I know people who spend $100 ( Canadian ) a month for there cell phone. If you get your first phone at 10 and live to 70, but put that money into a lowly 4% saving acount, you would end up with 1.4 million dollars. No wonder big busness is making it harder and harder to get by without one. I grew up with one phone for 5 people and we got by just fine, actually we had less stress, had better memories, slept better, were better at planing, new how to read a map, werent anti social at the dinner table, and had to fit in to the society you actualy lived in, etc etc.
When I retired last year I retuned my company phone and still have no cell phone. People dont understand and think Im a ludite. I can use my wifes phone and do, less than daily, but it bugs her. I had planned to finally get one, but Im thinking twice, and its not about the money. Any thoughts?
When I retired last year I retuned my company phone and still have no cell phone. People dont understand and think Im a ludite. I can use my wifes phone and do, less than daily, but it bugs her. I had planned to finally get one, but Im thinking twice, and its not about the money. Any thoughts?
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For some, it is justifiable. I have a high end phone because I use it all the time for work and my hobbies, so I feel the expense is justified. I admit I don't also pay for a plan (work pays), but I also didn't buy the most expensive handset out there at around $900 in the local currency at the time, a Huawei P10 Plus. I've had it for 2.5 years so far and going strong, could probably use a new battery soon or I may upgrade to something newer.
You already know what you (don't) want. You don't need a rectangular thingy that tends to take control of you. I started turning the thing off after lunch, and it feels great to be free in a very old fashioned way
Back in 2002, I purchased a cellphone, mainly for convenience while traveling.
Verizon offered a "for life" prepay mobile service that is reasonable.
It costs me $12 a month to keep the service.
For as much as I even use the phone, (it doesn't have loads of features) this is fine for me.
All I want is mobile phone service, nothing more.
And ya know what, asides from it being a hassle locating replacement batteries every 6 or 7 years, I still use that phone!
Introducing - the Kyocera 2235!
Verizon offered a "for life" prepay mobile service that is reasonable.
It costs me $12 a month to keep the service.
For as much as I even use the phone, (it doesn't have loads of features) this is fine for me.
All I want is mobile phone service, nothing more.
And ya know what, asides from it being a hassle locating replacement batteries every 6 or 7 years, I still use that phone!
Introducing - the Kyocera 2235!
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I know what you are trying to say but this is not really a good example.
In our part of the world, 10 year old kids don't have $100 a month to put into an account and no phone service will remain the same price for 60 years. Also, 4% is not lowly. At least not in my investing. Otherwise your sentiments are understood.
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I have two phones (two largest operators). I pay about 3$ and 5$ per month (I know that it is cheap compare with EU). It's near average for Ukrane. It starts here somewere from $2-3/month and goes up to $10-30 or more for "unlimit". Yes, ukrainian mobile operators cry that it isn't enough for them, but at the same time thay are some of the largest Ukrainian taxpayers.
What I think about having phone - I don't like mobile phones too, but life changed, and now if you don't have mob.phone - you go downstairs.
What I think about having phone - I don't like mobile phones too, but life changed, and now if you don't have mob.phone - you go downstairs.
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Yup, mobile phones are a rip off in Canada. The reason is the federal regulator has had to juggle provider interest, public interest, and regulator liability. What we have is an oligopoly; when a small player enters the market it is eventually acquired by one of the big players.
I keep our costs lower by not having a data plan, and we have a cheap plan that was grandfathered in one of the buyouts. Even though they grandfathered the plan, Rogers still raised the usage fee 50% when the bought Fido.
I keep our costs lower by not having a data plan, and we have a cheap plan that was grandfathered in one of the buyouts. Even though they grandfathered the plan, Rogers still raised the usage fee 50% when the bought Fido.
LOL!
I gave "the flip" to all that phone nonsense.
I just don't succumb to marketing crap "you need this, you need that" in order to survive.
Fear marketing is for the weak-minded.
I always had a work-supplied phone the last few years, they seemed to think it was necessary if I was to be on call. First a Blackberry for the secure email (so I could access my work email when not in the office), then an iPhone with a similar solution. Now in a new job, I suddenly needed a phone. Getting locked out of my short term rental accommodation (on the FIRST day!) really brought that home, so I got a phone the next day. Cheap smartphone, $120 at BestBuy, and a prepaid plan from publicmobille.ca for $38/month. I can probably live with their cheaper plan with less data, but assumed (correctly) that the phone would download a bunch of updates, and I mistakenly thought an Android device could be used for my firm's BYOD program (nope it's iOS only). Still might be useful in a scenario where I am working from home during a storm and the power goes out; I could tether the cell phone to a laptop and share the data connection to get the laptop on the Internet.
I'm of a specific age... one that came about prior to cell phones. And a part of me resisted them for a long time. Somewhere in that time frame, my mother felt that I needed a cell phone (obviously so she could contact me)... lets call this era 200x. I obliged her. Flip phones.. never got the bill. Bless her heart. Then about 12 years ago I ended up employed at this one place that just gave me a phone, and then I just used it as my own. Well the rest is history. I'm 46 years old.... and never paid a red cent for a cell phone. I do appreciate this 'luxury'. Approximate savings? Thousands.
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