Cutting Expenses: Saying Goodbye to Mobile Net Access
Posted by Cap in Personal Finance |
After about eight months of paying an additional $20 to T-Mobile for my Blackberry data service, I have decided to remove the plan in an attempt to cut various unneeded expenses.
Paying more than $65 per month for a mobile phone plan was just ridiculous, considering how little friends I have to talk to. As my sister often said to me when I misplace my phone: “Why do you even need to look for it? Everyone that’ll call you is already here with you.”
This decision was made much easier as I had already temporarily removed the data plan during my month abroad earlier this year. By cutting my “Crackberry” addiction of checking emails (I needed my fix of daily joke emails and Viagra spam)… I have found extra time to update my blog, evident by the one post I made in January, the six I wrote in February… etc.
Removing the data service was simple enough, thanks to the rampant days of account services manageable via the web. Easily removing options like these always made me wonder how the company stay in business if they provide a crappy service, but I suppose easily adding on crap can also be a selling point. (On a side note, My T-Mobile needs some seriously fixing. The site is down or non-functional half the time).
One important thing I realized from this episode was that had I not gone without the service while abroad, I would have never noticed the presences of the extra monthly charges. Was it nice to have the Internet at my fingertips, even though it brings me back to the dial-up days? Sure. But this was one of those “nice to have but not needed” service — something I’ve kept just because it’s there and it was convenient to have.
If I can live without it for a month, I can live without it for years. Until I’ve reached the point where I need constant Internet access (seriously hoping never), I’ll be keeping the data service off my mobile phone plan.
Some Questions to Ask Yourself When Cutting Monthly Expenses:
- Why did I got this in the first place?
- Can I go a month without using it?
- How many times per month do I use it?
- Is there a cheaper (or free) alternative?
- Is this a “nice to have” or a “much needed” service?
April 7th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
I did the exact same thing with my mobile plan a few months ago. I’m with Optus here in Australia, and it took at least 5 phone calls to get the plan changed.
The first time I was told it had changed, then I got my next bill with the full amount! I made sure to follow up before the next bill was sent, found it still wasn’t changed even though I had been told that it was, then (finally) got the plan changed after repeating this a couple of times.
I’ve gone from minimum spend of about $60 to minimum of $20, with a normal spend of between $30 and $40.
April 7th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Ouch - I know it stings to eliminate these kinds of things, but in the end you did the right thing. We recently cut the cable down to basic cable - 13 channels for $12/month. We miss a few channels, but all in all it has been a great move for our family.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
I’d have to cut cable before cutting my mobile internet.
My husband and I both got Helio Oceans recently and we’re hooked. The plans aren’t cheap, but compared to what we were paying for Verizon, it seems like a steal (especially since we now have unlimited everything, including web access). Fortunately, my husband’s work now pays for most of our cell bill, and I’m hoping to pick up a little money at an upcoming yardsale since now I can sell my iPod, digital camera, PDA, old phone, and voice recorder.
The cable may be getting cut soon, though, since I can hardly ever find something really worth watching.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
I guess that answers my question if I should get a crackberry ;)
April 8th, 2008 at 7:46 am
I’ve always been curious as to why people need to check their e-mails when they’re not in front of a computer. What can be so important that can’t wait until you get to work/home and turn it on???
Anyway… cell phones companies make very much hard to resist offers on Blackberries and other “smart-phones”. You get it for free. Yay! But also get stuck paying for a data plan - because frankly, why get the phone if you’re not going to get the plan?
So, anyway, good for you Cap!!
April 8th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Lau: Very few people NEED that feature, but a lot of people want it. I like it because I can read email if I’m sitting around doing nothing or waiting for something… I just don’t get much email. :(
April 8th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I have Helio’s 500min/month plan. $65/month for unlimited texting and internet. Can’t tell you how often my bf and I depend on it for traffic and places to eat.
It’s nice to have but I’m sure I’d survive without it.
April 8th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Wait… I thought you won the lotto
;)
April 8th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Lau,
My husband needs it because he’s the tech guy for the company he works for and he gets a lot of critical notifications by email and he also does a lot of work by email. Whether he’s out in the field or spending time out and about, it’s more convenient for him to check his phone than to run home to check his email.
As for me, I run several websites so I’m constantly getting emails. I’d rather check my email here and there throughout the day while waiting in line somewhere or between classes or on the bus then spend hours checking it and responding to email at home.
Plus, I know a lot of people who do a lot of social planning via email like, “Hey, what are you doing for dinner tonight?”
April 9th, 2008 at 4:28 am
I too did the same thing about a year and a half ago, and I have to say I don’t miss it. I get enough of the internet everywhere else I turn throughout the day. Go to work…bam! The internet. Go to the coffee shop…bam! Computers with internet. Go to the smoothie shop…bam! Computers with internet. Go home…bam! The internet. Go to the beach…ahh! No computers with internet thank goodness! Unless you wanna be like that guy in that commercial that stands in the middle of a swamp surfing the web, I doubt you’d miss this either. Better yet, my cell bill is $36/month. Congrats!
April 9th, 2008 at 9:53 am
jim,
Aaawww… :(
Well, there you have a great reason to drop the data plan then ;o). And if you’re “sitting around doing nothing or waiting for something”, you can always grab newspaper, magazine, or one of those sudoku/crossword books (I love sudoku!). I also always carry a notebook to write blogging ideas and to do things. Just a few ideas…
But I’m sure you get a few more e-mails than you’re leading on ;)
Meg,
If it’s for work, alright. I can surely understand you preferring to check a few e-mails, many times a day rather than a lot of e-mails a few times a day.
Social planing? hhmm, why not? Although I’m sure it impacts productivity at some point. You WILL be checking e-mail on your computer at one point or another during the day.
You know what, I’m not going to argue any further :o). I respect that some people feel that they need that sort of device - I personally don’t.
April 9th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Lau:
Jim doesn’t get a lot of emails because he doesn’t have friends. Hah!
Like Meg’s hubby, I had it for work reason.. although I did find that I was brining work home (and to class) more than I want. I’m pretty sure there are plenty of people out there that NEEDS it for a very real work reason.. but there’s just as many of us that has it but can definitely live without. I get what you’re saying though, pretty much the reason why I cancelled it.
April 9th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Really? When did you get the Blackberry Pearl? I got one too. The reason I have it and the data plan is because my husband is in Iraq and I don’t want to be glued to the computer for the next 12
months hoping he will get online.
Now I can continue my life and still manage to NOT miss any of his emails or IM’s- it’s my lifeline to him. I think it’s a worthy expense. When he gets home however is a different matter. But not one I will have to think about for the next year.
April 10th, 2008 at 6:56 am
Cap, well, that’s just mean. Mr. Blueprint has got to get more than a few e-mails a day now! :-)
Jessica, tell your husband a big THANK YOU and STAY SAFE (I don’t think anyone will be angry at me for adding: from all of us).
April 10th, 2008 at 7:59 am
About this time last year my wife and I did a full blown audit of our spending. We couldn’t believe we were actually paying £95.00 ($187) a month on our mobile subscriptions. We cancelled them - got PAYG and now spend just £20.00 per month. . . Amazing how these thing build up in blind ignorance!
April 11th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Did they make you pay a cancellation fee or anything since you didn’t have the service for a year?
Were you able to keep the voice service on your blackberry pearl?
April 11th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Cutting recurring expenses can be very satisfying. Yesterday I cut my New York Times subscription. Much as i liked the idea of walking to the bottom of the driveway to fetch the aper and curling up with it on a wintry Sunday afternoon, I rarely did that. It was more like reading it in bits and piecees and often feeling “pressured” to read it since i’d paid for it. And now that the weather’s getting warm, i’ll be reading that even less, devoting more time to outdoor yardwork.
I think the subscription (weekends only) came to about $10 a month. The customer service rep asked me why i was canceling. (I knew this wasn’t going to be a no questions asked transaction.) Then he tried to talk me into doing a 4 month vacation hold, which was tempting, since by September i may be in the mood to read the paper again, but i deerred, having already mentally decided that if i needed a NYT fix i could pick up the paper.
April 11th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Cutting recurring expenses can be very satisfying. Yesterday i cut my weekend subscription to the NYT. (I think it came to $10 a month.) Despite the appeal of walking down to the bottom of the driveway to fetch thepaper and curling up with it on a wintry Sunday afternoon, i rarely did that. instead, i read it in bits and pieces, often feeling “pressured” to read it since i’d already paid for it.
I knew my phone call to cancel it wouldn’t be a no questions asked transaction. The rep asked me why i was cancelling. Because i don’t have time to read it, i said. He suggested i put a 4-month vacation hold on. It was momentarily tempting to do so, since by September I may feel like reading it again, but i went ahead and ended it.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:50 am
I have a free data plan on my cellphone after I threatened to leave for another provider. I am glad that I have it because I use my cell to check last minute facts on the internet after work. T-Mobile may work out a deal with you if you threaten (nicely) to change carriers.
April 19th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Internet on a phone is a great thing i kept it on my cellphone and turned off my cable internet. Saved my like 30 bucks a month. ( i was getting really low speeds)No all i have to do is just turn on my blue tooth and i am online.