I saved a couple of hundred dollars by buying an unlocked iPhone and not going on a Vodafone contract (in NZ). It was something like $2500 total over 24 months

I saved a couple of hundred dollars by buying an unlocked iPhone and not going on a Vodafone contract (in NZ). It was something like $2500 total over 24 months, vs. $1700 when buying it outright and going on a cheaper contract. You'd think more people could do basic math and think past the "first hit is $99" bait-and-switch... Also: Vodafone in NZ does not do free upgrades for contract users, begging the question of the point of a contract.