[grecy]

Almost everyone you know is buying their phone on credit.

You put $0, or $99 or $199 down, then you're in a 2 or 3 year contract.

Stop paying that contract and see what happens to your phone (Hint: They take it off you, your credit score goes to rubbish)

You don't own the phone, you're paying it off over many years.

To buy such a phone not on credit, you'll pay something like ~$700 up front, and it's yours for life.