3 Dumb Cellphone Mistakes That Are Costing You Money
Intro -
Before I explain the ways you are 'dumb', I want to be clear that we all do dumb things, including myself. Companies have studied the 'art of idiocy' and sell us on products and things we don't 'need' but rather 'want'. They make us believe that we HAVE to have the latest gadget or trend. They create a sense of scarcity so that if we don't get it now, we might not be able to ever get it (even though in most cases if we wait, we can). I'm certainly not trying to offend any companies or brands, but let's face it, without any marketing or hype, we could save a substantial amount of money. So this blog post isn't as much about making money, as much as it is to keep it in your pocket. I might mention brand or product names, but every brand or product is just as guilty, although some do it better than others. In the end, we earn a dollar, and around every corner is someone (or company) trying to take as much of that dollar away from you. If you look past the hype, you could be on the way to riches. Better yet, if you can copy the hype YOU could be the one trying to get that dollar from someone else. But that will be a different post.
The 'NEED' For A Cellphone
Getting rid of your cell phone is the #1 way to save money with your cellphone. WAIT!!! Before you close this page because you believe you NEED your cellphone, just hear me out. You can keep your phone, but let me present to you options other than just getting rid of it. However, I also have to present that option too. This isn't a new thought, I've seen people (not very many mind you) get rid of their cell phone because they rarely use it. And although it's generally the 'older' (maybe wiser?) crowd, I have to respect ANYBODY who 'cuts the cord'. Actually I'm not sure if there is an equivalent to 'cut the cord' with a cellphone. Probably because it rarely happens. I read a couple of articles to find the average an individual in the US spend on their cell phone bill monthly, and it appears that over $100 per person is a fare assessment. So we will stick with $100 although no matter the amount you are still spending money out of your pocket. At $100 per month, that's $1,200 per year. Ask yourself, if you had $1,200 in your pocket and you lost it, would you be upset? Probably, it's a lot of money. I've met people that spend $6,000 in a weekend partying and golfing that wouldn't be impressed with losing that much. Nobody likes to lose money, NOBODY. Now, if you have a family, your spouse might also have a cell phone so your overall family bill is $2,400 per year. Oh wait, you have kids and decided they need a cell phone? There is no 'kid' discount and family shared plans aren't what they used to be. A friend of mine has a wife and 3 kids with cell phones and told me he pays over $600 per month. That's $7,200 per year! Oh I forgot, they are under a 2 year contract, so they will have to pay over $14,000 over the course of 2 years! They could literally buy a small car every 2 years. To make matters worse, I'm only talking about the plan, not the phone. Although some cell phones are free with the plan, most people want to upgrade their phone at the end of their contract, or sooner. And although it's true that the price of the phone is 'built in' to the contract (you already knew that, right?), you end up paying more every time you upgrade. In fact, when I upgraded my phone after 2 years, I was forced to change my plan to one that cost 20% more, even though it had LESS features! Imagine owning an investment that paid YOU 20% every 2 years. In the end, people don't complain because they feel that they 'need' their phones.
Let's talk about children and cell phones. It seems more and more parents are buying their kids cellphones at a younger and younger age. The odd thing is, they are also putting their kids on full plans with contract! Even if it is a 'cheaper' plan, say even $50 per month. That's still $600 over the course of the year. Even 'pay as you go' has changed where you are only saving a fraction of the cost by buying the phone outright. (Without mentioning names and just in case they change their pricing structure, I've even seen a company charge less for the plan, but more for the phone, so in the end you are paying the same). I realize I'm not the eye of the world, but I can honestly say I have NEVER seen anyone under the age of 18 TALKING on their cell phone. I've seen them text, I've seen them use Facebook, I've seen then Snapchat, but never talk on the phone. So your first way to save (other than not giving them a phone in the first place) is to not sign them up for talk. They simply have no reason to use it. If there is a 911 emergency, you can still make that call. If it's an emergency to call their parents, they can text just as easy, or worst case scenario, call and pay the 'per minute' fee. You'll still save hundreds of dollars. Now another trick that will save you some money. Since it seems every kid over 10 has a cell phone, and your child will probably be friends with that kid, then really, there is no need to buy your child a phone. Think about when you were younger. You went over to a friends house and they invited you to dinner. Was it okay if you borrowed your friends parents phone? Of course. Same thing applies to cell phones. If there is a problem, or a question that needs to be asked, why wouldn't your child be able to borrow their friends phone to send a quick text? The truth of the matter is, unless your child walks by themselves, there's really no reason for them to have a cell phone.
Next comes the actual phone. The new iPhone 7 has been announced and a familiar story comes along with it. People waiting in line FOR DAYS just to get their hands on one! The 'plus' version has 2 cameras! And the cheapest iPhone 7 is only $650 US. The question is, do you 'need' it? And keep in mind, there are already rumors about the upcoming iPhone '8'. Let's also not forget the many versions of Android phones that are here and upcoming ones as well. And of course the other brands that don't have anywhere near the same market share, (shoutout to Blackberry) that still manage to muster up the courage to come out with a new model here and there. Here's the thing, most of the features on the new phone, you won't use. Or you'll use it a couple of times and then go back to what you mainly use your phone for (most likely texting, Facebook, or Snap Chat). Or you're forced to use a feature because it's a new 'operating system'. And to make yourself feel better you'll say how much better it is. The ONLY problem I have, is that the phone you currently have, is sufficient for the 95% of what you use your phone for. On top of it, I've seen time and time again, people showing other people a feature that they didn't even know their phone had. In other words, you are paying hundreds of dollars, possibly every year, or every two years, to 'upgrade' your phone when you truly do not need to. And for those of you that say "well, I get my phone for free because my contract has ended", keep in mind the price of your phone is built into your rate plan. On that point, it's smarter to buy the phone outright as most times you get to keep your existing rate plan (although I've started to see companies change this in tricky ways), since most new rate plans have increased in price even if you discount the price of the phone.
Children and Cell Phones
Let's talk about children and cell phones. It seems more and more parents are buying their kids cellphones at a younger and younger age. The odd thing is, they are also putting their kids on full plans with contract! Even if it is a 'cheaper' plan, say even $50 per month. That's still $600 over the course of the year. Even 'pay as you go' has changed where you are only saving a fraction of the cost by buying the phone outright. (Without mentioning names and just in case they change their pricing structure, I've even seen a company charge less for the plan, but more for the phone, so in the end you are paying the same). I realize I'm not the eye of the world, but I can honestly say I have NEVER seen anyone under the age of 18 TALKING on their cell phone. I've seen them text, I've seen them use Facebook, I've seen then Snapchat, but never talk on the phone. So your first way to save (other than not giving them a phone in the first place) is to not sign them up for talk. They simply have no reason to use it. If there is a 911 emergency, you can still make that call. If it's an emergency to call their parents, they can text just as easy, or worst case scenario, call and pay the 'per minute' fee. You'll still save hundreds of dollars. Now another trick that will save you some money. Since it seems every kid over 10 has a cell phone, and your child will probably be friends with that kid, then really, there is no need to buy your child a phone. Think about when you were younger. You went over to a friends house and they invited you to dinner. Was it okay if you borrowed your friends parents phone? Of course. Same thing applies to cell phones. If there is a problem, or a question that needs to be asked, why wouldn't your child be able to borrow their friends phone to send a quick text? The truth of the matter is, unless your child walks by themselves, there's really no reason for them to have a cell phone.
The Latest And Greatest
Next comes the actual phone. The new iPhone 7 has been announced and a familiar story comes along with it. People waiting in line FOR DAYS just to get their hands on one! The 'plus' version has 2 cameras! And the cheapest iPhone 7 is only $650 US. The question is, do you 'need' it? And keep in mind, there are already rumors about the upcoming iPhone '8'. Let's also not forget the many versions of Android phones that are here and upcoming ones as well. And of course the other brands that don't have anywhere near the same market share, (shoutout to Blackberry) that still manage to muster up the courage to come out with a new model here and there. Here's the thing, most of the features on the new phone, you won't use. Or you'll use it a couple of times and then go back to what you mainly use your phone for (most likely texting, Facebook, or Snap Chat). Or you're forced to use a feature because it's a new 'operating system'. And to make yourself feel better you'll say how much better it is. The ONLY problem I have, is that the phone you currently have, is sufficient for the 95% of what you use your phone for. On top of it, I've seen time and time again, people showing other people a feature that they didn't even know their phone had. In other words, you are paying hundreds of dollars, possibly every year, or every two years, to 'upgrade' your phone when you truly do not need to. And for those of you that say "well, I get my phone for free because my contract has ended", keep in mind the price of your phone is built into your rate plan. On that point, it's smarter to buy the phone outright as most times you get to keep your existing rate plan (although I've started to see companies change this in tricky ways), since most new rate plans have increased in price even if you discount the price of the phone.
No comments:
Post a Comment