[Jayne]

...to keep them or not to keep them, that is the question ...My cell phone contract is up and I don't really know what to do....it is a big expense, 43.05 every month...Dh says he feels that I am safer having it with me, and I see his point, but I did without for many years.....Next dilemma, the satellite dish...I can cut it back to locals only saving us a bit of money...They always up their rates in January, an never get any new channels, so I am for this....also we get Sky Angel and it is cheap, so I wouldn't miss the other channels, but agin dh is not convinced...we could use the extra money for an emergency fund...What would you do???

 

[homesteadmamma]

I'd get rid of them both.

Also did you know that even if you don't have a cell phone plan, if there is an emergency, you can still use your cell phone to call 911.

We had a cell phone for 18 months, seldom used it and got rid of the plan. We've been w/o for almost 2 years and in all that time have never had a need to use one.

 

[Jayne]

I didn't know that C.J...Thanks for the info, I'll tell dh about that!!

 

[pammy]

Sure wish I could get out of my cell phone contract. Do you have to renew a contract? It seems the last time I went in to the business my contract had been up for a long while, I just kept using and they kept sending me a bill, lol. But, when me and dd both needed new phones a few months back it was either over $100 each for new phones or a new 2-year contract for 99 cent phones each. So we took the contract. Now I wish I hadn't.

I'm there with ya on the satellite. Mine is cable, and I have the cable internet. LOVE the cable internet, but it just seems it get more and more expensive. Shoot, I'm here all day and the tv is never on. Big waste it seems. I doubt antennae's would even pick up tv stations where I live, grrr.... It's like they got ya over a barrel. And it's so the norm nowadays that people don't even question if the 'need' to have these things, ya know?

 

[mom22grls]

I'd ditch the cell phone & get a pre-paid one....just for emergencies so DH will still think you're safe.

The satellite....I'd keep. I'd make sure you're getting the cheapest one, though. The reason I'd keep it is because the kids watch it & DH would be lost without it. You didn't say how much it is, but ours is about $54 with tivo & 2 recevers & local channels included.....our co. charges for local channels. PLUS, where we live, the reception is BAD on the rabbit ears. We're in a valley & can never see anything clearly enough. Without the tivo & extra receiver it'd be $12 less.

We don't go to movies & rent some like twice a year. This is pretty much dh's only form of entertainment. It's cheaper than shopping out of boredom. Me, I'm partial to the internet.

 

[Dedlered]

The cable company has us coming and going ~ I sure hope that someone soon offers broadband a little more inexpensively than Comcast!

 

[Jayne]

our dish runs us 39.20 a month and then the Sky Angel bill is another 15.89 a month...no kids here, just when our grandson visits and he never really watches t.v. here...I mostly watch Sky Angel and the only program I don't miss is Days of Our Lives and thats on local channels...I just gotta convince dh :skept:..He really doesnt watch T.V. much anyway..

 

[Emerald_Mommy]

I'd definitely get rid of the cable, satelite, etc. We have the very basic "life line cable" for ten dollars a month (just local channels, basically) and we still watch very little t.v.

We have a TRACphone for our cell phone. It's prepaid so we don't have to worry about the bill. We don't text each other so that keeps the minutes down. It has come in handy several times. I don't think they're absolute necessities but I know I appreciate mine when it's just me with the 2 girls.

 

[mom22grls]

I'd lose the satellite/cable before I'd even consider the internet, though. LOL!

Jayne, I don't know what Sky Angel is. Maybe do you have a friend that could tape certain shows for you?

Or, I got to thinking, isn't netflix like $15 a month? We could just get movies to watch instead of tv & there's tons of videos at the library for the little one..........hmmmmmm, you've got my wheels spinnin'.

 

[Katybird]

I got rid of our satellite when we bought our new house. We went back to basic cable from our local company and with DSL, telephone and cable included, it is less than what we paid for satellite alone. We have not missed the gazillion channels that came with the Dish (well maybe HGTV and Food network just a little bit ) and we watch the same amount of television as before.

I agree with Karen, the prepaid phones are a great way to keep the security of a cell phone without the monthly expense. There is so much competition between the companies now and that has really made the prices of the phones and minute cards for them come down.

 

[SHOPGIRL]

Well, I would get rid of the satellite if you don't think you'd miss it.

I'd keep the cell phone or find a cheaper plan. I've noticed that there are very few pay phones anymore. I often have emergencies, but I would never call 911.

If it were me, I'd cut my food budget before I eliminated my cell phone. That's just me; I'm on the road a lot.

 

[Scattymum]

I would certainly see if I could find a cheaper phone or switch to a prepaid. I dont know how things work over there but when my contract was up I cancelled and then rang up the phone company to convert the phone signal to pay as you go - I put 10 Euro credit on a month - if I use it before the month is out then I wont buy any more till payday - like a pp said you can still make emergency calls even with no credit.., does your phone provider do webtext?. I registered with the providers website and I get 300 free webtext a month - saves a fortune. I also belong to a website where you amass points by clicking on things and signing up to e newsletters - bit of a pain getting all the email but I just automatically delete it - all these points I get I can convert to phone credit - I get about 40Euro a month from them. there are deals out there if you look!!

If it were me I probably wouldnt get rid of the satallite but I would switch to a cheaper package or are there other companies that do a cheaper package,

Good Luck!!

 

[Darlene]

I vote for a trac phone and just getting basic cable. Good luck Jayne! Dd has a trac phone and really likes it.