* I'll keep this page short: just what you need to know (as of January 2022) in order to check and add minutes on/to an Alcatel, 4g capable, flip ("flip-2") phone --as branded and operated by Tracfone.

* Unlike almost every other web page on this topic, I'll assume that you're using your flip phone as a "ring-ring, hello, good-bye" pocket telephone, that you weren't somehow born knowing how to browse, "SMS" text, and that you probably ignore most of those junk text messages that make a strange sound and pile up on you.

* Here's how to check the remaining minutes and the end date (in 15 easy steps --arghhh):

   ~ Start with the "Home" display by clicking the lower right hang-up/end-call button (has a red line on it).

   ~ Click the big "OK" button. (Try to move right along, since the damn thing soonly goes dark. However: you can usually get back to where you were by clicking the "OK" button again --only once, and only when the screen is dark.)

   ~ Use a fingernail to click the bottom of the ring around the "OK" button --just once.

   ~ Click "OK" again.

   ~ Click the upper left (has a white line) button --to initiate a new text message.

   ~ Now you see a blinking cursor just after "To", where you enter the phone number --but first:

   ~ You must click the "#" button --twice, which changes you from the default of entering letters (via the cursed "SMS" system) to entering numbers.

   ~ Enter 611611

   ~ Use your fingernail again to click the lower part of that surrounding ring. That puts your next entries into the Message box at the bottom of the screen.

   ~ Click the "#" button once, to be sure you're in SMS letter entry mode.

   ~ Now the hard part. Quickly click the "2" button twice to enter a "b" --then:

   ~ Briefly wait --then click the "2" button once to enter an "a".

   ~ Keep going until you've entered the complete word "balance".

   ~ Now click the upper left (white line) button in order to send that word to Tracfone.

   ~ Wait --might take a minute-- and a message will come back, telling you how many minutes remain and what your end date of service is. Use that outer ring (up and down) to read the whole message.

* So okay: you bought a Tracfone "Basic Phone Card" and now you want to add it on to your remaining time.

   ~ Re-use the above steps to enter "611611" again, but--

   ~ But this time enter the word "Add" into the message box.

   ~ Click the "#" button twice to switch back to numbers entry mode.

   ~ Following "Add" (and there's no need to enter a space), carefully enter the 15 digit (scratch-off revealed) number on your card. --Double check the number you've entered.

   ~ Click the upper left (white line) button in order to send the word "Add" and the numbers following it to Tracfone.

   ~ Wait --and Tracfone will send you a message back --that everything is hunky-dory.

   ~ You might want to check your remaining minutes and end date one more time, but wait a few minutes.