Is a cell phone necessary?

[April showers]

Is a cell phone necessary these days or is it possible to get by without one? I'm tired of paying $100 a month (that's $1200 a year!!!) for my phone and I'm thinking of getting rid of it. Has anyone done this? is it even possible to do it these days?

[disneysteve]

Is a cell phone necessary these days or is it possible to get by without one? I'm tired of paying $100 a month (that's $1200 a year!!!) for my phone and I'm thinking of getting rid of it. Has anyone done this? is it even possible to do it these days?

I think having phone service is a necessity for lots of reasons. I think having a cell phone, unless your job requires it, is still a luxury. You can get an internet land line for very little. Magic Jack is $20/year or something like that. Other ones run no more than $20/month. That's a lot less than a cell phone.

Everybody, myself included, is addicted to their cell phones but no, they are not a necessity for most people.

[hamchan]

I broke down an got one about seven years ago. All of my employers in that time have communicated almost exclusively by text. They would try to text my landline, and I missed a lot of important messages.

You don't have to spend $100 a month though. You can use a prepaid bare bones phone, or go through a smaller carrier like Ting. We pay an average of $75 a month for three smart phones with Ting.

[snafu]

Unless it's a factor of employment, I see it as a useful luxury. You might monitor to see what features you use and how much you use them. There is no point in paying for features you don't particularly value like text or GPS. You can buy pre paid minutes for emergencies. You could cancel a land line if you have both and aren't a major phone user.

Tell us your experiences and we're happy to give an opinion or point out a detail you may not have considered yet.

I like to believe it saves costs with daily tasks, coupons, lists, Gas Buddy, maps/routing, deadlines, price check major purchases while at another store etc. My family teases me as before I turn the key in the ignition, I review the phone like a pilot reviews his protocols. lol

[marvholly]

I am a widow, living alone and doing just about everything on my own. My kids INSISTED I have one and got it for me Christmas 2004.

It is a pay as you go type plan so it runs me $100/YEAR. i do NOT text or use the internet w/it. for me it is for phone calls, especially emergency ones, only.

[bmatthews]

I think it's fair to say that a cell phone in this day and age is absolutely necessary for anyone who leads a professional life and/or social life. Deciding not to have one may save you money, but it would most certainly limit other aspects of your life. I would imagine that whatever benefits you may get from not having one, would be outweighed by the negatives of a perpetual 20th century existence.

[Tabs]

I got my parents a cellphone from Republic Wireless for $10 a month. Qualified phones start at $99 on up.

[HappySaver]

It sounds like you're confusing cell phone with smartphone. A "dumb" cell phone, useful for voice calls and, in a pinch, texts, should not run you more than $40/month. You could even go cheaper with a pre-paid plan. I think it's dumb not have one of these for emergency situations.

As to whether the smartphone is necessary, it depends on your lifestyle and profession. If you're asking the question it's probably not necessary for you. If you decide to keep it, you're paying too much. When I shopped for smartphones last year, the major providers were offering plans for single users for $65/mo.

[feh]

Is a cell phone necessary these days or is it possible to get by without one? I'm tired of paying $100 a month (that's $1200 a year!!!) for my phone and I'm thinking of getting rid of it. Has anyone done this? is it even possible to do it these days?

To answer your question, no it's not necessary.

You also don't need to spend $100/month. Search the site for more info.

[MonkeyMama]

As a female I'd feel uncomfortable not having a cell phone at least for emergency. Kind of view it as a necessity, but you know, wouldn't pay $100/month for a necessity. Might pay $10/ month for the peace of mind. (As is, I pay about $13/month for a fancy smart phone with data and texting and minutes and all that. At that price? Sure, why not. The convenience and plus sides far outweigh the cost).

[JoeP]

Few things are *actually* necessary.

There is a sense of default immediacy today, meaning that people expect information quickly, whether it is getting an answer about something, or telling another person something that you expect them to do something with.

Without you having a cell phone, if you want to make arrangements with someone, you'd have to find a land line and try their cell. If they don't have a cell phone, you'd have to try their work or home, and possibly leave a voice mail.

I find texting to be superior to voice about 98% of the time, because it is quick, asynchronous, and by nature leaves a transcript. A discussion or troubleshooting or giving directions in real time is easier with a voice call, though.

[rennigade]

Does your life depend on a cell phone? Are you going to die without one? Most people will probably answer no. Food and water are necessary, an epi pen is necessary for some...a cell phone, I wouldnt say is a necessity.

Also, im not sure why you are paying $100/month for cell service. Most carriers now offer an unlimited plan for far less than that.

[JoeP]

Does your life depend on a cell phone? Are you going to die without one? Most people will probably answer no. Food and water are necessary, an epi pen is necessary for some...a cell phone, I wouldnt say is a necessity.

Also, im not sure why you are paying $100/month for cell service. Most carriers now offer an unlimited plan for far less than that.

We pay $160.42 a month for 4 lines and 15gb shared data. There are much cheaper plans out there (I say this coming from a t-mobile plan that cost me maybe $80 a year with no data).

[cypher1]

Excluding the perks/advantages/social media of smart phones, I think even basic cell phones more than just a convenience. The main examples having to do with a car breaking down and being stranded, which I've had 3 friends/family examples years ago which would have saved them a lot of time and less stress in order to communicate their situation.

My dad currently just got a T-Mobile prepay plan of 10cents per minute with no contract, on a flip phone for $60. He only uses for emergencies or for work schedule, and T-Mobile bills increments of $3 (30minute chunks), so he spends between $6-9 a month if that.

[disneysteve]

One thing nobody has mentioned yet - if you get a cell phone, you can drop your land line so you aren't paying for both. That way you have the convenience of the cell phone and the necessity of a home phone.

We have not given up our land line yet though I keep thinking about it. I just don't want the calls that we normally get at home to start going to my cell phone. I prefer not to give my cell # out to everyone.