Like Tom, I can places calls and receives calls.

I used to have a flip phone, swore by it, then i was blessed with a smartphone late in the game and the 2 main benefits are 1. information at your fingertips  and 2. easier to simultaneously keep track of conversations with multiple people via texting.  Both benefits deliver meaningful information straight to me and that's not a bad thing. 

I recommend making the conversion if you're willing to spend the dough, no one ever uses ALL the functions of a smartphone but having the internet everywhere you go is awesome. 

Lol.I thought they stopped making flip phones years ago.I think you will be happy with a new smart phone, welcome to the future dogman.

Have a Samsung Note 5.  Awesome Screen, Fast Processor and use the Stylus everyday.  Hard to believe I started off with the Motorola Brick Phone in the mid 90s.  Had a pager before that.  Some of you younger folk prolly don't know what a pager is... 

So, how does a pre-paid smart phone work?  With my phone, I pay $0.10/minute for calls, and $0.10 per text.  I buy minutes by the thousand, and they're good for a year.  How does that apply to data and such?

I personally have a plan through T-Mobile but my phone went swimming with me so I needed to get a new one. I just purchased the prepaid phone and put my old SIM car inside. Even though I bought the prepaid phone, I was not obligated to use it for a prepaid plan. But the prepaid plans are basically just ones where you buy minutes for your account then use it as you go. Some prepaid phones have data as well, but I am not sure how that works. I was just suggesting that you don't need to go with a new type of plan to get a new phone. If you like your current plan but just need a new phone then just go looking at best buy or walmart for the cheaper phones. I know they have flip ones for about $20.

However, also consider that many phone companies factor in the cost oh phones into the monthly plan price. So lets say that you get a free phone with your plan, it isn't really free, you just pay for it through the life of your plan commitment (usually 2 years or so) So if 2 years comes and go but you keep the phone you end up continuing to pay that extra cost but are not getting  a new phone for the price. So either you renew with a new contract and get a new free phone or some companies don't hide the cost of the phone. Tmobile doesn't do this anymore. They show you the cost of the phone as a charge that is broken up over the course of a year or two. Once that phone is paid for then you are just paying for the plan. So rather than renew to some new plan I just kept my current plan that I like and bought an inexpensive smart phone. I don't have data but when I am around Wi-Fi I still get to download aps and have the cool camera and whatnot.

easier to simultaneously keep track of conversations with multiple people via texting. 

EXACTLY !
   When I speak to someone, I try to give them my undivided attention, no more or less than I would expect from them. 
How important do you feel to the person who you are talking to when they are looking down and typing on their phone saying , "uh-huh" as you speak ? 
I try not to even answer my phone when I am in face to face conversation with another human being. 
 
    This communication multi-tasking is precisely what is becoming the actual downfall of true social interaction. 

Well guys, thanks for all the input  . I am still unsure what my new phone will be. A couple of days ago I got a new battery from Battery Bill (yep they really do have batteries for everything) for my Nokia. The flipper has been working fine now so I can ponder the choice to be made a bit longer. . . maybe years