Monday, June 7, 2010

Monday Morning Chit Chat - Downgraded Edition

Good morning! Did all of you have a good weekend?

My current cell phone developed some problems over the weekend. My phone was a slider, and the monitor part was only working when the phone was closed. When I slid it open to do anything with it, the monitor went dark. It was pretty difficult to see my phone book with a dark screen.

You know how most people upgrade their cell phones when ever their current phone develops a problem? Or just for the heck of it because they are bored with what they have?  Or just because they can get it for free with a contract extension? Well, I decided to downgrade my phone instead.

On an average day, I make and receive two or three calls, and occasionally I use the calculator feature or the alarm feature. That's all I ever do with my phone. I never used any of the other features on my phone, like the camera, texting, Bluetooth, or Internet.

I didn't want or need to buy a new phone with lots of features I won't use. And although I've never been with any provider other than my current one, I didn't want to commit to another two years with them just to get a free phone. So, I decided to downgrade to a very basic phone. It will allow text messaging (although we don't text; we have it disabled on our plan), it has speakerphone and it has fm radio if you have the headset plugged in. No more, no less.

Downgrading just made sense for my needs -- or lack thereof.  Shane downgraded to the same phone about a year ago when he got tired of paying good money two or three times a year for phones with unnecessary features that were destined to get ruined by the dust and grit on his job sites.  He goes through two or three phones a year because of his work conditions, so we just watch for them to go on sale and can sometimes pick them up for as little as $10 or $15 each.

Of course, switching my phone didn't take up my entire weekend. I also had a chance to try out our new grill a couple of times, and as usual, we spent time around the house cleaning, cooking, gardening and organizing. I guess I sound like a broken record when I write about our weekends, but working around the house is something Shane and I truly enjoy, especially when we don't have anything else planned. There's just something very relaxing about staying home and tending to things.

What is going on in your part of the world this week? I honestly don't know what the week will hold in store here. I think I should take a few minutes and at least rough in an idea of what I'd like to do this week. It doesn't have to be carved in stone or anything, but a basic idea sure helps to keep chaos from taking over.

Happy Monday! Have a good week!




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7 comments:

Sheila said...

I have a very basic phone too--it's all I need. We love doing things around the house too. It makes me feel good to be able to look at something and say I did that!!
Tomorrow I have a doctors appointment--complete physical--YUCK!! I'm not too sure about the rest of the week--guess it depends on whether or not we end up going to MO this week. We are in kind of a wait and see mode right now. Have a great week!!

slugmama said...

I've got a basic cell phone too...pay as you go kind. Though I am upgrading my plan this month so we can get rid of the long distance plan on the landline....so I'll have a BONUS of free email/texting/etc. on my cell...none of which I'll use, just the free long distance.lol

The company is finally GONE! so I have my life back. This week is the last week of school + the week before 2 teens go to camp to work for the summer so it's hurry and get everything ready for them to leave.
Can you see me smiling as I say they are leaving soon?LOLOL

McVal said...

I'm the same way with the cell phone.. Ugg!
As for enjoying puttering around the house.. I'm looking forward to a weekend with nothing planned so I can do just that!
I'm glad you had a good one!

Sonya Ann said...

I think you made the right choice with the phone. I hate to pay more than I have too. That said we are on my inlaws plan and pretty quick we are going to have to get our own plan. And it won't be cheap. My guess is about $100 a month. But we will need it with Anna going away and all. At least, that is what I'm going to tell myself!

Tug said...

I have to have unlimited texting, or else I'd have to actually talk on the phone. I hate talking on the phone. ;-)

Anonymous said...

I so wish I could downgrade my phone... I am one of those people that always needs to have the most up-to-date phone... I think I would cry without my iphone. Yep, it's that bad ;)

Annie Jones said...

Sheila: I wish you might be coming to MO under other circumstances so that maybe we could meet. Being in wait and see mode is hard.

Slugmama: We got rid of our landline entirely; we used it even less than we use the cells.

Osage Bluff Quilter: I think the older I get, the more of a homebody I become. :) We looked into Trac Phones, but we're grandfathered into a plan rate that's hard to beat.

McVal: I thought about replacing my old one, like you did yours, with one from eBay, but I decided I didn't like it well enough to go to the trouble.

SonyaAnn: I dread the day Kat is old enough to have a cell phone. We may have to reconnect our landline then and make her go old school.

Tug: Well, you do have a point. I much prefer email over talking on the phone. But I haven't seen any phones with a full-size keyboard...LOL!

Eternally: I don't think I have the most up-to-date anything in my possession. LOL Thanks for stopping by. :)