Questions for everyone...

What are the best options for anonymous phone numbers? Google Voice? Second phone?

What about credit cards to pay for things, like VIP membership to this site? Prepaid cards?

Thanks!

I just found burn phone for my iPhone. Works amazingly well. Had a second hobby phone but to hard to cover track

..are the solutions I always hear about.  As it is, I'm into the hobby too deep with my regular phone to start giving out new numbers to providers.  I just password-protect the phone, and don't let it do stupid shit like "helpfully" displaying the first line of text in the message on the home-screen.  Every provider is in my contact list under a code name ("Acme Plumbing, etc.), so when that info pops up, it doesn't arouse too much suspicion.

what if you leave the phone at home by mistake and your wife finds she needs a plumber.  She calls Acme and, well, you can guess the rest.  I'm sure you'll have an answer re why that could not happen, but I guarantee you other bad things could.
Also, you're not protecting yourself from LE in a situation where one of your providers is busted.  LE then has your phone number and can get all your personal info quite easily.  What then?
Frankly, I'm baffled by guys who don't use a burn phone because their wife might find it. Anyone who can't hide a phone should probably not be risking their marriage by playing this game.
I'm glad I'm not married.  But I still use a burn phone.

That sounds risky. If someone wants to look thru my phone, I want NO CHANCE of them finding anything. I am even willing to install and uninstall an app when I need to use it.

On top of that, I was stupid enough to link my hobby email account to that phone. Needless to say, all hell broke loose. I had to beg for mercy and lay low for 6 months. The weirdest thing was she was mostly mad because I spent too much money in this hobby. I guess French women are used to their men having mistresses. LOL. Now I have a hobby phone and lock it in the drawer in my OFFICE.

-- Modified on 9/8/2013 12:48:40 AM

I change phones every couple of years or so, if the number has possibly fallen into the wrong hands.  

I have a couple of issues during the transition where I have to say, "she knows me by my old number, xxx-xxxx" if they are going on phone number instead of email address or other info for verification.  

But since I have regulars that I can easily update, use P411 a lot, and don't use references I haven't seen recently, these issues are rare.  It doesn't take long before the old number is completely out of sight

I don't understand the logic of not using a hobby phone because it could be found.

There's a simple solution to this scenario.  Keep the phone locked with a password.  If she finds it -

"I found that in the mall parking lot.  Hoping the owner will call."
"Why don't you call a contact and they'll know who it belongs to?"
"Can't.  It's password locked."

Simple.  And if you are dumb enough to leave it on when she is around, quickly say, "Answer that!  Answer that!"  Then use the same story as above.  Don't try to hide it, as that'll raise suspicion.

Hopefully, if it's a provider on the other end, she'll be smart enough to claim wrong number when a woman answers. =)

Oh, and the mall parking lot is key, because then there's no obvious place to turn it into.  Also acceptable would be park or subway.

Along with the "found phone" thing if caught, you can claim your phone was freaking out and you got it from the grocery as a backup, then forgot about it. This also covers discovery that you bought minutes for it.  

Those who are worried about the phone number changing, just point out something unique about you to each provider "I'm the guy who collects rare bibles". Can even be a lie in case of snooping.