OK, went with straight talk (verizon network) with the $45 a month plan. I got a so-so phone (android 4.1 with an upgradable micro sd card) the ZTE savvy. I wanted the ZTE Majesty (bigger screen) but they didn't have it in store. I don't think my phone has many "bells and whistles" but it had good reviews and seems to preform well, even with the slower 3G network speed. I'm not sure on battery life yet though.
I figure I'll test out how much I use the smart phone and decide if I want to upgrade to a better phone sometime next year.
Thanks again for your input!