Personally I use a Verizon prepaid phone because I live in Flagstaff. Other cell companies reception sucks up here in the mountains. All accounts relating to the hobby is created using an alias. reloading the phone can be done by cash at a machine inside Verizon store or I personally buy a prepaid visa card to reload it. Never use personal credit cards or emails to do anything. phone is kept at work, password protected and never left on when not using it.

I have a TracFone. Makes no difference for verification- I doubt they ever know the difference. I stash it in a box with unrelated stuff.

ki.wan- don't you have to register prepaid credit cards under your SSN now? Can you get around that?

Even if your phone is exposed, you can turn on/off Google voice messages as needed. The only caveat is that if you forget to turn it off, then you might get an unwanted message at an unwanted time.

I have the Google Hangouts App installed and I can easily control when to get messages and when to put it in silent. If you have a significant other - I will not recommend Google hangouts, but if you are single - it works great with no additional cost and protects you from escorts

You could delete the app and reinstall it before and after.  

It would not leave a trail of breadcrumbs for your SO. The associated email account can be added / deleted from your phone too. Like everything else, always remember to delete the app / email account and add them back when needed.  

Only Google and NSA would know about the account

I think the best answer I read of where to hide the phone would be at work.  Not sure I'm down with stuffing it in a random box at home where the SO could stumble across it and start asking questions.