Get a Replacement Phone on the Cheap from ReplacePhone

Things that suck: A flat tire on the freeway. A cancelled flight. And, topping the list, a lost, stolen, or busted cell phone.

What sucks about that is when you find out how much it costs to replace the phone, as this time you're buying it unsubsidized. Depending on the model, it could run in the hundreds of dollars. Or not: ReplacePhone.com offers replacement cell phones for as little as $59.

The service sells refurbished models (mostly from Motorola) for all four major carriers: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Each phone is guaranteed to work and comes with a 30-day return policy. Some examples:

What's nice is that you don't have to deal with any contracts -- you just choose a "good, better, or best" model (priced at $59, $79, and $99, respectively) for your carrier and add about $10 for shipping. (Expedited shipping is also available if you're in a rush.)

I'm assuming each phone comes with instructions explaining how to get it activated with your phone number, account, etc., because there's no information about that on ReplacePhone.com. Nor does the site indicate if the phones come with chargers, manuals, and other standard items.

That would give me a bit of pause before ordering, as would the lack of a phone number for getting answers to questions like these. That said, ReplacePhone has the makings of a major money-saver for business users, especially those who have to foot their own phone bills.