I felt strangely vindicated when I read a wire story in the local newspaper Monday. It was in the business section, and it was one of those lists of budget-saving tips.
You know what I'm referring to. There are plenty of these articles floating around in newspapers and magazines, and usually they say the same thing. Plan your menu. Shop with a list. Route your errands to save on time and gas. The usual stuff. I read them anyway, partly because I'm admittedly thrifty. (I got that honestly, from my Dad. Mom calls it something else, but I digress.)
This latest article on dollar-stretching tips was like all the others, except for one addition. According to financial consultant Janet Fox-Kreielsheimer from Raleigh, North Carolina. one can save a lot by changing around phone services.
"Consider eliminating your landline phone and use only your cell phone if you live in an area that gets good cell-phone reception," Fox-Kreielsheimer suggests.
Did you see that?
I've used cell phones since 2000, and despite the fact cell phone companies are generally evil, the reliability of the service has improved in the eight years since then. I could make calls from places where I'd only get a weak signal and a lot of fuzz before.
Really, since going cellular, the only reason I've found for using a hard-wire phone in the last few years was to go on the Internet, and what with DSL and wireless, that use is rapidly disappearing too.
For me, having a cell phone isn't just a matter of dollars and cents, although it is a major factor. But it's also efficiency. I like to keep life simple, which means as little duplication as possible. When you're talking about two phone services, that's duplication. The cell phone wins out because a) even a prepaid is cheaper than a landline phone, based on my usage; b) long-distance calls are free; c) the service is every bit as good; d) the phone goes everywhere with me.
Efficiency? I only need to give out one phone number and it'll work for everything. Doesn't matter where I am, that number will always find me -- then, of course, I can look at the caller ID screen and either answer or ignore the call on the spot.
While putting this essay together, I took a fast count of the phone numbers listed in my cell phone. After taking away all the businesses, I have 34 "personal" contacts. These are friends of mine, along with family members. From these 34 people I have 40 numbers listed, and that's only because I also streamline my contact list. Of the phone numbers, 29 are cell phones, eight are "home" (landline) numbers, and three are work numbers. If I included hard lines, it's guaranteed I'll have 80 to 100 phone numbers for these 34 people. Mom and Dad have three phone numbers (the home number they've had since 1962, and two cell phones). I also have 16 email addresses listed on my cell phone, as I can use it to send short messages.
Of my contacts list, I think only one person has just a landline and no cell phone. Just one.
I still get questions about why just the cell phone. A friend of mine -- young, current, cutting edge, tech-savvy -- sent me a text the other day, asking if I plan to get a landline for my new home. Which struck me as odd; this friend may be the last to consider a house phone to be a necessity. More than anyone else, my friend taught me how to send instant messages, chat online, and "text." Plus, she's probably the greatest living expert on high-speed wireless Internet -- what does she need a landline for?
For the longest time, Mom thought it was such a hoot that I only used a cell phone despite my logic (she thought I was just being cheap). But later, Mom told me about the family lawyer who has -- no home number, no office number, no law firm number, just a cell phone. Just like me, Mom laughed.
OK. It's a safe bet that lawyers don't have to scratch and dive between paychecks like I've had to do a few times, but saving money is good for them too. As is streamlining.
You know what I'm referring to. There are plenty of these articles floating around in newspapers and magazines, and usually they say the same thing. Plan your menu. Shop with a list. Route your errands to save on time and gas. The usual stuff. I read them anyway, partly because I'm admittedly thrifty. (I got that honestly, from my Dad. Mom calls it something else, but I digress.)
This latest article on dollar-stretching tips was like all the others, except for one addition. According to financial consultant Janet Fox-Kreielsheimer from Raleigh, North Carolina. one can save a lot by changing around phone services.
"Consider eliminating your landline phone and use only your cell phone if you live in an area that gets good cell-phone reception," Fox-Kreielsheimer suggests.
Did you see that?
I've used cell phones since 2000, and despite the fact cell phone companies are generally evil, the reliability of the service has improved in the eight years since then. I could make calls from places where I'd only get a weak signal and a lot of fuzz before.
Really, since going cellular, the only reason I've found for using a hard-wire phone in the last few years was to go on the Internet, and what with DSL and wireless, that use is rapidly disappearing too.
For me, having a cell phone isn't just a matter of dollars and cents, although it is a major factor. But it's also efficiency. I like to keep life simple, which means as little duplication as possible. When you're talking about two phone services, that's duplication. The cell phone wins out because a) even a prepaid is cheaper than a landline phone, based on my usage; b) long-distance calls are free; c) the service is every bit as good; d) the phone goes everywhere with me.
Efficiency? I only need to give out one phone number and it'll work for everything. Doesn't matter where I am, that number will always find me -- then, of course, I can look at the caller ID screen and either answer or ignore the call on the spot.
While putting this essay together, I took a fast count of the phone numbers listed in my cell phone. After taking away all the businesses, I have 34 "personal" contacts. These are friends of mine, along with family members. From these 34 people I have 40 numbers listed, and that's only because I also streamline my contact list. Of the phone numbers, 29 are cell phones, eight are "home" (landline) numbers, and three are work numbers. If I included hard lines, it's guaranteed I'll have 80 to 100 phone numbers for these 34 people. Mom and Dad have three phone numbers (the home number they've had since 1962, and two cell phones). I also have 16 email addresses listed on my cell phone, as I can use it to send short messages.
Of my contacts list, I think only one person has just a landline and no cell phone. Just one.
I still get questions about why just the cell phone. A friend of mine -- young, current, cutting edge, tech-savvy -- sent me a text the other day, asking if I plan to get a landline for my new home. Which struck me as odd; this friend may be the last to consider a house phone to be a necessity. More than anyone else, my friend taught me how to send instant messages, chat online, and "text." Plus, she's probably the greatest living expert on high-speed wireless Internet -- what does she need a landline for?
For the longest time, Mom thought it was such a hoot that I only used a cell phone despite my logic (she thought I was just being cheap). But later, Mom told me about the family lawyer who has -- no home number, no office number, no law firm number, just a cell phone. Just like me, Mom laughed.
OK. It's a safe bet that lawyers don't have to scratch and dive between paychecks like I've had to do a few times, but saving money is good for them too. As is streamlining.
No comments:
Post a Comment