Cell Phone Only - Save Money By Ditching the Land Line Phone
I was a late comer to the cell phone scene, but once I got the cell phone I ditched the traditional land line. Today, I only use cell phones and my high speed internet service. Who wants to pay for an extra land line?
I have not owned a traditional land line phone since I started using a cell phone more than half a decade ago. Frankly I just don’t see the need to have an extra line that can only be used at home. I know advocates of land line service point out that wireless phones can be unreliable and that for emergencies it is best to have a land line, but in my opinion, my most potentially critical emergencies aren’t likely to occur at home. My crucial times of need will likely occur on the road or somewhere far away from traditional phone lines when I may need to summon help from afar. At that time, only my trusty cell phone will do the job and my clunky land line sitting at home won’t do me any good.
I’m Not Alone And I’m Part of A Trend
Apparently, I am part of a growing movement towards cell phone only households. According to a recent study by Mediamark research, a firm that has been tracking such data since the mid 1980s, the firm found for the first time that cell-phone only households were starting to outnumber land line-only homes. More than a quarter of young adults have only cell phones, making them the leading edge of a strengthening move away from traditional landline telephones. The trend will no doubt sure to keep moving in that direction as more young adults who rely on cell phones don’t see the need for a landline and the extra bill that comes with it when they start paying rent.
Anybody still holding onto their traditional land line?
October 9th, 2007 at 3:08 am
I still have a landline that we use for local calls. I think it’s harder for families with kids to give up a landline than it is for single people or couples without children.
My daughter is just now getting to the age where her friends are calling her on the phone. I feel that my daughter is too young for a cell phone, and I don’t really want her friends calling me when I’m out and about.
Plus, in a few years my daughter will be old enough to babysit my son, and I wouldn’t want to leave her home without a phone….yet I’d want to have my phone with me, so she could reach me if there was a problem.
It just gets more complicated once you have kids.
October 9th, 2007 at 6:02 am
I have been land line free for almost 7 years, and I love it. Lynnae does bring up a good point though. I think that after my wife and I have kids we may get a landline. It will be an added expense, but one that will probably be worth it.
October 9th, 2007 at 11:37 am
But these days they even have cell phones that have GPS systems attached that allows you to tracker your child’s movements. Kids these days are getting phones earlier and earlier. If I had a child I’d probably give him or her one to get them started on learning to handle the responsibility of owning a cell phone.
October 9th, 2007 at 11:50 am
I stopped using a land line a few years ago. I had a roommate when I went to college and the phone was in her name. She hogged the phone and would not pass on messages when she checked the voicemail.
I got a cellphone and immediately fell in love with the convenience of having it. I stopped using my land line and then got rid of it completely when I discovered high speed internet. I have an internet phone that uses my high speed connection and I always have my cellphone with me.
I do not even remember what it is like to use a landline and I do not miss it at all.
October 9th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
I still have my land line. I use the number to give it away when I sign up to credit card offers and such. Also, international calls we make to our parents can be VERY long and no cell plan is good enough to cover the minutes.
Interestingly though, my land line is via VOIP provider, and my broadband internet is wireless, so essentially I use no cables for either phone or internet. Consider me wireless!
March 6th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Well, I never thought I would ever get a landline after graduating college and actually looked forward it being a saved expense, BUT unfortunatly, my home security service actually runs on it…can’t help but keep it around.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
That is an excellent point. I never realized that many home security system are hooked up to existing land line phone connections to access the call for help function. Perhaps they will tap into internet Voice over IP (VOIP) calling one of these days.