VERIZON THROWS BONE TO CUSTOMERS WHO PURCHASED PHONE BEFORE iPHONE ANNOUNCEMENT

Any Verizon customer who regrets picking up a new phone between Thanksgiving and the day of the Verizon iPhone announcement won't have to kick themselves too hard; the carrier's granting $200 debit cards to people with iPhone 4-inspired buyer's remorse.

Take heed, though! You're only eligible if you buy a new iPhone 4 at full retail price, which is a whopping $650 for the 16GB model and $750 for the 32GB. In other words: still very expensive! From the Verizon iPhone FAQ page:

I just purchased a new smartphone during the holiday season, but if I knew that iPhone 4 was going to be available soon I would have waited. What are my options now?

Current Verizon customers who purchased and activated new smartphones, feature phones or certified pre-owned phones between 11/26/2010, and 01/10/2011, are eligible to receive up to a $200 Visa debit card when they purchase an iPhone 4 at full retail price by 02/28/2011 and return their existing phone. Note: This offer is only available on consumer accounts with five lines or less, who are purchasing iPhone 4 through Verizon Wireless retail stores, telesales, or through verizonwireless.com.

So between the returned phone and the discount, you're probably looking at a $250 purchase