Please Help we find a cheap phone that can run GPS

LuvOrlando

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
My daughters phone is away at college and she needs to drive two hours to get to us Friday. I’m thinking a TracFone type is a good short term solution (nice for emergency’s too I think) but I need one that can run Waze or another GPS so she doesn’t get lost. I’ve been trapped in iPhone plans for a while now so I have no one idea
 
Any cheap Android can do it. My phone is now 4 years old and was free when I got it, that's how cheap it is. It runs navigation just fine.

Do you really need one for just a two hour drive? Can she just write directions down?
 
We just got the Samsung Galaxy A50 and love it! With a student discount it was like $275 and well worth it.
 


She doesn't know how to get home from college without electronic help? She can use a map or write the directions down if needed for a short two hour drive.
 
You can buy a tracfone (an android) as low as $20 at Target.
You'll have to purchase a "minutes" card and that will include talk, text and data. Another $20 for 60 minutes (talk, text and data) not sure how much data but you can also purchase a 1GB data only card for like $10 to
add on. So like $40-$50 total and totally worth the peace of mind.

I get what other posters are saying, of course she can just use a map, but it's still a good idea for a young college age girl travelling alone to have a phone on her.
 
She doesn't know how to get home from college without electronic help? She can use a map or write the directions down if needed for a short two hour drive.
I'm thinking either the family is heading somewhere new for the holiday week...or else they're going to keep moving and make her locate them. :D
 


Just go to Target or Walmart and get the cheapest TracFone smart phone kit you can find.

Also, Google maps is a lot more user friendly than waze
 
I don't understand this ~ My daughters phone is away at college *why isn't it with her? And I concur ~ unless she's heading somewhere other than home why should she need directions?
 
I don't understand this ~ My daughters phone is away at college *why isn't it with her? And I concur ~ unless she's heading somewhere other than home why should she need directions?
I was wondering why the phone isn’t with her as well.

As for all the “learn to read a map” comments, I am someone who can get lost in their own backyard. I have zero sense of direction and just can’t wrap my brain around maps. It’s a “life skill” I‘ve never been able to master (my poor DH has tried) and it causes me extreme anxiety. I have gotten lost in my own city where I was born and raised and have lived my whole life. Maps on the phone has literally changed my life. I no longer freak out if I have to go somewhere new. Heck, I even turn it on when I 100% know where I’m going. It’s like a security blanket for me.

OP I would go with a prepaid phone if you can. Honestly, if it were me I’d have someone Fed Ex her phone to her if it’s out of her reach.
 
I have gotten burned too many times using my phone for navigation. It only works if you have the 4G signal, and I guess I drive too rural. Though I have lost signal on the freeway before too.
I bought a stand alone GPS that uses satellite. Never loses signal (well, expect in parking garages...). Then you aren't burning through your phone battery either. I love it.
 
I agree with others OP, a tracfone would work well.

I was wondering why the phone isn’t with her as well.

As for all the “learn to read a map” comments, I am someone who can get lost in their own backyard. I have zero sense of direction and just can’t wrap my brain around maps. It’s a “life skill” I‘ve never been able to master (my poor DH has tried) and it causes me extreme anxiety. I have gotten lost in my own city where I was born and raised and have lived my whole life. Maps on the phone has literally changed my life. I no longer freak out if I have to go somewhere new. Heck, I even turn it on when I 100% know where I’m going. It’s like a security blanket for me.

OP I would go with a prepaid phone if you can. Honestly, if it were me I’d have someone Fed Ex her phone to her if it’s out of her reach.
You sound exactly like me! And it's not just driving, I get lost walking places too. We go to Disneyland a lot... and I still get lost from time to time (mainly in DCA). Sometimes I have to ask DH -- do I turn here? And he looks at me like I'm crazy, "Don't you know which direction to go by now?!" Well no, I don't. 🤣 I also always get my left and right mixed up, so maybe my brain is just cross wired! Google maps has definitely saved me so much anxiety when driving. I'd literally be lost without it.
 
I agree with others OP, a tracfone would work well.


You sound exactly like me! And it's not just driving, I get lost walking places too. We go to Disneyland a lot... and I still get lost from time to time (mainly in DCA). Sometimes I have to ask DH -- do I turn here? And he looks at me like I'm crazy, "Don't you know which direction to go by now?!" Well no, I don't. 🤣 I also always get my left and right mixed up, so maybe my brain is just cross wired! Google maps has definitely saved me so much anxiety when driving. I'd literally be lost without it.
Yep, same. My dad was the same way. We went to a show together at The Mirage and could not find our way out. 😂 About our third pass of the same bar a bartender finally took pity on us and helped us out. I’m actually leaving for Disneyland in about an hour. Just me and the younger kids. Thankfully I have my phone to guide me even thought I’ve made that drive probably a 100 times throughout my life.
 
I have gotten burned too many times using my phone for navigation. It only works if you have the 4G signal, and I guess I drive too rural. Though I have lost signal on the freeway before too.
I bought a stand alone GPS that uses satellite. Never loses signal (well, expect in parking garages...). Then you aren't burning through your phone battery either. I love it.

Not completely accurate. Navigation requires a signal if you are relying on an app that doesn't cache the map data. Waze, Apple Maps, and some others don't let you cache/download maps in advance. I believe that some versions of Google Maps do allow this, and know for certain that apps like maps.me (free) lets you download states/regions in advance. If you have an app that stores the maps offline, it functions just like an old standalone GPS, and as long as you know the address you are going to, can navigate to that location from where you are even without cell service.

OP, if you have an old iPhone or some other old device, they can download one of the apps that does offline maps, and use that even if there is no plan associated with the device.
 
we have a smart phone TracFone for our older son, I got it at best buy for 19.99 the deal is the mins run carry over month to month if you add some more every month, $10 online. he uses it in the house on wifi all the time
 

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