Reduction in Income.

**Dancing Lotus** · 05-10-2010, 08:25 AM

Guess some of you are wondering why I am around more all of a sudden? In three weeks I will be closing the doors on my shop. My partner and Legal owner of the business passed away; financially I can't do it on my own so we have to close. We have tried for months to find someone else to help me but it's a no go and time has run out.
I'm ok with it and ready to move on but now I will be without income.
I didn't make lot but what I did make , made our life more comfortable. In addition to this hubby is taking a 15% pay decrease due to going back on day shift from night.
Now I will have to buckle back down and make do or do without.

One of the extras that we were able to have because of my income was cell phones. I have decided I like the cell so this time I am going to cut off the house phone and keep the cells. Anybody else do this? And have they encountered any problems with it? Anybody use a magic jack?

**TheRootedNomad** · 05-10-2010, 08:31 AM

We haven't had a house phone since we got our cells. There hasn't been an issue other than the cable/net/phone "bundles" where they try to push the house phone.

**Dutchie** · 05-10-2010, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by AnnK

Guess some of you are wondering why I am around more all of a sudden? In three weeks I will be closing the doors on my shop. My partner and Legal owner of the business passed away; financially I can't do it on my own so we have to close. We have tried for months to find someone else to help me but it's a no go and time has run out.
I'm ok with it and ready to move on but now I will be without income.
I didn't make lot but what I did make , made our life more comfortable. In addition to this hubby is taking a 15% pay decrease due to going back on day shift from night.
Now I will have to buckle back down and make do or do without.

One of the extras that we were able to have because of my income was cell phones. I have decided I like the cell so this time I am going to cut off the house phone and keep the cells. Anybody else do this? And have they encountered any problems with it? Anybody use a magic jack?

I am so sorry to hear all of this ((((HUGS)))))).

I don't know if it's the same across there but a lot of folks whom I know (among others also a couple of my kids who no longer live at home) don't have landlines at all but only cell phones. It isn't a problem.

Don't know what a magic jack is, sorry.

**Dancing Lotus** · 05-10-2010, 08:38 AM

It think a lot of people are getting away from land lines. My cell is only 40 a month and my house is 60 so I can certainly see why people do without it.

**nodmicks** · 05-10-2010, 09:05 AM

Sorry to hear that Ann! I know you can do it though. Have you looked into Etsy to sell your crafts online?

**Nada.Leona** · 05-10-2010, 09:07 AM

We're in a similar situation, with me on mat leave. I haven't had a land line in years. DH and I each have cell phones. We don't have cable either -- we saw no need for it when you can get virtually everything you want on the internet. So you may want to look into disconnecting your television.

While I'm home, I'm looking to use my skills and abilities to save us, rather than make us, money. Home-baked bread, homemade snacks for DH's lunch, etc. Maybe that's what you can look at it in that light.

**McD** · 05-10-2010, 09:31 AM

We only have cells. When Wesley is a bit older and able to left alone, we will probably look into getting a landline.

We have taught Wesley how to call 911 on our cell phones--example 911 GREEN. Because the green button is the send button.

**beks37** · 05-10-2010, 09:45 AM

Dh and I only have cell phones. Before dh I haven't had a land line since I moved out from my parents house 9 years ago. Our house is old and the telephone lines probably don't work anyways. If we ever did need a phone around the house, we'd probably just add a line to our cell phone and make it a virtual land line.

**lotsadebt** · 05-10-2010, 10:47 AM

We did this last year. I was able to take the landline number and apply it to the cell phone. I bundled 3 phones and internet together. I was paying 60$ month just for a dialtone. At that time we were using the cells for long distance. Ridiculous waste of money. When DD get to be of the cell phone age, coming faster than I want to think she will get one of them and I will just carry the house cell.

**Grainlady** · 05-10-2010, 11:38 AM

If you have a security system on your home, or are considering getting one, you will need a landline, but you may not need a long distance carrier with your landline if you also have cell phones you can use for long distance calls.

We have the least expensive landline possible with AT&T as well as our ISP through them (which is the least expensive ISP).

Where we save BIG BUCKS is using TracFones, which cost us $100/year each (we have two TracFones), but we never use all the minutes we purchase in the yearly plan and they carry over each year. If you tend to use lots of cell time, this plan probably won't work well for you.

I've had a cell phone with one company or another since the mid-1990's, and the TracFone has been the best service and the most reasonable when it comes to price.

**frugalwarrior2** · 05-10-2010, 12:42 PM

We have a bundle so we have a landline. DH works in the bsmt. at home so the cell won't work there. He has an additional line too. Now they won't pay for it so it prob. goes.

So sorry for the drop in income. We'll all scooch over. It's a long bench w/ a lot of people these days.

**freebs** · 05-10-2010, 12:44 PM

You cant use magic jack if you have dial up internet, you need broadband. We have been landline free for over 5 years. The kids dont have cell phones but we have a "house cell phone" for home as it was only 9.99 add a line so cheaper than a landline for emergencies!

**Lady_V** · 05-10-2010, 12:55 PM

We had MagicJack, the 2 year contract ran out. We still have the jack if we decide to go back to it again. I don't hate it, it's just that we have cell phones. We were thinking about using the MJ as Diva's line and tossing an older tower in her room just for the phone.

The pros: It can be used anywhere, it's only $20/year, you can use the computer as a telephone if you have a mic & speakers or headset, missed voicemails are saved in an email

The cons: You have to keep your computer on at all times or you will miss the calls. incoming calls basically take over the computer and can slow everything down while it pops up on the screen, the jack can run hot from being on all the time

Sorry to hear about your store, I know you enjoyed it. I second the idea of selling it online, etsy, ebay, a website of your own making.

**Dancing Lotus** · 05-10-2010, 02:06 PM

I had an etsy and although it's empty for now , I think with all my new spare time I can work on building it back. I never made much money with it but I did do better with that then ebay. My craft bench has gotten a little dusty lately but I think my first project should be to clean it off and get ready to go craft crazy!