Stock-Point

Looking for a solid smartphone and dirt-cheap monthly service to go with it? Today's your lucky day.

For a limited time, and while supplies last, electronics dealer Stock-Point has the refurbished Republic Wireless Moto X (black) for $199, plus an obnoxious $15 for shipping. (It's also available in white for the same price.) The phone sells new for $299.

Republic's Moto X is one of the big success stories of 2014. Not only is the phone itself a very popular model, you also get to operate it for as little as $5 per month. (The top-end plan is $40, still a very attractive deal.)

I had a good overall experience with both the phone and the company, though I did encounter one limitation that still hasn't been addressed. (At least it's making progress.)

According to Republic, the refurbs come "as originally packaged," with a wall charger and USB cable. They "go through a meticulous 50+ point inspection process by Republic Wireless-certified technicians and are in 'like new' condition. All phones are guaranteed to be activated on our network and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee."

However, there's no manufacturer's warranty. You can add a one-year SquareTrade policy for $30, but between that and the shipping charge, now you're only about $55 shy of the price of a new Moto X. (And, incidentally, if you do buy a new one, Republic will throw in a free Google Chromecast.)

Still, this is without question the cheapest option for owning and operating a Moto X. The lack of warranty doesn't bother me too much, because if anything is going to go wrong, it'll probably happen within the first 30 days.

But let's open the floor to those of you who already pulled the trigger on Republic. How do you like the phone, and how do you like the service? Help your fellow cheeps decide if this is a deal worth doing!

Bonus deal: Able Planet makes some high-end audio gear -- at high-end prices. For a very limited time, and while very limited supplies last, Groupon has the Able Planet NC300B noise-canceling headphones for $29.99 shipped. Price elsewhere: in the $80-$100 range. These battery-powered, over-the-ear 'phones employ active noise-canceling technology and include inline controls and a microphone for making/taking calls. Inventory will not last long.

Bonus deal No. 2: In case you missed it yesterday, the Humble Mobile Bundle 6 offers six top-rated Android games for as little as $4.50. Total value of the bundle: at least $21. (Read the post; the vagaries of the numbers will make more sense.)