DawnM Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Totally anonymous poll, but I am curious..... and I am trying to justify my smartphone and plan amounts! :tongue_smilie: I haven't purchased yet.....and still haven't decided. What percentage of your annual income (gross) do you spend on cell phones that YOU PAY FOR. So, if you have a family plan with 5 phones on it but your older kids pay you back, don't include that amount......Just the amount that comes out of your wallet for your family for cell phones per month. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I just accidentally voted 3-4 when it should have been 1-2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 We have only prepaid cell phones, no plan. No need for it. (We still have a landline) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I had to do math for that. Luckily, my iPhone has a calculator. Around 2% for a droid and an iPhone. The kids don't have cell phones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 (edited) I normally calculate our cell plan into our utilities percentage but I took a closer look this week. We are currently spending about .005% (half of one percent) for our cells. We are super cheap for the most part, but I am looking at possibly getting an iphone. We have friends who told us they spend almost $300 on cell phones for the family. That is a car payment in my mind. I just can't do it. Dawn Edited October 23, 2011 by DawnM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Right now we pay about $179 for our phone/messaging/data plan a month and that includes 2 Palm Pres and a blackberry. The blackberrry is our home phone. None of my kids have cell phones. I don't think our monthly charge would go up much if we get iPhones this summer. If it does I think it's about $20 a month for the two of them we'd get. We use sprint for cell service. The amount above is about .2% of dh's income. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I am trying to justify my smartphone and plan amounts! :tongue_smilie: I haven't purchased yet.....and still haven't decided. I so want a smart phone, but I just.can't.do.it. I have a regular phone now, and I can see us getting another cell for the dc in the next year or so. They already take mine when they are out & about without me. I would rather spend the money on vacations, babysitters, home remodeling, etc. I know if I had one, I wouldn't be able to downsize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I did calculate it and it is much less than 1% of our income. We have three Droids on the plan, one other phone, texting and 700 shared minutes plus the data plans on the Droids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celia Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 We pay too much. We're just over 2%, and are planning on 'downsizing'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 We pay $54 total for 2 cell phones.(Way less than 1%) I have an ipod touch that does almost everything an iphone does except make regular calls, and always get on the internet. But no monthly surcharge, and most place have free internet, and you can make face time calls on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jubilation Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Oops, I voted 1-2% but should have voted <1%, if you're basing it off gross income. (This is what I will pay starting next month). I'm getting my first smart phone in a few days. Before now, it was only $10/mo, as an add-on to my parents' plan. I've drooled over smart phones for a couple years, but am just now getting one. I worked a bunch of extra hours earlier this month that covered the cost of nearly a years' worth of coverage, so that was how I rationalized buying myself this new toy. I told DH to just forget about buying a Christmas or bday present for me- this is it. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 This is one reason I am holding off. I have an iPod touch and an iPad. I have my cell for actual calls. I am out and about quite a bit to places without wifi, but I am in wifi plenty as well. And honestly, if there are friends there, I don't use any of it, I am an extrovert and love to chat IRL over using my devices if possible. Dawn We pay $54 total for 2 cell phones.(Way less than 1%) I have an ipod touch that does almost everything an iphone does except make regular calls, and always get on the internet. But no monthly surcharge, and most place have free internet, and you can make face time calls on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 This is where I am too. We have 3 cells on our plan that we pay for. Mine, my dad's, and an extra the kids take turns using if they are going to be away from us. DH is on his own plan through work and they pay for all but $20 of it and tell him that $20 is to cover his personal portion as they expect him to use this phone as his only cell. It is a smartphone. Dawn I so want a smart phone, but I just.can't.do.it. I have a regular phone now, and I can see us getting another cell for the dc in the next year or so. They already take mine when they are out & about without me. I would rather spend the money on vacations, babysitters, home remodeling, etc. I know if I had one, I wouldn't be able to downsize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meriwether Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I'm not sure what my phone costs. I think I'm allowed to send a couple of texts and pictures a month, but I'm not sure so I never do. We got the phone to replace our house phone. I travel alone with the kids a lot and we didn't want two phone bills each month. I do have unlimited calling to a few numbers. Estimating high on what the phone bill is, I figure it to be about .008 of our budget. Not quite 1%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 (edited) We pay alot, BUT: We do not have a landline. Dh needs the Navigator for work. Mine has done wonders for managing my ADD.:tongue_smilie: Our income is lower, so overall we don't pay much (we share a 5 phone plan with 3 other people) but the percentage is high. Finally, I don't care because it is worth it to me.:D ETA: We paid NOTHING for the actual phones, and made money on the deal. There were Buy 1 Get 1 free, my dh gets a 25% discount through work, and we did a trade-in promotion for $100 each for our old phones. Edited October 23, 2011 by Renee in FL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 I traded in my last phone and was offered $5 :lol: I decided to keep my old phone as a back up. Dawn We pay alot, BUT: We do not have a landline. Dh needs the Navigator for work. Mine has done wonders for managing my ADD.:tongue_smilie: Our income is lower, so overall we don't pay much (we share a 5 phone plan with 3 other people) but the percentage is high. Finally, I don't care because it is worth it to me.:D ETA: We paid NOTHING for the actual phones, and made money on the deal. There were Buy 1 Get 1 free, my dh gets a 25% discount through work, and we did a trade-in promotion for $100 each for our old phones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trresh Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I should have voted less than 1% instead of 1-2%. Somehow I overlooked that option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barb B Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I just have a $30 monthly bill - just a basic cell phone. Just use it for calls - and very few at that. Really just have it as a safety thing. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I traded in my last phone and was offered $5 :lol: I decided to keep my old phone as a back up. Dawn Verizon was having a promotion where you got $100 for your old phone. Without the promotion, my phone was worth $1!:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 DH has a cell from his work to use for his work, but that is it. I don't have one and the kids who live at home don't have one. I figure if I am out and about and some crazy emergency happens it will have to be something that involves law enforcement and the nice police officers will call my husband for me. We live in a rural area, but even if the car breaks down we can always walk just a few miles to either home or to an area with stores and things. We still have payphones at the bigger gas station/convenience stores around here. I really don't feel I need a cell to call people to tell them if I am running late, I trust they will figure it out eventually. I can't see paying for a cell phone that I would never want to actually use just for communication, since I think it is only polite to actually converse with the people one is physically present with. I can't tell you how many times I have been places with my kids and all of the other adults and a good number of the kids have been either talking or texting other people who apparently aren't present while ignoring each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 wow. I just can picture having my a phone be a percentage of my income. sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share Posted October 24, 2011 If you have a cell phone it is always a percentage. It could be One Tenth of one percent, but it is still a percentage. Dawn wow. I just can picture having my a phone be a percentage of my income. sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Less than 1%, but I have a really old "dumb" phone. It's so old that it came out before phones had cameras in them. I keep saying I'll replace it when the battery dies, but this thing is possessed and will not die, even though I've dropped it a million times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share Posted October 24, 2011 So many phones are made to self destruct after 2 years now. It drives me crazy. DH has a smartphone through work but the rest of us have dumb phones. Dawn Less than 1%, but I have a really old "dumb" phone. It's so old that it came out before phones had cameras in them. I keep saying I'll replace it when the battery dies, but this thing is possessed and will not die, even though I've dropped it a million times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 If you have a cell phone it is always a percentage. It could be One Tenth of one percent, but it is still a percentage. Dawn actually... My work pays for mine which is probably why the idea of paying 1% or 4% of my income is really beyond me. It is good to consider total cost before buying a phone. Please ignore me and continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share Posted October 24, 2011 So, then you are less than 1% :lol: DH's work pays for his too. They don't pay for the other phones on our plan. Darn. Dawn actually... My work pays for mine which is probably why the idea of paying 1% or 4% of my income is really beyond me. It is good to consider total cost before buying a phone. Please ignore me and continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RegGuheert Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 We have friends who told us they spend almost $300 on cell phones for the family. That is a car payment in my mind. I just can't do it.Ours was creeping up near $250.00/mo. for five smartphones. It was killing me. That's why I was thrilled to bring it down to $150.00/mo. recently with T-Mobile's new plan. My employer pays about $52.00 of that, but we'll have to take that on if/when I leave the job. With the economy the way it is, I'm all about trying to keep our monthly expenditures low. The smartphones are probably our most expensive luxury item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share Posted October 24, 2011 Yes, this is why I haven't added a smart phone yet. And honestly, I really don't NEED one. I just want one. Our current phone bill is $42 with tax for 3 cell phones. Mine does have data but old data plan and can't have a smart phone without upgrading to whatever they offer now. So, I rarely use it because the interface on the non smart phones is a PITR. Dawn Ours was creeping up near $250.00/mo. for five smartphones. It was killing me. That's why I was thrilled to bring it down to $150.00/mo. recently with T-Mobile's new plan. My employer pays about $52.00 of that, but we'll have to take that on if/when I leave the job. With the economy the way it is, I'm all about trying to keep our monthly expenditures low. The smartphones are probably our most expensive luxury item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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