my phone

I told Dave I didn't want a new smart phone: No to the iPhone. No to the Droid. No to any phone that isn't worth much without a dataplan.

I've been feeling this conviction for awhile. When you're managing a tight household budget, and each month you're scrimping for gas and groceries and all the other household bills... it's really, really hard to see over $200 go to a cell phone bill. Is it worth it?

I asked myself what I used my phone for - perhaps a good rationalization would sway me to stay with my smart phone (really, just an older Storm Blackberry). But other than checking my gmail account (which honestly is mostly junk mail left over from wedding registries - they don't warn you about this when you register!) and playing some silly games... the bulk of what I use my phone for is... checking Facebook.

Really Cori?! You have a laptop for that... and is it really that important to check FB every hour on the hour?

No.

So, I've been wrestling this feeling to downgrade my phone for a couple months now... and last night I was forced to make a decision.

The screen on my phone went black. I've had the phone a year and half. Already the buttons were failing me, but without a screen, a TOUCH SCREEN phone is pretty much pointless.

I handed Dave the phone. I told him: "I don't want another smart phone. (I have insurance, so I could get another Blackberry for a fee...) Do whatever you need to do, but I want a regular phone. One that makes phone calls and one that I can text with... oh, and I'd like to take pictures still... Cancel the dataplan. I will be FREEE!"

My husband is awesome. He told me: "Cori, we will get a new phone for you and we won't pay anything. I got the skillz to pay the billz."

And sure enough, a couple hours later he called me (well, he called the church where I work, because I don't have a phone... doh!) and told me the great news: new phone, no dataplan, no extra fancy phone features, everything will be credited and removed, no extra charges. 

The new phone? Well, I get it tomorrow. It's an LG Accolade. Less bells and whistles, but the reviews are decent for a flip phone. We'll see if its love at first sight. If I have any regrets or experience envy over any of my friends' fancy phones... I will just tell myself: "You're saving $35 a month. You're saving $35 a month. You're saving $35 a month."

And to be totally honest: it feels really good. Like I am sticking it to the so-called "man"! Resisting temptation and wanting what everyone else has... I can't wait to see the savings on our bill!

Best of all, I feel like I am obeying God and what is best for my family.

Comments

[Conni Haynes]

What an awesome story Cori. Great decision even though it is hard to do without stuff. I know that and I am old, I mean really OLD.
We sold alot of stuff in a garage sale this summer and saved the money for an event we, one of my daughters and I, love going to for the past 2 years. It was not even hard to decide what stuff to get rid of like I thought it would be.
I will have to do this every year and eventually I will be able to put a car in the garage.
Hmmmmm