We have arrived! (re: cell phones!)

[Sarah8914]

So... Shane and I are a little old school and have never had cell phones. Okay, honestly, we have had no need for them whatsoever and don't see any reason to pay extra money every month for a phone we wouldn't use much. I'm home all day and he's easy to get a hold of at work and our kids are young and always with us... blah blah blah. And to be honest, I get easily annoyed by cell phones. Either ringing in quiet places, people talking while driving or really loudly, etc.

Fast forward to this past week... to make a long story short, we have a trip coming up and thought it would be very convenient to have a phone since we're picking up Shane's parents on the way--but they'll get to the airport a few hours before we'll get there so they want to wander off. So yeah, it'd be nice for us to be able to reach them to find them! Remember my UPS post? Yeah, I was waiting for our phone. We're just getting a prepaid one and it seems perfect for us. The phone was free so we only had to pay for the minutes! So thus the title, we have arrived!

Is there anyone else in the world without a cell phone?? :)

[Paula]

I don't have one and if I need one (like on my recent trip to Texas) I use my DH! LOL

[ColleenSwerb]

Welcome to the 21st Century! LOL!

I've had a cell phone since I was 17 and got my drivers license, in case of emergencies. I honestly can't imagein life without one. I'd cry.

I have a pretty little red Blackberry Pearl and get my emails on it (both work and personal), and it has a camera and games and all sort of other fun things. :) Next year I want an iphone, lol!

I'm the polar opposite of the people that hate the idea of being reached 24/7. I HATE being cut off from the world, so the blackberry with email is perfect for me. We don't even have a land line, cuz the cell phone is cheaper for long distance.

[Leila]

I didn't get my first cell phone until 2 weeks before Devin was born, so October 2002. I didn't want one, I still don't, even though it does come in handy. DH and I have a family plan with 700 shared minutes. Last month, we used 160 minutes (calls to each other don't count). We have nearly 7000 rollover minutes too. I'm really thinking of just canning the cell thing altogether at this point.

[SaraAmarie]

Glad you got your package! :)

I only have a prepaid one too. I am almost never on it (and not sure I even know the number lol). Like you, I am home with my little ones all day. But I wanted one to have with me incase of an emergency if I went shopping or out of town. DH has one only because of his work.

[Sarah8914]

I'm the polar opposite of the people that hate the idea of being reached 24/7. I HATE being cut off from the world, so the blackberry with email is perfect for me. We don't even have a land line, cuz the cell phone is cheaper for long distance.

I'm VERY easy to get a hold of and can pretty much be reached 24/7 without a cell phone.

Oh and I totally and completely understand having a cell phone when you have no land line! Makes perfect sense. I must admit, I'm a little afraid we might just like it. :)

[ZaCola3]

We got cell phones almost two years ago-ONLY because Zak travels so much with his sports-It is nice for him to be able to call me when the bus is about 10 minutes from home, so I'm there to get him when he arrives. Scott and I share a phone, we don't each have one...but Zak and Connor both have their own.
Connor just got his in May for his 14th Birthday which is how old Zak was when we got his.

Zak had text for one month and ran the bill up to $100 above our plan just with texting-so that went out the door and no amount of begging on his part will make us put it back on.

[ColleenSwerb]

We got cell phones almost two years ago-ONLY because Zak travels so much with his sports-It is nice for him to be able to call me when the bus is about 10 minutes from home, so I'm there to get him when he arrives. Scott and I share a phone, we don't each have one...but Zak and Connor both have their own.
Connor just got his in May for his 14th Birthday which is how old Zak was when we got his.

Zak had text for one month and ran the bill up to $100 above our plan just with texting-so that went out the door and no amount of begging on his part will make us put it back on.

Unlimited texting for $15 with AT&T (I think it's $15, either $15 or $20, I LOVE texting).

[ColleenSwerb]

Side note, but it could be a generational thing too. Not that a lot of you ladies are OLD, you're just a bit older than me. And when I was a teenager, cells were still relatively new. In fact beepers were still popular! LOL! But my parents relized that if I was in a ditch somewhere, a cell phone would be more useful than a beeper, lol.

So since I've had one for 8 years, same number for 4 or 5 of those, it's different. If I grew up without them, and then was a SAHM or whatever, I prob wouldn't have one either. Ya never know.

[cindyg]

Gosh, I've had one for over 10 years...probably closer to 15.

[lizzyfizzy]

you sure have...welcome to 1998 all over again. =)

[meems]

i'm one of those people who will turn around and go back home to get my cell phone if I've forgotten it. I seriously feel really WEIRD and a little panicky w/o it.

I remember my first cell phone. It was one of those lovely gray analog brick phones.

I remember hearing a story on the radio years ago about getting cell phones for emergencies only. But before long, ordering a pizza on the way home becomes an 'emergency' lol.

speaking of emergencies, when I was in labor with DS, I was calling DH from the hospital b/c I couldn't use my cell. I had to call him over and over b/c he wouldn't answer right away b/c it wasn't a number he recognized. Hello, your wife is very pregnant and could deliver anytime. ANSWER your phone no matter what.

anyway, enjoy your phone! but not too much ;)!

[kscwgirl]

I feel funny if I don't have my phone. It's an attachment. And I heart texting. LOL

[Sarah8914]

Side note, but it could be a generational thing too. Not that a lot of you ladies are OLD, you're just a bit older than me. And when I was a teenager, cells were still relatively new. In fact beepers were still popular! LOL! But my parents relized that if I was in a ditch somewhere, a cell phone would be more useful than a beeper, lol.

So since I've had one for 8 years, same number for 4 or 5 of those, it's different. If I grew up without them, and then was a SAHM or whatever, I prob wouldn't have one either. Ya never know.

Hey, I am only 25! :) But, we were too poor for cell phones when they came out anyway! I'm used to life without, so you know.

[Stacey42]

I used to sell cell phones in 1996. I still wired them into cars. :) I never owned one until 2004 when DS2 was born & even then it was a Trac Phone, pay by the minute thing. I didn't see the point in paying too much for what was an emergency use only phone. We had no cell signal out here or on most of the roads I drove on until the past couple of years, so I wouldn't be chatting to people on it.

DH's company insisted he have a cell, so they paid the bill for it. About a year ago DH realized his cell plan was ancient and he was using more minutes than his plan covered and started looking to switch it to get more minutes for the money. He discovered that he could get a plan for 2 phones, lots of minutes & text, unlimited to others on the service etc, for less than his currently monthly plan and proposed that to his boss. So now I have a real cell phone (a Razr). I still don't use it much though.

[mrs_jb]

LOL, I have a cell and it's always decharged and in the opposite bag from the one I am carrying. It drives my DH nuts!

[DawnMarch]

We have them, but we never use them. I work from home and my DH works in an office (or is in meetings or teaching when I can't call him anyway). So, we have prepaid ones just for emergencies (when you're kids are in school, you'll probably want one so the school nurse can reach you when you're out!).

[Brooke W]

We've had them for a few years now and I'd hate to be without mine, even if hardly anyone calls me,lol. I got mine basically, at first at least, for just carrying with me when I was driving alone, in case of emergencies. Now though? I feel totally naked without it and absolutely have to have it with me, no matter where we go,lol.
We've a great plan with out carrier and I have my My Circle set up with those I call the most, so it's not that bad a deal for the family plan.
Texting, forget about it,lol. I have never ever been able to figure it out and frankly, i find ten cents a text a bit pricey :blink: . We got the early evening plan instead:p

And btw, this is my 300th post :p
Help me, I'm a posting chatter box.

[tuneskids]

we have one that is a pay as you go, but we never have time on the darn thing. My Mom is sending me hers to use this summer when we go on holidays, so she can reach us anytime. lol

[jorgies5]

I totally get where you are coming from Sarah! You really can't miss something that you have never had. I have had one for a couple of years now, but I was on a plan of 60 minutes a month. Needless to say, it was there only for emergencies. My husband just bought me a new one for Mother's Day and it is a prepaid one and we just have to keep buying minutes. But I do have the equivalent to 300 minutes a month now, so it is a huge difference. I have to admit, I am very cell phone illiterate. I can dial a number and that is about it. I have no clue on how to text message someone.

[LeeAndra]

I :wub: my cell phone.

I had one that I shared with my ex, and we just used it for calling each other. I got my own cell and did my first texting in August 2006. Since my BFF is seven years younger than me, she's had a cell since high school and texts 24/7, so I quickly adjusted to texting after that!

Although I technically have a landline for my DSL, I don't know the number and don't have a phone plugged into it, so my cell is the only way to reach me. It's so handy when I'm driving back and forth from my parents and was handy when my BF and I lived a couple hours apart and were driving back and forth to each others' places twice a month.

I didn't really like talking on my phone much, though, until I upgraded to a Bluetooth-capable cell this Spring and bought a headset. Holding it to your face for a 30 minute commute is such a PITA, kwim? Now, though, I just hook the headset around my ear before getting in the car and just have to push a button on the side to answer and hang up. BF would usually call on my drive home to let me know what he was doing and/or talk for a few minutes before he was off to class, and it's so much easier to concentrate and less annoying to just wear the headset than to hold the phone.

I need to start texting Col & Sara regularly again... :)

[newfiemountiewife]

I have had one for a long time, probably 97? But I just have the cheapest one I can get, since I only take it with me for safety, especially since I have kids now. I travel a lot alone with them, the past two summers we've driven halfways across country, and I was happy to have one to keep in contact with DH who was stuck here working.

I take it every time I leave the house, or I just leave it in the van. Otherwise I'm home all day, so you can call me here, unless you're a telemarketer LOL

[nonnie]

I used to have on all the time - for about 10 years - then this year we were watching a show on downsizing your life and my dh and I decided to get rid of them all together and we are really happy with that decision - I think that cell phones are getting a little ridiculous - come on how many times have you seen people use them in VERY inappropriate places - The movies, while checking out - I was doing a GA stint and I can tell you how RUDE some students were texting while the prof was lecturing, taking call during classes - come on your 18 how important can that call be? - it's getting out of hand

[Dottie]

I love my phone. I would be lost without it. My DH and I have the same phone and we are always texting and sending photos during the day. We also video call each other when we are apart, DH is a kinda lost when I'm away.

[lizzyfizzy]

yes...i love my phone too! i have the palm centro with a wicked cool touch screen and television. my phone is my 4th child. LOL!! :p

[newfiemountiewife]

I never use mine for just chatting, mine is more of a "Jamie, we need OJ" when I'm at the grocery store kind of phone LOL

[meems]

come on how many times have you seen people use them in VERY inappropriate places
amuses me when I hear someone using her cell while in the restroom. kinda eww to me.

[Shawna]

I'd be lost without my cell phone, I've had a cell phone since my first year of college in Fall of 1996 I think! I got my first one through my job at the time and have had one pretty much ever since then, though we've changed carriers a few times. We haven't had a land line since 2004 either so our cell phones are a necessity in this house!

[Sari]

I got my very first cell phone when I was 18 and starting college. It was mostly for emergencies. I've had one ever since. I really feel naked if I leave the house without my cell. I'm always paranoid that my car will break down and I won't be able to get help. We have a land line but we are seriously thinking about disconnecting it because all we get is solicitors calling us and long distance is so much cheaper on our cell phones.

I don't really spend a ton of time talking on my cell but I have an iphone now and I LOVE using it for email/web browsing/music/videos. So much fun! I really don't know how I got along without it. :p

[crecia27]

Unlimited texting for $15 with AT&T (I think it's $15, either $15 or $20, I LOVE texting).

It is $20 - $30 for the family plan - I got it for my son earlier this week - I think I've "talked" to him more this week than I had the last month LOL He is 16 and all about texting, I think he had 400 within the first few hours :blink: