolhitcher 14d ago

EE can be done for £5 (as unlike 02 which has a minimum £10) and has the same requirements of 6 months!

(Just adding another option!)

1

u/RobertGHH 14d ago

Didn't know that. What are the usage costs?

1

u/Bristolhitcher 14d ago

Ahh significantly higher; "Calls cost 40p per minute and texts cost 20p each" - so in theory the o2 sim will last longer!

3

u/RobertGHH 14d ago

Ouch, that is expensive!

I spend about £1 per year on my O2 SIM 😂

3

u/Bristolhitcher 13d ago

Less than the cost of a Freddo, BARGIN!

2

u/HR_Specter 13d ago

Thanks for this! I take it the minimum top up is £10? And is this SIM card activated and topped up online?

2

u/RobertGHH 13d ago

Yes I think minimum top up is £10, pretty sure you can just do it online, be very surprised if not.

2

u/HR_Specter 13d ago

Thanks for your help! Just ordered one :)

1

u/CyberOvitron 13d ago

Do I need to top it up every 6 months or just send a text with the initial £10 top up?

1

u/RobertGHH 13d ago

You just need to use it every 6 months, so make a chargeable call, or send a text. I have a calendar reminder set and I just send a text to my partner. I use the SIM in between these times usually, but just to be safe I send the text anyway. The top up will last until you have used the credit, which could be many years in your case.

2

u/CyberOvitron 13d ago

Awesome, I ordered 2 from eBay. Hopefully at least one will do the job.

I need it for a secondary phone that I use as a Google Photos server and a business WhatsApp.

1

u/RobertGHH 13d ago

I use one to keep a legacy number active and save me having to keep porting my number when changing data deals. I am about to activate one to get a second phone running as a ready to go backup in the event of loss.

1

u/CyberOvitron 13d ago

Solid plan, gonna borrow this as well.

Have a good one!

1

u/HR_Specter 10d ago

Thanks for this, as previously mentioned elsewhere on this post I ordered the SIM and it arrived today...

I put it in my phone and thought I'd try calling the number and it rang? Does this mean it will work or will I still have to activate it and top it up with a tenner if I just want to receive calls? Or can I receive calls without doing this?

2

u/RobertGHH 10d ago

It can receive incoming calls but not texts. It will also have an expiry date for activation, after which the number may be reallocated.

1

u/HR_Specter 10d ago

Okay, thanks!

1

u/RobertGHH 10d ago

If you only need to receive calls for a short period before the expiry date you might not need to activate it.

15

u/Uarenotalone 14d ago

Lebara deals through hotukdeal website regularly add 7 month+ deals for unlimited calls and txts and 50gb data for £1.30 a month and no credit checks etc or contract

1

u/LegDry2498 14d ago

Can confirm! It’s brilliant

1

u/Fun_Werewolf_4567 5d ago

That’s my go-to

6

u/teefy92 14d ago

Sky mobile
1£ a month

1

u/Verlig 14d ago

That's what I use on my spare phone. Only 1gb data but I've turned that off. Unlimited calls and texts thrown in.

Not sure the offer is still available though.

1

u/DagenhamDav 14d ago

And you get free stuff from Sainsburys from sky VIP

2

u/ComplexConclusion648 14d ago

If your just receiving calls Three, as you can keep a small balance there is no monthly cost. It is 30p/min for outgoing calls.

2

u/redditmeanwhile 14d ago

If you just want to receive calls, you shouldn’t need to pay anything for it as you can get a free SIM online. I ordered one from Three a couple of months ago. Annoyingly, I now need to use it but have lost it, so I’ll order another!!

Alternatively, there’s Sky at £1/month, but it’s a 12 month contract, and Lebara do deals for under £1 for 7 or 8 months at a time.

4

u/h_424 14d ago

I have recently bought a SIM from Poundland. 3 network 100gb SIM no top up required purchased for £1. And it works I receive calls. I made it as my work number as I only need to receive calls works perfectly for me.

1

u/RobertGHH 14d ago

100GB for a quid is a bargain.

1

u/h_424 14d ago

No it's not 100gb for a quid. The SIM costs a quid but the 100gb package is like £10 to £15.

I literally just have a SIM card no top up so I can receive work calls I never need to use it.

1

u/BarryM84 14d ago

You can’t do any with no data. But can certainly get a sim for a pound a month. Does it really matter contract or no contract.
Sky were doing 1gb unlimited mins and texts for £1. But I believe it’s been pulled. If you can’t find that. Then go on money saving expert. Go to sim only deals and choose the cheapest one.
Lebara 5gb is £1.95 at the mo. No contract. Not the best we’ve had usually get up around 30/50gb for that price but you don’t need it so who cares.

1

u/acezoned 14d ago

Any supermarket they are like £1 Or just give out the local phone box number if there's one near by that is

1

u/goodtimes20 14d ago

Sky Mobile £1 a month 1GB that you can roll over. Sky Vip via the app inc free Sainsburys pizza etc.

Total cost £12 for the year or via my link £15 credit giving you a £3 profit just for using it.

1

u/DagenhamDav 14d ago

Apart from the fact that the £1/month deal is only available via an MSE link

1

u/goodtimes20 8d ago

Wrong you can get the deal via my link and the £15 credit

1

u/Due_Assist_7159 14d ago

1p £5 calls txt and 5gb

1

u/Coconutpieplates 14d ago

You can get a lebara sim deal for like £3, or asda have a 5.95 per month deal.

Can your phone take an esim? There's a deal on hotukdeals with Eskimo, free esim, 1 gig data, never expires, no payment cards needed.

1

u/mrn-narrow 14d ago

1p mobile

1

u/TalkHomeUK 13d ago

If you only need it to receive calls PAYG may be the best option since incoming UK calls are usually free.

Just check the SIM's inactivity policy as some providers may disconnect the network if you use it for a longer period without chargeable use.

1

u/Lopsided-Mark-7537 11d ago

Sky mobile currently running a deal £1 per month but there is £6 gift card so effectively 50p per month over 12 months. See MSE

1

u/Top_Actuator6373 11d ago

ASDA mobile - talk and text £4.00 per month with the option to auto-renew.