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Martian · 06-19-2009, 03:00 PM

I got a cell phone around the time I acquired my first car. I reasoned that my CAA membership wouldn't do me a lot of good if I couldn't call for roadside assistance in the event that I needed it, so I decided that the phone was worth the cost. I no longer have a car, but find that the cell phone offers too much utility to be done away with it. It's convenient to be able to call people whenever I need to, and it's equally convenient for people to be able to get a hold of me whenever they need to. Doing this on the cheap has proven to be an ongoing challenge. The providers are always come up with new and interesting ways to part me from my money.

For a while I lived without a landline. I decided that it didn't make economic sense to do so, and got one put in when Magpie and I moved in together. The landline costs me $24.48 with voicemail. I could add call display for another $3 per month, but don't have a phone that supports the feature at the moment. My long distance is 2.9 cents per minute across Canada and the US, and if I were to get rid of it I would pay $12 per month more for my internet, since my DSL would have to be moved to a dry loop (and would still be cheaper and better than cable). Given that, my actual cost on the landline is just over $12, and could be reduced to just over $9 if I were to decide that the voicemail was unnecessary. At that price it hardly makes sense not to have one.

If my cell phone could compete with that pricing I might decide to get rid of the landline again. I don't foresee that happening any time in the near future.

It's a cost/benefit thing. I begrudgingly pay the price for the cell phone, even though I think it's excessive, because I'm not willing to do without. Text messaging I can live just fine without, and so I'm getting rid of it.

EDIT - Stay strong, grumps. I'm assuming that anyone with the manual dexterity to type text messages can handle dialling a number and leaving a voicemail. I suggest this as an alternative to anyone who thinks I should text more.

06-19-2009, 03:00 PM	#14 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	I got a cell phone around the time I acquired my first car. I reasoned that my CAA membership wouldn't do me a lot of good if I couldn't call for roadside assistance in the event that I needed it, so I decided that the phone was worth the cost. I no longer have a car, but find that the cell phone offers too much utility to be done away with it. It's convenient to be able to call people whenever I need to, and it's equally convenient for people to be able to get a hold of me whenever they need to. Doing this on the cheap has proven to be an ongoing challenge. The providers are always come up with new and interesting ways to part me from my money. For a while I lived without a landline. I decided that it didn't make economic sense to do so, and got one put in when Magpie and I moved in together. The landline costs me $24.48 with voicemail. I could add call display for another $3 per month, but don't have a phone that supports the feature at the moment. My long distance is 2.9 cents per minute across Canada and the US, and if I were to get rid of it I would pay $12 per month more for my internet, since my DSL would have to be moved to a dry loop (and would still be cheaper and better than cable). Given that, my actual cost on the landline is just over $12, and could be reduced to just over $9 if I were to decide that the voicemail was unnecessary. At that price it hardly makes sense not to have one. If my cell phone could compete with that pricing I might decide to get rid of the landline again. I don't foresee that happening any time in the near future. It's a cost/benefit thing. I begrudgingly pay the price for the cell phone, even though I think it's excessive, because I'm not willing to do without. Text messaging I can live just fine without, and so I'm getting rid of it. EDIT - Stay strong, grumps. I'm assuming that anyone with the manual dexterity to type text messages can handle dialling a number and leaving a voicemail. I suggest this as an alternative to anyone who thinks I should text more. __________________ I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame