The best deal of the year

Sales still are pretty hot over here, especially in Ashburton. For some time we had been looking for a mobile phone for Emma. She had left hers in NL. A few years ago it still was a bit poshy walking around with a mobile, now it has become such an essential part of our lives that each of us should have at least one. Therefore we already had been looking for a while.

In NL cheap mobiles usually come with a pre paid provider membership that lasts for at least a year. The cell phones are locked electronically so you can only use the SIM card you have bought it with. After one year the provider can unlock it for you, for a fee of something like NZ$30. Here in NZ cheap mobiles are sold without any membership at all, so you can use the phone any way you like! A pretty appealing concept IMO.

In Christchurch we already had spotted a Nokia for NZ$70 and a Motorola for $90 (both with black and white display). On top of that we would have to buy a SIM card for $35, totalling the cheapest deal at $105.

In the framework of our on-the-road-together experience we went to Ashburton for a family visit last Tuesday, and in the framework of “they do know how to discount in Ashburton” we went looking for mobiles too.

At one store a Panasonic with on-board camera was on sale from NZ$200 for NZ$75. The mobile came without SIM card, so $35 would have to be added, totalling the amount to NZ$110. Not a bad deal for a mobile with colour display and a camera built-in. However, even though Emma does want to have bells and whistles with her mobile, she does not need a camera. So we went to another store to look a bit further.

A nice Sony Ericsson mobile with colour screen was on sale from $200 for $100, including SIM card. That was cheaper than the other phone. When the store clerk took the box out of the showcase I spotted a sticker on the back of the box. The sticker said $60. That probably was a mistake, but the sticker was unmistakably there. Here in NZ they don’t argue about that sort of things, they just sell you the goods for the lowest price on the box.

For NZ$60 we now have a mobile with SIM card and $15 balance on top. When deducting the $35 of the SIM card that leaves a total of $25 as the price for the mobile. Not bad. Not bad at all…

It is even possible to speak your own ring tone into the thing. Which I already have done for Emma… “I am here. I am here. I am here. Are you there?” :-)