Which would you pick

**sanderson76** · 11-02-2005, 10:13 AM

OK, honestly I feel that the telephone at our house isn't needed. We both have cell phones and next to never talk on the regular phone. So I am trying to talk DH into getting it cut off since we have the cell phones in case of an emergency, plus DH keeps his personal one at the house all the time. So the kids would be able to call out if needed. (DH has a work one too)

I was telling the kids that this morning and our oldest (which you have read about) disagrees and feels that the cable should go. The way I look at it is all of use actually watch the television..its $38 a month. The phone is $34.00 a month and she is the only one that ever uses it.

So, I thought about taking a poll at home and so far keeping cable is winning

**Jayne** · 11-02-2005, 10:26 AM

I would get rid of the phone if you use the cell phones...you really don't need it...I am in a similar dilemma right now...I want to get rid of my cell cause I rarely use it and I want to down grade our dishnet work package..need dh on the same page

**sanderson76** · 11-02-2005, 10:30 AM

I mean DH and I never get phone calls in the evenings, which is a good thing because I have better things to do than talk on the phone..

Oldest DD on the other hand, feels she needs to talk on the phone for hours on end...I told her to email her friends

We have free wireless because of DH's work

**babymav** · 11-02-2005, 10:35 AM

We just got rid of our regular phone. We now both have cell phones (nextel with direct connect) I rarely used our home phone (didn't need it for the internet either because we have broadband) and was really sick of all the telemarketers...... I would say get rid of the phone and keep the cable

**staceyy** · 11-02-2005, 10:41 AM

If your children are old enough to work, do babysitting or something could you make it their responsibility to keep the service they want?

**pammy** · 11-02-2005, 10:45 AM

Reading your post got me to thinking about our own phone dilemma. Like you we have cell phones. Dh has one from his work that is with him 24/7 and I just signed another 2-year contract a few months back (stupid stupid, ugh lol) for mine and dd's cell phones. The only reason I had turned on our house phone was because I was working at the hospital here and took call, needed a phone by my bed (cause I just knew I'd forget to put cell phone there). Well, duh! *slaps self on forehead* I'm not working anymore. And the only people that call it are salesmans! Everyone else calls our cell phones. Thanks for making me think about this, very timely! Our internet is cable so don't need a house phone for net. What was I thinking??!!

And I think your reasoning is great, since only one person uses the phone but the whole family watches cable, sounds like the phone gonna be the loser here.

**sanderson76** · 11-02-2005, 10:55 AM

You are welcome. I just look at it as either extra money to apply to the EF or towards a debt.

**pammy** · 11-02-2005, 11:37 AM

Got to work! lol Called the phone company, they told me I can cut it down to basic only service and that runs $20, instead of the $45 I was paying. I decided to keep basic only for the fact that where our house is the cell phone reception sometimes isn't good at all. Savings of $25 month, I can live with that.

So then I got going and called the cable company again. Last time I called to turn off HBO they said it would only save me about $11 a month. Put it off then. But now thinking that is still SOME money. So was going to go ahead and turn it off anyways. So when I called them they said their pricing is different now, and my old service compared to how their new service is will only save me about $4. Plus, they have to have a credit or debit card to secure it. Didn't like that at all, so told her never mind. Hmm.... may look into satellite, antennae and dialup, just to keep my options open. Grrr... cable companies!!

**Darlene** · 11-02-2005, 11:46 AM

Just remember by getting rid of the regular phone it means 911 won't automatically know where the call is coming from. Using your cell means you will have to be able to tell them exactly where you are and in the case of some emergencies that is hard to do.
I'd go with bare bones phone and have basic cable.

**Michelle** · 11-02-2005, 11:58 AM

Originally posted by Darlene
Just remember by getting rid of the regular phone it means 911 won't automatically know where the call is coming from. Using your cell means you will have to be able to tell them exactly where you are and in the case of some emergencies that is hard to do.
I'd go with bare bones phone and have basic cable.

This is a good point. I never thought of it like this. I agree with the bare bones phone and basic cable too.

**sanderson76** · 11-02-2005, 12:08 PM

Well we do have the bare min on our residential phone, that is the bad part. The kids aren't home alone very much and we live on the golf course so they do have people they can get to in a split second if need be.

DH is still hesistant about it..he doesn't want our oldest DD mad at him..

**sanderson76** · 11-02-2005, 12:10 PM

Pammy, that is pretty good with your savings.

**kmsinsa** · 11-02-2005, 01:12 PM

I would also drop the home phone. If yu dont mind me asking how old is your dd?

**sanderson76** · 11-02-2005, 01:17 PM

I will probably be the one that will call, he tends to spoil them more than me at times...she is 13, she will be 14 in Feb.

I am sure that it won't hurt her social status too much..

**Telephus44** · 11-02-2005, 06:06 PM

Having just passed our one year mark without television (and we don't even own a TV set) I'd go with cable myself. We both have cell phones and a main line - I like having the main line both for 911 and in case of bad reception on the cell phones. Also, since we get our DSL through the phone company the overall bill isn't that bad.