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Almost all department stores, supermarkets and such sell "throwaway" phones.  Here you just pay a fee when you want to use the phone and the length of use depends on the fee you pay.

As an example we are back in the states a couple times a year and have one of these phone.  We put $30 or so on the phone and it is good for 15 days of use over  a 90 day period of time.  We keep the same number if use in those 90 days or if you add "time" to it in those 90 days.  We have the same number now for 5 years.  You can also add $$ and use it every day. This get more expensive than getting a one year contract with a local company.  It all depends on how long you will be here and how much you are going to use the phone.

Bob K

I'll be in US permanently. Hmm... I don't like throwaway phone or the tracphone I saw online, I want to use my own phone. So, I want a SIM card only. I just need a number that someone can reach me from home or from my kid's school when I'm out. $30 for 90 days would be $120 per year, that money will go to waste because I don't call/text.

I just saw the Pay As You Go by T-Mobile, $3 per month to keep the number, free 30 min talk / 30 text messages, additional is only 10 cents per minute/message. This is kind of similar to the plan that I'm having in my country, which will be more suitable for me. Do you know if I can pay a year in advance so that I don't have to renew it every month?

Also, I read that you get charged to even receive text message (wow!). Do I get charged also when I receive calls?

Contact the company or go to their web page for the payment options.

Bob K

Good idea to not buy a throwaway phone, puts you as a foreign national in the sights of the  TSA etc.  Many criminal acts or acts of terrorism involve using throwaway phones.

It would be best to call, send an email, or use live support chat if they offer it, to find the correct answers to your question.  The information you will get directly from the company will be more accurate than second-hand information from any of us.

Looks like you got it figured out... I don't have a monthly plan at all or one of those cool phones or the need to be on them everywhere I walk... SO with that being said I do have internet at the house and with that one bill only I have everything I need because I have google voice! What now? woot woot, and when I want to take my chromebook out somewhere where there is wifi I can still use it. This is what I do... So when I'm home is when I do the phone thing.. and when I'm out I do other things.

@Cecilia11, the most important thing is that since you are coming from Malaysia and bought your phone from there, I am guessing it would be GSM based - so make sure that the telco company you are going with can support GSM. There many mobile telco companies in the states which uses different types of technology e.g. CDMA, CDMA2000, GSM, UMTS, etc. for voice.

This website talks about the different no contract plan in the states but it was dated in 2014,

Hope this helps.