apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Well, I have only a landline, which I use for computer access also. No cable TV, no antenna - the TV is only for watching movies (I so -heart- Netflix). Works for me.

Now if all those people driving around with cell phones in their ears would just hang up and pay attention to their driving....

I've got to say- this just sounds foolish and unsafe to me. I love the idea of saving money on my phone bill, and I don't talk much on the phone anyway. But have you thought of the countless scenarios in which having a cell phone could get you out of a jam?

Emergencies ALWAYS happen at odd hours, or when you're not by your computer. Do you go out by yourself? What if you got into some trouble? I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but please think about all the "what if" situations.

I fully support ditching your landline- but for goodness sake, buy one of those cheap pay-as-you-go phones and keep about 30 minutes on it, just for emergencies.

I wish we could get rid of all our phones, its crazy expensive but I work from home and my husband is a firefighter who is often on wildfires so our cells are the only connection. We did save money by canning our TV - no cable or satellite. Its fabulous and I highly recommend it for everyone, we don't miss it a bit, read and talk a lot more and get more things done and I too, like JoanneM heart Netflix....fabulous invention!!!

I agree with shockthebourgeois. With a pre-paid cell phone, you get 24-hour peace of mind (and on-the-go convenience!!) for next to nothing.

What a dream. I hate cellphones but have to have one for work.

I don't exactly tink your crazy, but I wouldn't want to miss the comfort of cell phones. And I think having a labtop running all day adding to your electricity bill is not a perfect solution either. So I wonder whether there aren't these really cheap prepaid cards for cell phones available in Canada like here in Germany. You could switch of the labtop if you don't want to call anyone by Skype, could be reached any time and have the credit of your prepaid card to call from the cell phone in case of emergencies.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the idea! I've been toying with the idea of this for a while now, especially after reading about all the hidden, non-negotiable fees ( http://www.amazon.com/Gotcha-Capitalism-Hidden-Every-Day/dp/0345496132 ) and how ridiculous our 24-hour-in-contact society has gotten.

I haven't had a land line since 2001, and never miss it. I don't have cable or internet, but end up using these at my bf's house rather often...

Three years ago, my dish was out of service for two months. As I realized I hadn't watched TV during that time and did so without suffering any emotional trauma, I canceled my account and never looked back. Now with Hulu, not to mention that most shows are released on DVD, I don't miss it one bit.

There's lots of cheap options now--at least in the US. I'd assume there are some in Canada as well. There are now phones that operate through the computer lines, like Magic Jack.

There are, as others have mentioned, pay as you go cell phones.

Cricket and Boost have cheap plans (don't know if there in Canada yet). My plan is everything unlimited for $65 a month (including taxes). I don't have a land line anymore, haven't for over 2 years.

A lot of places in Canada have utilities included in their rent, so it may be a matter of choice to leave a laptop plugged in all the time for Skype. When I lived in Canada, I got rid of my landline and got a reasonably priced ($20-30 per month) pay-as-you-go cell phone plan to give me piece of mind in case of an emergency. You can always save money in a dense urban area by asking neighbors if they want to share their wireless internet. I've never paid for satellite or cable television.

Yes, we have prepaid phone cards in canada.
Even my elderly parents know how to buy a pre-paid phone card twice yearly for their ancient seldom-used emergency cellphone. Why didn't you do this? Seems so wasteful to keep a laptop on (yes, even a "small" one) all day long!

this is ridiculous. there arent any other ways to cut costs? i would rather eat ramen for a month than give up my phone. have fun!

I haven't had a land line in years (7 or so) and I don't miss it one bit. I wouldn't give up my cell phone though.

No cable, no land line. Just a cell phone, but I'm on a family plan with my mother in Virginia and my sisters in NC, so the total annual cost for MY share is...*calculating*...$120. Since I only talk to my family and my friends are mostly all on the same network (thus it's free) I very rarely go over my minutes.

I don't have any judgment on you, especially since you're trying to go to school. I was away to college for a whole year before I had a cell phone. Also, I left the country for about two years and travelled around. Pay-as-you-go 3G stuff--It'll save you a fortune. If it's working out, then good on you.

I agree that this is a bit much, especially for emergency and safety issues. "shockthebourgeois" had a great suggestion of getting a pay-as-you-go plan and keeping 30 minutes or so on there at a time. Virgin Mobile has a very reasonable option like this.

Power to you, Regina! It often takes a period of austerity to evaluate what one really needs in life. I've never gotten a cell phone purely due to the cost, which is quite high in Canada compared to the States or the UK.

And as for the added electricity consumption due to the laptop, Quebec has some of the cheapest electricity on the continent, so perhaps this is the place to do it.

I've been using a pay as you go cell phone for the last six months as well as a basic phone package (no long distance, no call waiting, no messages, no 3 way calling, etc.) and between the two devices I'll have saved around $1000 the first year.

I use the pay as you go phone when I'm in my car, in case of an emergency and the landline phone is for talking to my family. I would never go back to a contract for a cell phone now.

As long as you manage your time and train your family & friends to use the landline for chatting and to only call the cell for real emergencies you can save a bundle.

What is this 'emergencies' thing people have about cell phones? There were emergencies before cell phones. People didn't just sit down and die. You can deal with an emergency like we did in the 80s. It's not like a cell phone is a fail safe against emergencies anyway. What if you're in a no service zone?

when i got my Fido plan upon my move to London 3 years ago, the phone cost me $65.

i use pay-as-you-go for $10 a month.

Fido, Virgin, Koodoo and President's Choice all offer cheap cell phone plans here in Canada.

Getting rid of the landline was the best thing I ever did.

Since I travel frequently, I enjoy having a cellphone to stay in touch with family and arranging to meet up with friends while i'm out - especially since many hotels now charge for local phone calls and I don't necessarily want to use phones of people who might be hosting me to make long distance calls - plus I no longer have to memorize phone numbers and I can ignore calls from numbers I don't recognize.

In addition when I've had flights cancelled, I've been able to simply dial airline reservations from my seat in the lounge and rebook my flight with someone in a callcenter who is calm and cheerful rather than stand in line with the 200 other angry passengers and deal with grim gate agents.

I've also seen crimes committed on the street - and I've been able to call the police right from where I'm standing: You just can't do all that with Skype or a landline.

I don't think its crazy, its a personal choice and if its good for you then go for it!

We have a land line, no cell phone, no cable. We share wireless with our downstairs neighbors but plan on letting that go too, because half the day it does not work, and its cheaper to bundle internet with our land line cable.

We have also eliminated monthly cell phone service to cut costs, but we did it by switching our existing cell phones over to a pre-paid plan. It was just a matter of going down to the AT&T store and getting a new Sim card for each phone. Now we pre-pay in $50 increments which are good for up to 3 months. This brings us down from $100 per month for 2 cell phones, to about $100 every 3 months, or $400 per year versus $1200 per year. We don't use the phones that much, but they are awfully handy to downright vital when we do.

We also retained a $20 per month lifeline service for the land line, because we already know from experience that Skype-style phones don't work if the electricity or cable is down, but land lines do.

Overall, our phone bills are way down, without sacrificing the emergency safety net.

My roommate and I don't have a landline, just our cellphones, but this is increasinly common, at least in Vancouver. I know few people my age (mid-twenties) living on their own that bother to get a landline.

My formative years were spent without cable. My parents cut the cable when I was 12, and my dad only just decided he wanted digital cable back in November. It's amazing how much TV I could still watch even when we only had 5 stations. In fact, I don't think I watched any more television with the digital cable for the time I was at home with it, than before. So I of course made the case to save a bit of money and not have cable when I moved in with my roommate, but we quickly discovered that the antenna didn't work so well in the basement...

Go you! Skype is my lifesaver when traveling. I'm waiting for the technology to evolve a bit before considering a Skype-only existence, though.

I gave up my cell phone AND land line years ago when I lived in NYC - I only had access to a phone during the day at work. It was actually kind of fun and opened me up to "drop-bys" from friends, which rarely happens in NY. I don't know if I could do it now though - my texting friends would kill me!

The major interstates are covered with no dead zones in my State. I wouldn't think of driving them alone at night without a phone and my AAA card. Could I "deal with" an emergency of that sort without a cell phone if I had to? Yes. But not safely or easily. I'm not taking that chance.

Landline free for years now. I save my cell for use on nights and weekends, mainly. The time when I basically get unlimited call time without eating my minutes. Use my office phone during the week during the day. Having a cell phone, if you are smart with its use, can be safe and economical. Do I wish I could do without? Sure. But as a single female, I feel a lot safer having it on me.

I agree with "spicynuts" as to emergencies and cell phones. Cell phones have become very useful in emergencies but haven't been around nearly as long as emergencies. I only have a cell phone right now, but would get rid of it in favor of a land line and will as soon as my contract runs out.

It is ridiculous that people don't talk to each other in person or enjoy what is around them but rather drive, walk, eat with cell in hand.

spicynuts-

The difference between now and the 1980s is that the phone companies have been systematically removing pay phones from most public places that used to have them, and the non-major carriers that own the remaining ones don't maintain them very well. There are lots of places where you could expect to find a phone booth 25 years ago where there are none, now.

Also, why go back to an inferior level of response time. I now have my local PD programmed into my phone so if I'm out walking the dog and see a suspicious car in the neighborhood, I can call while I'm there and able to see the license number rather than having to go home to report it. This means I get better information to the police sooner. I mean sure, we could give up antibiotics and beta blockers, too, and go back to just dying of curable conditions like we did in the 19th Century, but why?

This just seems unnecessary to me. I have to agree with others that a prepaid phone (and cutting down your use of it) would be a much wiser solution than giving up cell phones entirely.

There just aren't as many public phones as there used to be, and the calls that you really need to take (or make) aren't going to be the ones that you can guarantee you'll be at your computer for.

I'm only now missing my land line as we've moved into a nuclear fallout bunker, it seems. I get one bar in my condo and have to sit by the window if I'm talking on the phone for longer than a couple minutes. Even then, I get dropped calls all the time.

I don't like how much we pay for our cell phones (because we also pay for the data plan, unlimited texting, etc.); however, I like knowing it's there. If you truly don't need one, way to go. I wish I could live like that! I would at least have a pre-paid phone handy in case of emergencies, but that's my paranoia speaking...

"Cell phones allow for a certain degree of sloppiness in arranging meeting times and places."

Oh God, THIS. This is why I held off on getting a cell phone for the longest time. I hate the way people use cell phones (and the presumption that everyone else has a cell phone) to absolve themselves of the commitment of making plans. It's as if they're waiting for a better opportunity to come along at the last minute.

And no, calling my cell at the time we're supposed to meet to tell me you're running half an hour late doesn't make the fact that you're wasting my time any less disrespectful.

i dropped both land and cell for two years, easily. but there are definite drawbacks. telecomm costs divide entire populations, and a cell is now nearly a requirement in the city--if you can find a pay phone on the street, and that's not likely, it will be covered with disease-causing microbes, guaranteed. Virgin cells and other prepaids are good ideas, but Skype is really important to people with loved ones overseas.

I think it is pretty funny how freaked out everyone is about going cell-less. Am I to understand, that everyone is afraid to leave their house w/o a cell because there might be an emergency? That can ONLY be solved with a cell phone? Seems like a lot of fear. I mean, you live in Montreal, not exactly out in the woods away from civilization. I am sure it will work out.

I love this idea! I am toying with getting rid of EVERYTHING except internet, which my husband needs for work, and I need for....well, I just need it. I almost never use my cell phone, and just recently got a phone for the landline that has always been there (just in case) so I guess I am a phone-phobic. I would be interested to hear how you did, one year from now.

I love the idea but its not practical for me. I have a cell phone and wouldn't do without it. I simply do not think it is safe - also how do you conduct business? I want to figure out how to get internet service without a landline? It seems that even with the cable service internet you have to sign up for their phone service also. Does anyone know?

My husband has worked for a cable/communications company for 10 years so we have a land line, cable, and internet for about $30 a month. It's wonderful. They should be doing cell phones sometimes this year and I can't wait!

I also worked for the same company for about 6 months and found that many people were calling in to cancel their land line phones due to having a cell phone. There is a lifeline type service, though I can't remember what exactly it is called that is really inexpensive and allows you a certain # of outgoing calls a month (like 50) and unlimited incoming calls, so you can still keep your land line.

Ulrika:why go back to the 19th century?

because it's the new trend. everyone tries to best each other: "I have no tv, no phone, no cell, no fridge, and am thinking of getting rid of all electricity next, that's the dream!"

i think it's in response to our country, and many like ours, getting more and more prosperous and then becoming gluttonous. when you see chromed-out hummers driving around all over you know you're there. i too have issues with people buying more than they need and materialism, etc. but give me a break people.

it's trendy to say capitalism failed, business is evil, and thus we must all return to being cavemen so we don't pollute our dear earth and there are now wars or inequality.

again, give me a break everyone. to each his own, if you want to cut things out of your life, fine, but it's becoming a holier than though thing that is really lame.

the answer, as i see it, is 'moderation in ALL things'. don't over eat, don't over buy, don't over use, etc... be smart. you don't have to return to the dark ages. i believe we're actually fortunate to be alive right now, just be smart.

Yolio: good point. I mean, think of the carnage on the streets ten years ago before cell phones became ubiquitous! Heh.

I often forget about my cell phone for long periods of time, during which the battery dies, rendering the phone utterly useless to me in an emergency.

I could get rid of it with little fallout, but it only costs $11 per month as an add-on to my husband's account, so I keep it.

Land line free and cable free for many years.

In a "back in my days" moment, when I started to work there were no cell phones and the land line network was nothing like what North America knows (one reason why cell phones were so successful much earlier in Europe and Asia). There was no internet, either! Setting up a week-long 4-city business trip and then doing it was no fun.

Can't imagine life without a cell phone now. You'd have to pry my iphone from my cold, unyielding hands. I'm not using it when I drive and I've never spent hours chatting away, because I hate all phone conversations that drag on beyond the what, where, when. That's what skype is for. We should take advantage of affordable technology, and I find that having phone/phone book/ipod/maps/web access/decent camera in one "cell phone" is quite nice.

I would never give up my television either. It seems alot of people think going without a television makes a statement about their intelligence. Much like the monastic lifestyle, I guess we are supposed to believe you live your life in quiet contemplation of higher ideals. Give me a break. I love tv especially the cable news channels and I happen to have more than one degree. Having a tv or not, having a cell phone/landline or not, is of course a personal choice but when it becomes a trend its nothing more than pretentious.

I agree that one can generally deal with an emergency-- of the broken down car variety-- without a cell phone. I wouldn't want to, but one could. Like others said, we all did in the past.

But to have no way for loved ones to get in touch with you in case of an emergency overnight? THAT is crazy to me.

Yolio,

Things like car accidents, break downs, or getting lost do require a cell phone--either yours or somebody elses--in areas without public phones, where it isn't safe to try to access those phones, or where the time that it takes to access those phones would result in harm. I live in the middle of a populous city and it would take me twenty minutes to access a public phone from my house, nevermind if something happend while I was driving on the interstate, where most of the emergency phones have been torn out, their services cut, and it certainly isn't safe to hitch-hike. And of course this all pressumes that I am physically able to seek help myself.

Going completely phoneless doesn't mean that you're no longer reliant upon cell phones, you're just reliant upon the idea that people around you have them/some other means of summoning help and are willing to help you. It's fine if people decide to cut out things like cell phones from their lives--I've not had a land line for several years and my cell plan is very basic--but looking down on people who don't and mocking them as 'fearful' when you have no idea of the practical circumstances surrounding their own decisions to use those services is ridiculous.

@ missbynski, no, you don't have to have a landline to get internet. You can even get DSL (the one that uses a land line) without paying for the calling portion. If you sign up online it's less than fun to find (evil b****ds) but it IS possible. Or you can sign up on the phone and just be a PITA until they give you what you want.

What's left of my social life would implode minus my phone. I call my parents a lot, often on my lunch breaks and text my friends just to say hi if I think they might be busy. I do not like not having my cell on me and I do NOT drive long distances w/o it. Like someone else said, most interstates are pretty well covered and call boxes are turning into things of the past. If I need the cops, I'd like to be able to call them without having to find a working payphone.

Skype at home would be feasible but I'll keep my cell, thanks.

So millions of us were living "unsafe" prior to 1980? I don't think so. Cell phones = convenience, not necessity.

I don't have a land line, but I do have a cell phone. That said I don't answer it unless it's someone I know and I make less than 4 phone calls a month.

opps, i meant 'holier than thou'...

and well said missbynski

I must agree that giving up all for Skype is a bit much. I have become increasingly anti-cellphone as people now act as if it is an additional heart and without it, they would die.

I have a pay-as-you-go that I struggle to remember to pay because I use it that little. I like to be on the open road, so for sake of my parents and their peace of mind, I keep up with putting a few dollars on it every few months.

I am not anti-tech or anti-cell really, I just HATE the behavior that is now associated with the constant cell phone usage. And I know that's more a People problem than a technology problem.

That being said...we did manage to survive life and all its adventures sans a cell phone attached to the side of our heads for many years past and I have enough faith in humanity that if the cellphone towers should fall, we will somehow manage to persevere.

My problem with most prepaid cells is that the purchased minutes expire within a short time. That wouldn't work well for me. Verizon, T-Mobile, and possibly others offer a prepaid deal that charges $1 for each day you use your phone, plus .10 per minute of usage. If you buy a block of 1000 minutes, the expiration date is one full year later. An emergency-only cellphone for $100 a year doesn't seem like a bad deal to me.

When I think about everything that has gone wrong with my car (and various vehicles I have been traveling in) in the last year, I would have had some AWFUL experiences without a cell phone. When you break down on a busy street, looking for a payphone to call a tow is probably a good way to pay about $250 MORE when the city comes and brings your abandoned vehicle to the impound lot. That sort of eliminates any monetary savings. You could certainly count on the kindness of strangers lending you their phones in emergencies, but then you're not exactly adhering to the "cell phones are a luxury" mantra.
Yes, you CAN live without a phone, but buying some pre-paid minutes will save you a collossal amount of trouble if anything ever happens. 30-50 bucks for having that kind of insurance on hand is a very small price to pay.

I pay $10 a month for my cell phone (great service, I love it http://www.ecallplus.com/). If you've ever had your car break down while out on a roadway you know how critical it is to have a cell phone. I can't remember the last time I say a public pay phone anywhere, and I'd hate to have to be looking for one at 3:00 a.m. in an unfamiliar neighborhood. I gave up my landline several years ago and have considered Skype for travel and for long chats, but there is no way I'd ever give up my cell for a week, much less a year. Safety and convenience are too primary to even consider such action.

@rebeldress, in Texas (or perhaps from SBC) it is called "metered service."

It used to be that one could dial 911 from any cell phone, regardless whether or not there was a service provider involved. The cell phone obviously has to be kept charged, but I believe this is still true.

I've never owned a cell phone, as as years go by I really don't wan't one, which actually surprises salesmen. The only moment I could have used one is in Paris, because even if i can get away with phone booths (which are becoming rare) it does get expensive. However here in my home town I really can live without it. I just have my land line and a usual messenger service. If I had one it would be off most of the time anyhow.

Oh and I've nearly completely stopped watching TV as well... since I have the internet I watch the shows I really like online whenever I want. The TV is gone too, and believe me, it feels good!

I want DSL at home, so that means a landline. Seems silly to pay for a cell phone on top of paying for a landline, so I do without the cell phone. Skype is an incredible deal -- free computer-to-computer international calls -- but calls are dropped and distortion comes and goes.

It is true that we used to live happily without cell phones and the world was probably not a less-safe place. But I really cannot imagine keeping tabs on my teenagers or expecting them to be able to stay adequately in touch when cell phones are often their only way to let me know they're standing outside in the rain after practice when the school is closed, or they're at a party where they are feeling uncomfortable and want to be picked up. They text far more than they talk, and texting affords them more privacy when they communicate with me. (Plus, it works the other way too--I can text them back discreetly during meetings at work and not have everyone in my office have to be privy to my parenting dramas.)

We also rely a lot on wireless internet, but this conversation is making me reconsider cable. It would certainly not be the worst thing for my daughter to break her addiction to Game Show Network, and I've seen the Law & Order reruns often enough that entire scripts are etched into my brain.

If you go Free to Air, you can watch all the TV you want, including foreign stations. Not having any phone seems penny wise and pound foolish, but hey, you got a post out of it.

I, for one, can't stand the fact that I'm available all the time with my cell phone. My husband and I spent our first anniversary having a "romantic" dinner with our parents calling us several times to wish us well. Sweet, but annoying when you're trying to spend some time alone. I especially can't stand it when people are indignant that you didn't immediately answer their phone calls (after all - they called your cell phone, right?). I'm also careful to never talk on the phone when I'm checking out at a store - I think it's rude to ignore the clerk. In those respects, I could give up my cellphone in a heartbeat.

I like having it in case of emergencies - especially when I'm driving, but I got by just fine without one in high school and college (back in the "dark ages" ten years ago) - and I think answering the phone while enroute is most likely going to be the cause of any emergencies I may have. Besides, here in Texas, on half the 4 hr. drive to my parents' house or the 8 hr. drive to my husband's parents' house, there's no service anyway because we're in the middle of nowhere.

I do appreciate that if you have a cellphone a land line is probably not necessary.

I have a Canadian pay-as-you-go cell phone that I top up once a year for $100 plus tax. If I couldn't do that, I'd recycle the darn thing. Now if only I could remember to charge it up ...

...I ditched my kitchen... lol saves me about $220 a month, I am considering ditching the internet too that's another $65!

redheadedblonde --

The solution is very simple - Just turn the ringer down and let it go to voicemail.

If anyone comes back with "Why didn't you answer the phone", all you have to say is "I was in a restaurant/on a bus/in a store/at work/at the theatre/in the restroom/taking a nap." - and if they insist on pursuing that mode of conversation, you can say "I'm sorry, but I don't take phone calls in restaurants/on the bus/in stores/at work...
...because it's rude."

I ditched landlines and cable when I went into residency. When we got married, we got Blockbuster by mail. Then my job made me get a landline 'for emergencies'. I'd prefer just a cell and internet, but even so, I have minimum services on the landline, so two cells, broadband, and landline runs me just over 115 a month, and work pays for part of it. So it's the lesser of the evils. I think sometimes about cable, but Hulu's gotten really speedy.

Anyone without a dedicated landline is taking an unnecessary risk. Many carriers offer a low cost emergency only landline solution (typically limited to few calls per month, like $10/month fee).

** Landlines have better E911 response, typically providing exact address rather than 50-100m accuracy. In particualr, SKYPE, Vonage and other similar services are known for sometimes having hiccups with providing right caller information.

** In a true emergency, your cell phone will only work as long as it is charged, and many emergencies are accompanied by extended power outages (unless you have a battery or solar back up charger. Do you?).

** Cell phone is only useful in an emergency assuming it is available and can be found fast (i.e. someone didn't leave it in the car, at the office, with friends, lose it, or it is temporarily disabled b/c you dropped it in the toilet, sat on it, or today is the day it just broke) whereas your landline, by virtue of what it is, will always be there, and landline phones break less often then cellular phones.

** Landlines are more likely to be up and provide service in the event of a true disaster (power outage, like those seen in NY and the northeast US a little while ago, or hurricane, tornado, earthquake, wildfires, whatever your local emergencies are). In part, this is b/c 80-100 years of network planning and redundancy have gone into the landline network, it is a pretty reliable and robust network (well, US and North American networks at any rate).

** Landlines were used for the reverse-911 emergency notification/callback system in southern CA during recent wildfires. In this service, homeowners in affected areas got an automated telephone call to evacuate, some receiving it with just seconds to evacuate their home since the fires were moving so quickely. No landline = no warning call to evacuate NOW.

** And there is a time issue. If you are calling to report an intruder, a heart attack, etc. you want to be able to pick up the phone and dial, not power up the PC and wait for it to connect, log in to the service and make a call (this is even harder to do when you are panicing b/c of the emergency), or start your 'emergency plan', depending on what that plan is.

If you are cancelling things to save $, cancel the internet service and use your local library, university service, WIFI cafe etc. instead and keep the emergency landline.

"one could dial 911 from any cell phone, regardless whether or not there was a service provider involved"

pvett - this is still true. As long as a cell phone can acquire a signal, emergency calls will go through. This fails, though, if the cellular network is down, the phone isn't charged, etc.

I don't have a cell. I knew it wasn't cool, but I had no idea that was something that made me a throwback to a distant age.

I had no cell, landline, internet, or tv for most of 2001-2002. It was honestly one of the best times in my life. My job required me to be on the phone or talking to people all day long, and by the end of the day I appreciated the silence. Family & friends knew they could reach me at work my work number, and there was a payphone outside my building where I could make calls if necessary.

I'm also pretty sure you can make a 911 call from a disconnected landline, as this was the case several years ago.

I don't know that I personally would want to live without any phone-but I think a Skype phone qualifies as a phone. People can certainly reach you-just not 24/7. I am not convinced that we actually need to be available at all times. A cell phone definitely is convenient and there are times when it is very useful, but honestly I think it is a little sad that people would be so appalled that one can't be reached at every moment. Although there aren't as many pay phones as there were 10 years ago, they are definitely around-and in fairly reliable places- in my experience. It is all about personal priorities. I personally would rather not be available at all times and have the $ in my pocket to do other things. Yes this isn't what most people choose, but it is a little tiring to have to justify my choice ALL THE TIME. Sigh. Rant over :)

I think the biggest impact it would have on me is other people getting annoyed about not being able to reach me. it seems that anymore, people have high expectations of being able to reach you no matter what, (thank you cell phones), and get annoyed if they can't. I'm infamous for not picking up if I don't feel like talking or if I'm otherwise occupied, (I will never pick up just to tell someone I'm busy-- I find that ridiculous). I'm often greeted with an almost frantic "where were you?!" the next time I speak with people. it's one of my pet peeves: I do not live my life waiting for phone calls, nor will I interrupt for calls on everyone's else's schedules.

I could also see this impacting one's social life. if you're not easily reached, people may stop trying. and it rules out last minute plans if you don't happen to be home.

however, I do love periods of giving up electonics. I've always loved the times when I've been forced to give up my computer and the internet. it's really quite liberating.

I did without a personal phone for a year while I lived in student residence in England. There was a phone in the kitchenette upstairs in my block; usually, the caller left a message with whomever answered the phone (if any of the 11 residents was home and heard it ring), unless someone had arranged to be phoned at a specific time. There was no answering machine and you could only make outgoing calls to other campus extensions. To make any calls off-campus, we had to use a bank of pay phones outside the common room in another building.

I liked it because there were always people dropping by to look for their friends, and when we made arrangements to meet, we stuck to them. I spent a lot more time with my friends instead of trying to arrange to see them.

It never seemed a particular hardship. Then again, that was 1992. I don't think I could get away with that these days.

I gave up my land line just over a year ago because I got tired of being charged for NOT making at least $5 worth of long distance calls a month. Customer service would always adjust the fees after I threatened to switch plans, but the charge always reappeared a few months later. I was also irritated that the $10 basic local plan ended up being closer to $30 after all the mandatory utility & maintenance fees, taxes, etc.

The only downside is no dial up internet, but I have great connectivity at work and school and can use vpn over nearby waps in case of emergency.

The reduction of the # of pay phones in town finally caused me to get a cell phone about 3 years ago and I've been very happy with my pay per minute plan. My cute little unsubsidized flip phone was only $20 and I don't pay for minutes or other services I don't use or need.

I keep a pay as you go cell phone only, living in a big city as a single woman I feel safer and through Virgin mobile you can gain free minutes as well, so it figures to be about $20 every 3 months...worht every penny...

It's amazing to me how many people claim to be so "victimized" by their electronics. It's your choice to answer your phone, whether it's on you or not. Keeping yourself and those you love safe is also your choice. I choose to have a cell phone because it's practical, easy, and quite frankly - modern. Yes, it's nice to have the silence and peace without one, but on the flip side, that's what the "silence" option is for.

wow, ive been trying to talk myself into cancelling my cell phone and cable/internet the last few weeks to save money, especially since i want to go back to school too. i've honestly been afraid to "cut the cord". its great to see other people trying the same options and all of the info & opinions in this post!

can you text on them though? i dont like talking on the phone except to catch up with friends i dont get to see. i can be reached on my office phone everyday too. i dont get online at home and the only cable channel i use is hgtv or bravo. i could save almost $200 a month! doesn't having this stuff sound like a waste?

ps- i work 2 jobs, 7 days a week right now. saving $200 a month means i could take a day off a month. (so "lab director", in response to the holier than thou comment, its not actually like that for most people. this is our way of being smart.)

My husband and I have never had cable television and utilize antenna and online TV such as Fancast, Hulu, and offerings from network websites.

We've never had a land line phone and have cell phones only. We utilize a prepaid with a major carrier. I spend only about $10/month on one cell and the other is provided through work. We utilize Gmail and Facebook to communicate to most friends and family for short tidbits and even text messaging. I highly recommend switching to a prepaid. They are now easy to manage and if you use a major carrier you can use their in network free calling! I can't believe some people pay 30-70% more for cell usage!

I've never missed having a landline phone or cable television and will never revert!

On a side note my parents haven't paid for trash service in years. My dad makes a weekly visit to the local dump and saves a good deal on that!

When we were in an apartment between selling our old house and moving to our new one, we knew we wouldn't be there long (~3 months) and we hoped to reclaim our old landline numbers when we moved in (which we did). I dispise cell phones and seldom make ANY phone calls, but my partner is a techie (iPhone) and he gave me an old phone of his with "the dollar per day used, ten cents per call" plan from AT&T. He put $100 on it and most of that is still there. But it's reassuring to have in emergencies -- which I DO have.

(I threw out my back in a severe way, horrible spasm, couldn't even get off the bed to reach the landlilne phone two feet away. The cell allowed me to call for help. Not all emergencies are "out in the world".) People with unreliable cars and travel routes where getting stranded would be dangerous, need something. (When my car stalled, a lot of folks with cells offered to call AAA or whatever FOR me, though, so if there is enough traffic that is a way to be covered.)

I also have an elderly father with a bad heart. I do not ever want to be without a reliable way to be reached, just in case.

This was the cheapest service available, once you have the phone.

We also have cordless phones in for our landlines, but we keep an old hardwired phone for power outages -- the phone line works then, but the cordless phones don't broadcast to the handsets.

spicynuts,

I want a cell phone for when I get a flat tire in the middle of rural VA where there are no payphones and I need to call AAA. Oh, and because the whole "being a single woman" thing makes cell phones kind of a safety thing.