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I haven’t paid “full price” for a cellular phone plan for decades, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been any trade-offs. Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) buy network capacity in bulk from major carriers (MNOs like T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T) and resell them to individual customers. For a while, the main trade-off for going with an MVNO (which buys bulk minutes and data from the major carriers) was slightly worse cellular coverage due to a lack of roaming agreements with other carriers. If you were on a AT&T MVNO, you could only use AT&T cell towers.

These days, the primary catch is data de-prioritization. To manage the demand, there are different Quality of Service Class Identifiers (QCI levels) that have different priorities on the network. In areas where there are a lot of people, especially things like concerts and sporting events, there is a lot of demand and those not at the front of the line will notice slow or no data.

This r/NoContract Reddit post provides an excellent collection of the data prioritization policies of the major carriers. It’s still a lot, so I have attempted to summarize everything below as much as possible.

For Verizon, QCI 8 is the highest priority level for consumers. Includes:

• All Verizon Postpaid “Traditional” plans (except “Welcome”).
• Visible+ and Visible+ Pro (owned by Verizon).
• Total Wireless’ Total 5G Unlimited and Total 5G+ Unlimited (owned by Verizon).
• Xfinity Mobile and Spectrum Mobile (owned by cable companies).
• US Mobile Unlimited Premium “Warp” (*for 5G w/ Premium Only)

QCI 9 is a step lower, the base tier. Includes:

• Verizon’s Unlimited Welcome plan (their most basic plan)
• Visible Base plan
• US Mobile Unlimited Starter “Warp” and other Warp plans.
• All other Verizon prepaid MVNOs.

For AT&T, QCI 7 is the highest priority level for consumers. Includes:

• Select AT&T Plans with special “Turbo” data.

QCI 8 is a step lower, but still considered higher priority. Includes:

• Select AT&T Plans with “Extra/Premium/Max” data.
• Cricket Supreme Unlimited, Cricket Sensible 10GB plans (*owned by AT&T)
• H2o, Consumer Cellular, and PureTalk MVNOs.
• US Mobile Unlimited Premium “Dark Star” (*Premium Only)

QCI 6 is another step lower, the base tier. Includes:

• AT&T base Unlimited plans for both AT&T postpaid and AT&T Prepaid.
• All other AT&T plans once the “Turbo/Premium” data is used up.
• Cricket Select Unlimited, Cricket Smart Unlimited plans (*owned by AT&T)
• US Mobile Unlimited Starter “Dark Star” and other Dark Star plans.
• All other AT&T prepaid MVNOs.

For T-Mobile, QCI 6 is the highest priority level for consumers. Includes:

• All T-Mobile Postpaid and Prepaid plans (except “Essentials”)
• Google Fi

QCI 7 is a step lower, the base tier. Includes:

• T-Mobile Essentials plans (their most basic plan)
• All other T-Mobile prepaid MVNOs, including Metro and Mint Mobile (both owned by T-Mobile).

Long-time readers will know that I was with Mint Mobile for a long time. I didn’t need much data back then. But each year, I felt the low priority of Mint Mobile data became more and more noticeable. Anywhere crowded, even an airport, and things would slow down significantly. Oftentimes, I basically had no data at all, which was very frustrating when just trying to call up an Uber. T-Mobile sells a lot of data to MVNOs, so perhaps that’s another reason. I first tried to jump ship to Visible, but they messed up my number port so badly that I couldn’t get 2FA verification codes for days so I quickly switched back to Mint Mobile.

Late last year, after a positive experience with US Mobile’s customer service involving their Apple Watch plans, I decided to switch to US Mobile’s Unlimited Premium plan which offers “Priority Data” on their Warp (Verizon) and Dark Star (AT&T) plans. They run a lot of promotions (often extending them over and over) but I jumped on the Warp plan with Unlimited Premium because it also included a free Apple Watch cellular plan. I’m paying a bit more than I used to with Mint Mobile, but I’ve definitely noticed the improvement in data quality. My number port was nearly instant. With their Unlimited Premium plan, I can even switch between networks for free if one place has better coverage, allowing me access to AT&T and T-Mobile towers.

I am happy with US Mobile as I now have high data speeds, multi-network coverage, reasonable cost, and decent customer service.

The current US Winter Phone Deal is on Dark Star (AT&T). Unlimited Starter for $119/year prepaid upfront ($9.92/mo) for the first year (regular data priority) with promo code WINTER119 and Unlimited Premium for $149/year prepaid upfront ($12.42/mo) for the first year (which offers higher data priority and other perks) with promo code WINTER149. Port-in required.

You can stack the current promo with my referral link to get an additional $25 off:

To qualify for the $25 referral bonus, you must maintain active paid service in good standing for 6 months, port in a new line, and spend a total of $100 on Unlimited, By the Gig, or Smartwatch plans — Other plans, top-ups, devices, add-ons, roaming, and certain promotions (listed at usmobile.com/promo-archive) are excluded. Annual plans will be prorated monthly (e.g. $228 equals $114 after 6 months).

If you want a deal on Verizon (Warp), I’d just wait around for a bit. However, it probably won’t ever be as cheap as this Dark Star (AT&T) deal. I paid $299 for a year of Unlimited Premium (includes Priority Data and Apple Watch cellular plan) during a previous sale. Full price at renewal will be $390/year ($32.50/month), which is still much cheaper than any traditional major carrier plan after you add taxes/fees and $10/month for the Apple Watch add-on.

Callan Associates updates a “periodic table” annually with the relative performance of 9 major asset classes over the last 20 years. Above is the most recent snapshot of 2006-2025, which you can find on their website Callan.com. The best performing asset class is listed at the top, and it sorts downward until you have the worst performing asset. I find it easiest to focus on a specific Asset Class (Color) and then visually noting how its relative performance bounces around.

The Callan Periodic Table of Investment Returns conveys the strong case for diversification across asset classes (stocks vs. bonds), capitalizations (large vs. small), and equity markets (U.S. vs. global ex-U.S.). The Table highlights the uncertainty inherent in all capital markets. Rankings change every year. Also noteworthy is the difference between absolute and relative performance, as returns for the top-performing asset class span a wide range over the past 20 years.

The late Jack Bogle was often credited with the saying: “Don’t look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack.” If you look at the entire “haystack” of the overall market as hundreds and thousands of individual companies, over time there are a lot of losers and a few big winners, or “needles”.

In addition, I’d also add the saying that “The haystack is always changing.” Check out the table above of the top 10 largest US companies in different decades, updated as of 12/31/25 as collected by JP Morgan Asset Management (this is a useful resource that is updated every quarter).

Notice that all the 1985 Top 10 companies are marked as green. There are fewer and fewer left in the top 10 after each decade that passes, and there are none in 2025. Most likely, by the time 2045 or 2065 rolls around – when you might be retired! – the Top 10 will include companies that don’t even exist today.

Investing in a simple market-cap index fund will always be criticized as “dumb” or “overweight this” or “underweight that”. I think weighing by the company value is a perfectly fine system for the patient, long-term investor. In the end, things shakes themselves out. If you buy the entire investable US stock market, or even extend this to the entire investable world stock market, you can be sure that you own all the eventual winners.

I enjoy not having to worry about things in the long term. If I feel like doing some active trading, I can, but I can also go weeks without checking a single stock ticker if I’m not in the mood.

Checked and updated for 2026. Since these are available every 12 months, it is a good idea to check these near or around the same time each year. A lot of companies make their money by collecting and selling data – your personal data. It can be critical to know what they are telling prospective lenders, landlords, even employers about you. Under the FCRA and/or FACT Act, many consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) are now legally required to send you a free copy of your report every 12 months, as well as provide a way to dispute incorrect information.

Some have an online request form, but some are purposefully making it harder to check your reports by removing the online option. Don’t be afraid to call them if needed. You probably won’t want to bother checking all of them anyhow, but if you’ve experienced any sort of rejection or adverse action in these areas the cause might be found inside one of these databases. Keep in mind that you may not have a file with all of these places. Requesting a copy of your own consumer reports does not hurt your credit score.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been doing a better job maintaining their own comprehensive list of CRAs (PDF version) recently, so I am editing down this list to include direct links to the overall categories along with the larger and more widely-used consumer reporting agencies.

Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. The three major credit bureaus track your credit accounts, payment history, and other related information like bankrupts and liens. Free online credit reports now available weekly (the frequency was increased from annual to weekly during the COVID pandemic, but that change has been made permanent).

• AnnualCreditReport.com
• 877-322-8228

(Note: As part of a class action settlement, you may also request up to six additional free copies of your Equifax credit report directly from myEquifax during any 12-month period through December 2026.)

You can also now freeze your credit reports for free, but you must contact each bureau separately. For the contact info, please see Big List of Ways To Protect Your Identity: Free Credit Monitoring, Free Credit Locks, and Free Credit Freezes

LexisNexis. One of the largest personal information databases that includes public records, real estate transaction and ownership data, lien, judgment, and bankruptcy records, professional license information, and historical addresses on file. Free copy, must mail in form.

• LexisNexis.com request page
• 866-897-8126

Innovis. Innovis is a lesser-known but still large nationwide CRA, providing credit reports to places including payday lenders, utilities, landlords, employment screening, and insurance companies.

• Innovis request page
• 866-712-0021

Chexsystems. A consumer information database used by an estimated 80-90% of all banks to help determine the risk of opening new accounts. Think of it as the banks’ version of a credit bureau. If a person commits check fraud or overdraws their account, it will be listed here. In addition, the simple act of opening or closing a bank account may be recorded in their database. Having a negative ChexSystems record can leave you blacklisted from opening bank accounts at most major banks. Free copy once every 12 months. You can now request your report online.

• ChexSystems request page
• 800-428-9623

Early Warning Services (EWS). Provides deposit account data to lenders. Early Warning is co-owned by seven of the largest banks in the US (Bank of America, Capital One, JPMorgan Chase, PNC Bank, Truist, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo.)

• ChexSystems request page
• 800-745-1560

Microbilt and subsidiary Payment Reporting Builds Credit (PRBC). Microbilt is a provider of credit data for the “approximately 110 million underserved and underbanked consumers in the United States.” Free copy once every 12 months.

• Microbilt.com request form
• 888-222-7621

Realpage (LeasingDesk) Consumer Report. Provides tenant screening through their LeasingDesk product, including “the industry’s largest rental payment history database.”

• RealPage.com report request page
• 866-934-1124

CoreLogic SafeRent. SafeRent provides both tenant and employment screening data, including information regarding landlord tenant and criminal public court records. One free report every 12 months.

• CoreLogic.com report request form
• 888-333-2413

Experian RentBureau Rental History Report. “Every 24 hours, Experian RentBureau receives updated rental payment history data from property owners/managers, electronic rent payment services and collection companies and makes that information available immediately to the multifamily industry through our resident screening partners.”

• Experian.com/RentBureau report request page (scroll down a bit; PDF form)
• 877-704-4519

TransUnion Rental Screening Solutions. SmartMove provides tenant credit, eviction, and background checks.

• MySmartMove.com FAQ page
• SmartMove will disclose the contents of a criminal and/or credit report retained by SmartMove to an individual who requests a copy of their report. To verify your identity and obtain a copy of your report(s) or dispute any information within that report, please contact customer service at 866-775-0961.

C.L.U.E. Personal Property Report. A division of LexisNexis, CLUE stands for Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, which collects information that is used to calculate your insurance premiums. This report provides a seven year history of losses associated with an individual and his/her personal property. Includes date of loss, loss type, and amount paid along with general information such as policy number, claim number and insurance company name. This also means you can find out about previous claims on the house you are currently renting or recently bought, even if they weren’t made by you.

• LexisNexis.com CLUE report request page
• 866-312-8076

C.L.U.E. Auto Report. This report provides a seven year history of automobile insurance losses associated with an individual. Includes date of loss, loss type, and amount paid along with general information such as policy number, claim number and insurance company name.

• LexisNexis.com CLUE report request page
• 866-312-8076

A-PLUS Loss History Reports, subsidiary of Verisk. ISO stands for Insurance Services Office, A-PLUS stands for Automated Property Loss Underwriting System. Auto and property loss claim history.

• Verisk.com report request page
• 800-627-3487

National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange. NCTUE tracks when people don’t pay their phone, cable, or utility bills. One free report every 12 months.

• NCTUE.com report request page
• 866-349-5185

The Retail Equation. Tracks product return and exchange abuse at retail merchants.

• TheRetailEquation.com request page
• 800-652-2331 or returnactivityreport@theretailequation.com

MIB (previously known as Medical Information Bureau). Run by 470 insurance companies with a “primary mission of detecting and deterring fraud that may occur in the course of obtaining life, health, disability income, critical illness, and long-term care insurance.” They record information of “underwriting significance” like medical conditions or hazardous activities. If you have not applied for individually underwritten life, health, or disability income insurance during the preceding seven year period, then you probably don’t have a record.

• MIB.com report request page
• 866-692-6901

Milliman IntelliScript. Tracks your prescription drug purchase history. “Milliman IntelliScript will have prescription information about you only if you authorized the release of your medical records to an insurance company and that company requested that we gather a report on you.”

• RXHistories.com report request page (see bottom)
• 877-211-4816

The following companies all offer background screening services for employers. Most will not have any information about you unless you authorized a potential employer to run a background check on you (probably during the application process). Some will not provide you information unless there was adverse action. Otherwise, you can get one free copy every 12 months. There are a LOT more of these companies in the full list linked above.

The main point here is that if you do apply for a job and someone runs a background check on you, you can get a free copy for yourself if you formally request it. This is important to be able to quickly dispute any incorrect or negative information on those reports.

The Work Number (division of Equifax). They also keep historical income records.

• TheWorkNumber.com report request page
• 866-604-6570

Backgroundchecks.com

• Backgroundchecks.com report request page
• 866-265-6602

Checkr

• Checkr candidate portal (access report here).
• 844-824-3257

Accurate

• Accurate.com report request info
• 800-216-8024

ADP Screening and Selection Services

• ADPselect.com (click on Applicant Resources)
• 888-606-7868 (Option 2)