personal versus work phone

**kork13** · 03-30-2017, 08:16 AM

It mostly depends on his company's policies on it. For example, I just interviewed for a new job yesterday, and if I get it, I'd be given a work cell (a.k.a. "a leash"). However, it's only supposed to be used for official business. My wife is in the same situation, and has to carry around both phones. It's a pain in the butt, IMO. However, if his company allows the phone to be used for personal stuff as well, I'd say go for it. No reason to needlessly pay for & carry around an extra cell phone.

Side note, I believe it can be a minor taxable thing if he uses the work phone for personal business (not positive on that).

**disneysteve** · 03-30-2017, 08:17 AM

I only have one, but don't really need a phone for work other than the occasional text message.

If I had two, though, I would want to keep them separate for a lot of reasons. I don't want work seeing or controlling what I do on my phone. That's none of their business. If I want to read email or check facebook or perhaps look at listings for another job, I certainly wouldn't want them tracking my web activity on their phone.

Although it doesn't involve 2 phones, I do deal with this. When I'm working at urgent care, I have a computer and internet access but I use my phone for anything personal while I'm there, and I do it over cellular, not over their WiFi network.

Another issue is that if you leave the job, you would have to change your "personal" phone number. I think that would be a pain.

**Butterscotch** · 03-30-2017, 08:24 AM

I have work and personal on the same phone. It is my personal phone and I just expense the bill every month. This works out because I will never have to give them my phone if I leave the company. If it was a company phone that I would have to return then I would want two phones.

Additionally, having work on my phone is the worst thing to happen to my home life. I find it impossible to not check it so I never really have down time. Most emails that I get after hours are either from my boss or he is copied on them, and because he is a workaholic I feel like I need to be responding as quickly as he is.

My husband has the same issue. We are tied to our jobs unless we are asleep and it is a major quality of life killer. But that's the way it is for so many people now. It sucks.

**Jluke** · 03-30-2017, 08:38 AM

I would opt for separate phones for work and personal...

As others have said, I wouldn't want to be tracked by the company.

Additionally, they would have access to all of your pictures, contacts, phone history, etc...

Otherwise you are accessible 24hrs/365 days all year round. I would have to be making big $$ to justify that.

**rennigade** · 03-30-2017, 08:42 AM

Nope...I have a work iphone...that I use for personal use too. Free phone...cant complain.

**LivingAlmostLarge** · 03-30-2017, 09:30 AM

Seems to be split down the middle. He's unfortunately tied to it on his personal phone as well. They have access to everything both phones.

**greenskeeper** · 03-30-2017, 12:44 PM

Originally posted by LivingAlmostLarge View Post

Do you guys keep your work and personal cell phone separate? Do you give up the personal? I ask because my DH has a work cell and wants to give up his personal but I am not sure what to tell him.

5 years ago my work wanted me to start carrying a phone.

I got rid of my personal phone the very next month.

$55/month X 60 = $3300 saved so far and increasing every month.

My work knows I use it for personal and could care less.

I am also an hourly employee so if I use the phone at all for work related while "not on the clock" they have to pay me a minimum of 2 hours O/T, even if it's a 2 minute phone call.

**AJ444** · 03-30-2017, 01:17 PM

I have a work and personal, the work I keep shut off and in a drawer unless I am traveling internationally, normally calls/texts are forwarded to my personal phone. I wish they would just give us a subsidy to use out personal phones as work phones like my prior company did.

I use way too much data to be able to use my work phone for personal as well. That and I don't want to change companies and have to switch my number for everyone.

**snafu** · 03-30-2017, 03:19 PM

Looking forward...the banks/financial institutions looking two years out anticipate ending the use of cheques, our banks are putting up giant posters that have bye, bye sayings to cheques.

As I understand it, by 2020, AI [Artificial Intelligence] will notify our cell phones so transactions are mostly facilitated by swiping our phone to automatically pay both the vendor and portion directly to the various levels of government for tax due, nearly instantly. Having good credit scores will be more important than we imagine or I presume purchases will be constricted, even denied.

In Singapore, we were so surprised when money was automatically deducted from a driver's bank account should the driver commit a driving infraction identified by monitors imbedded on lamp posts. If you hear a 'ping' you know the money's gone.

**rennigade** · 03-30-2017, 03:23 PM

Originally posted by greenskeeper View Post

5 years ago my work wanted me to start carrying a phone.

I got rid of my personal phone the very next month.

$55/month X 60 = $3300 saved so far and increasing every month.

Never thought about how long ive had mine but ive also had mine for a little over 5 years...$3300 savings...not bad.

Of course if I had to pay for my own I would have project fi and not use data...so it would only be $28/month. But with work its unlimited everything.

**greenskeeper** · 03-30-2017, 03:50 PM

Originally posted by snafu View Post

Looking forward...the banks/financial institutions looking two years out anticipate ending the use of cheques, our banks are putting up giant posters that have bye, bye sayings to cheques.

As I understand it, by 2020, AI [Artificial Intelligence] will notify our cell phones so transactions are mostly facilitated by swiping our phone to automatically pay both the vendor and portion directly to the various levels of government for tax due, nearly instantly. Having good credit scores will be more important than we imagine or I presume purchases will be constricted, even denied.

In Singapore, we were so surprised when money was automatically deducted from a driver's bank account should the driver commit a driving infraction identified by monitors imbedded on lamp posts. If you hear a 'ping' you know the money's gone.

Nothing will ever be "instant" with banking. There will always be a "clearing house" of some capacity.

**disneysteve** · 03-30-2017, 04:02 PM

Originally posted by snafu View Post

Looking forward...

What does this have to do with the topic of the thread?

**TexasHusker** · 03-30-2017, 06:55 PM

Reminds me of my company days. They would issue me a laptop and I would take it home and put it in my closet. I took my own personal laptop to work. I would pair it with my iPhone so that I could surf the net all day without them spying on me. Did it for a decade.

**LivingAlmostLarge** · 04-03-2017, 07:32 AM

TH that's funny that you only used your own data. I was going to say if it's your own laptop but their wifi or data they can still watch you and track what you are doing.

personal versus work phone