<human>: Summarize the given text in a few sentences.

My story starts out about as cliche as it can...I lost my iPhone 5 in a cab over the weekend.  When we called the phone, someone answered it in the cab.  This person told me they would give it to the driver, and due to loud noise the background, just said bye and ended the call.  Two days later, now, and the cab company has had no success in finding my phone.  I am under the impression that it was either kept by citizen A, the driver, or just misplaced and never made it through the proper chain of command for lost and found items.

I was bummed about this, but I figured I could count the experience as a costly one, contact my AppleCare, and get my phone replaced.  Here, I come to find out, that this is not the situation.  I was presented with the options to purchase AppleCare, or work with Verizon's month by month insurance, at the time I purchased the phone.  I went with AppleCare, and did not add the Verizon insurance, as I felt it would be redundant....I was wrong.  AppleCare is considered an "extension of coverage" and not a "warranty" as they do not do replacement phones.  I found this out too late, and I know I have no one else to blame buy myself for not looking more into the greater details of it all; but really...who expects to lose a phone?

My problem now is, that I am essentially faced with the only option of purchasing a new iPhone, at full cost.  I am not opposed to paying a decent chunk of cash, as it was my fault, but my backup phone is really outdated, and I've decided that I am going to work to get back to an iPhone 5.  

I wondered if Reddit had any advice; refurbished phones, best deals, ideas, or heck...even a content Verizon customer who is willing work with me on their contract upgrade.  I'm at a loss.  I've seen Reddit come up with some angles that I have never considered in the past, so I thought I would put this hail-mary up, and see if anyone came down with it.  Thanks in advance for any offerings of help.
<bot>: I lost my iPhone, AppleCare doesn't cover lost/stolen, and I'm at the mercy of Reddit before going to pay full price for a replacement.