Apple
You can now preorder the new iPhone SE (aka iPhone SE 2), with prices starting at $399 for the 64GB model. That number is a big part of the appeal, especially given that the next option in the iPhone lineup is the XR at $599. CNET’s Patrick Holland feels the affordable new iPhone SE has arrived at just the right time with just the right design.The Cheapskate feels you can do better than $399. Whether you dust off an old iPhone to trade in or consider switching to a new carrier, there are ways to save money on Apple’s latest.Before we dive into the best iPhone SE deals, however, let me suggest a few alternatives:Visible is still offering the single best iPhone XR deal anywhere: Just $376 after a $200 rebate. You do have to pay for Visible service ($40 a month, or less with a group plan), but only for two months. Great, great deal. (Also: big, big phone.)If it’s the iPhone 8 design you’re after, why not consider an iPhone 8? It may be a generation or two behind in terms of processor and camera, but it’s still a mighty fine phone. At Glyde, you can get a like-new unlocked iPhone 8 for as low as $280. And at BackMarket, iPhone 8 prices start at around $200 (for scratch-and-dent models).Still eyeballing an iPhone SE? Here are the best deals I’ve found. (If you want to see all the preorder options, not just those I consider the winners, you can find them here.) Note that I’ll be updating this post as I find other deals, so be sure to check back.
The flat-out best iPhone SE deal so far, Red Pocket shaves $50 off the 64GB model and gives you six months of service. And when you apply promo code CHEAPSKATESE, you’ll save another $25, dropping your out-the-door price to just $324.Take note, however, that this deal already sold out once (the carrier has since added more inventory, but raised the price $50 in the process), so don’t be surprised if this is gone again by the time you get there. You can read more about this deal in my previous post about it.
If you don’t want to be roped into a contract with a carrier, consider buying your iPhone SE straight from Apple, choosing the SIM-free option at checkout. That way you can take it to whatever carrier you want and switch as often as you want.And if you have an older iPhone to trade in, it will effectively lower your purchase price. An iPhone 6S in good condition, for example, is worth $80, while an iPhone 7 Plus is valued at $150. Just take note that you’ll pay full price for the SE, then receive a cash credit for the trade-in after Apple has received and inspected it.
If you can swing just $8.33 a month, for 24 months, you can swing the iPhone SE. That’s a savings of $200 over the course of two years. To get this deal, you’ll need to activate a new line of service with Xfinity and transfer an existing number. Xfinity’s service plans start at $12 a month, for 1GB of data.
Have you found a better iPhone SE deal? Tell me about it in the comments!
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