Can I use an Iphone 5c as an ipod?

Long story short-- I want an ipod 5 but I don't want to spend all that money when I could just by an Iphone 5c for much cheaper.
I was wondering if I just bought a new Iphone 5c offline (probably eBay) can I use it as just an ipod (games, apps, music, internet, etc.) without like activating it as a phone. I don't want to pay for it monthly because I will not being using it as a phone.
Don't ask me why I want to do this, I just want to know if this works. I've already tried searching it but I'm a bit confused. Mostly about the SIM card. Doesn't an Iphone come with a SIM card? I've read that it is possible as long as you have a SIM card to activate the phone? Is this true? If so, HOW do I do it? Just buy the phone and activate it and I'm all set, orrr?

Any info is appreciated, thanks!

You don't know what you're talking about. The only way you'll find an iPhone 5C for a price less than the price of an iPod is if you buy the phone with a 24 month contract. It is hard to believe that anybody is really that stupid.

If you buy it off of eBay it would be already deactivated and would work great as an iPod touch. Just be careful buying stuff used. Check the sellers reliability rate on their eBay profile.

Buy the phone. Pull out the sim card. If you can't.Put your phone on airplane mode

The iPhone 5C starts at $600 without a contract and that would cost way more than the iPod touch 5G which starts at $295 for the 32GB model. The iPhone 5C doesn't come with a SIM card unless you ordered it from a carrier online like AT&T or T-Mobile. If you buy the iPhone 5C from the apple store online or eBay, Amazon, etc. Make sure it's unlocked so later on you can purchase a SIM card (from AT&T, Straighttalk, T-Mobile, etc.) which don't cost much and activate the phone with no problem. Bottom line is if I were you id just get a iPod touch 5G.