Could you live on $1000/month?

**Terri** · #**261** 01/21/13, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Molly Mckee

The "need" for a cell phone depends on where you live. If you live in a very rural area and drive roads that are not well traveled they certainly are a very good idea. If you hunt, cut wood, ride a horse, hike or a other outdoor activities they are very good to have. When I am here alone and I go down to the barn, I carry my phone. I would certainly want my child to have one, especially a daughter, if she was in school and working at night or driving alone. It's just safer. There are very few pay phones now and people don't stop to help very often as they assume you have a phone.

BINGO!

You said it better than I could. Both of my kids carry a very basic cell phone.

And, the 2 times my daughter used up her time I ROASTED her! Her phone does not shut off when her minutes have been used: instead it costs more.

countryfied2011 · #**262** 01/21/13, 07:50 AM

I think there is a need for cellphones...otoh I dont think we have to have the best of best....that is a "want". You can rarely find a payphone and a lot of places have policies that their phones are not for public use.

I worked nights for 17 yrs driving the back roads part of the way....so I had a cellphone up until I retired last July. We both gave up our phones because I hated paying 175.00 a month to Verizon and we have to keep our land line because of the security system...It was a no brainier--get rid of cellphones and get a tracphone which cost us 10.00 month....but now I have lost that somewhere and we have no cell. We haven't missed it so I havent bought another yet....however since we go out on the boat a lot I will get another one this summer. Yeah we all survived yrs ago when there werent any cellphones...but you have to admit when you needed to call someone it was a pain to try and find a payphone...or not have the correct change.

I do have a pet peeve about cellphones though....I dont think you have to be talking or texting on them 24/7 though...drives me nuts to stand in line somewhere and someone is talking on the phone behind me or while they are checking out....

and it is so rude to be texting while carrying on a conversation with someone. Ok that is bunny trail for another topic...lol

rambler · #**263** 01/21/13, 09:05 AM

If you take your whole life, and divide it by the education, food, shelter, transportation, health care, taxes, and savings one needs -

No, you cannot live in today's society on $1000 per month in today's dollars.

Perhaps one got some free help from parents, govt assistance, windfall inheritance, or some such, and after that can live on $1000 a month; but that is not accuratly accounting things, you need to look at a long period of time, and your real incomes and expenses over that long period of time.

Now, if you come into a certain place in your life where you have a place paid for, have your basic transportation and setp paid for and are healthy, then at that point in time, you can easily live on $1000 per month. For that time period.

All depends what stage of life you are at, and if you happen to be a frugal prepared type of person, or not.

--->Paul

Edit: Just read more of the thread, cell phones, ick! Device of the devil, so glad I don't have to have one for kids or job. Hate the things. Certainly I see their value or need in many cases, but just hate the things for myself.... I kept all such frills out of my list, but housing, transportation, health care, food, education, transportation are all going to be real costs to everyone, and have pretty set costs to _someone_ and affect everyone. You need tools if you grow your own food and land to use, someone needs to pay for basic education, you don't have to have a car but at some point in your life you will need to be mobile, and so on.

Wendy · #**264** 01/21/13, 09:18 AM

I have a cell phone. Basic phone, no texting. My son has a cell phone that he bought & pays for. I have my old tracfone for any of the kids if they have an afterschool activity, so they can call me. I wouldn't say they are a need though. We could get by without them. We couldn't live without a landline as we have no cell reception at our house. Also, a lot of the area I drive in does not have cell service. Depends on where you are.

gabbyraja · #**265** 01/21/13, 10:00 AM

We are a family of 7 living on just over twice that, so I guess my answer is yes?

Lizza · #**266** 01/21/13, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wendy

I have a cell phone. Basic phone, no texting. My son has a cell phone that he bought & pays for. I have my old tracfone for any of the kids if they have an afterschool activity, so they can call me. I wouldn't say they are a need though. We could get by without them. We couldn't live without a landline as we have no cell reception at our house. Also, a lot of the area I drive in does not have cell service. Depends on where you are.

You could get by without them but sending a kid off to the University without a cell phone? No, I don't think they could. It is like asking you to get by without your landline, your landline does not depend on your survival but it would be hard to get along without it I'm assuming. This carries over to a University student, asking them to do without a decent cell phone (doesn't have to be anything fancy) is like asking you to get by without your landline.

My daughters is her lifeline to all her clubs, sorority, activities, classes, class schedule, calender, etcetera. Cell phones are the only way that most of these things even communicate. Plus she drives 30 minutes on rural highways to get to school everyday. Her phone also has GPS and directions (she gets lost easily), she drives all over the State doing various activities.

I stand by what I said, of course some people, even many people, could get by without one but a University student is not one of them. I suppose that comes back to then who will pay for it, for us, I pay for my daughters. She pays for school and gas and I pay for everything else.

Lizza · #**267** 01/21/13, 10:59 AM

I suppose I will add, I could get along without a cell phone. It would kind of suck because like others said there really aren't very many pay phones anymore and since literally everyone has cell phones no one would stop if you were stranded on the side of the road, plus I am just use to having a cell phone at this point and it would be a bummer to not be able to get in contact with my husband or family when I needed to. I don't have anything fancy.

Our other older daughter has a trackphone, she uses hardly any minutes (she's 16). She doesn't drive yet.

My husband could not get along without one, he has to have a smart phone for our business, and it would not be possible for him to run our business from the field without it. For him it is a need, not a want.

Yvonne's hubby · #**268** 01/21/13, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolf mom

I work with elders that live on an average of $700.00 a month including rent (subsidized). And of course, living in an apartment and very old with arthritis, etc, it's difficult to grow your own food.

When you have to make a choice between going blind (getting macular degeneration shots) and getting dentures life is not fun anymore.

Well, given the choice of the shots or dentures.... thats pretty much a nobrainer.... get the shots... teeth are highly over rated. I have a set of dentures.... I know I do coz they cost me somewhere around 800 bucks back in 05... they are around here somewhere, they have to be.... I know they are coz I wouldnt have thrown them away but I havent seen them in a long time.

As to that last part... life not being fun anymore... where the heck is it written that life is sposed to be fun? Life is life, lotsa work, sweat, pain and sorrow.... if you manage to find a bit of fun here and there thats great but there certainly are no guarantees!

Yvonne's hubby · #**269** 01/21/13, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morningstar

You could get by without them but sending a kid off to the University without a cell phone? No, I don't think they could. It is like asking you to get by without your landline, your landline does not depend on your survival but it would be hard to get along without it I'm assuming. This carries over to a University student, asking them to do without a decent cell phone (doesn't have to be anything fancy) is like asking you to get by without your landline.

My daughters is her lifeline to all her clubs, sorority, activities, classes, class schedule, calender, etcetera. Cell phones are the only way that most of these things even communicate. Plus she drives 30 minutes on rural highways to get to school everyday. Her phone also has GPS and directions (she gets lost easily), she drives all over the State doing various activities.

I stand by what I said, of course some people, even many people, could get by without one but a University student is not one of them. I suppose that comes back to then who will pay for it, for us, I pay for my daughters. She pays for school and gas and I pay for everything else.

When I went to college we didnt have cellphones. But then I already knew my class schedule, and we had a good system for finding out about all those social activities too... we called it a bulletin board. I also knew how to find my way around with another old fashioned device... it was called a road map.

Lizza · #**270** 01/21/13, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby

When I went to college we didnt have cellphones. But then I already knew my class schedule, and we had a good system for finding out about all those social activities too... we called it a bulletin board. I also knew how to find my way around with another old fashioned device... it was called a road map.

What year was that

Annsni · #**271** 01/21/13, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby

When I went to college we didnt have cellphones. But then I already knew my class schedule, and we had a good system for finding out about all those social activities too... we called it a bulletin board. I also knew how to find my way around with another old fashioned device... it was called a road map.

But where can you find a road map nowadays? Not at gas stations anymore!

Often times, colleges don't have bulletin boards with info unless you mean the online kind.

Additionally, you can't find pay phones anywhere so if someone gets stuck and you don't have a cell, you're SOL.

Finally, professors now do a LOT online and will text for class changes/assignments, etc.

A cell phone is important to me and as close to a necessity one can get - but it doesn't mean one needs to pay $170 a month for it. Hubby and I have "pay by the minute/text" and we spend about $7 a month total. My daughters have Virgin Mobile and pay $35 a month for unlimited texting, unlimited data and 300 minutes. There is just no reason for us to spend more than that in our family.

Yvonne's hubby · #**272** 01/21/13, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morningstar

What year was that

That was in the dark ages... early 80s.

Annsni · #**273** 01/21/13, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby

That was in the dark ages... early 80s.

That was a completely different world back then! Now, forget being a college student without a computer.

Lizza · #**274** 01/21/13, 12:36 PM

double post

Lizza · #**275** 01/21/13, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby

That was in the dark ages... early 80s.

You may as well try to explain to them your cool 8 track player in your Gremlin

Yvonne's hubby · #**276** 01/21/13, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Annsni

But where can you find a road map nowadays? Not at gas stations anymore!

Often times, colleges don't have bulletin boards with info unless you mean the online kind.

Additionally, you can't find pay phones anywhere so if someone gets stuck and you don't have a cell, you're SOL.

Finally, professors now do a LOT online and will text for class changes/assignments, etc.

A cell phone is important to me and as close to a necessity one can get - but it doesn't mean one needs to pay $170 a month for it. Hubby and I have "pay by the minute/text" and we spend about $7 a month total. My daughters have Virgin Mobile and pay $35 a month for unlimited texting, unlimited data and 300 minutes. There is just no reason for us to spend more than that in our family.

Service stations are even rare these days... when was the last time you had a pump jockey check your oil?

A lot of stop and robs (convenience stores where we now get to pump our own gas) do carry road maps, but most of todays university students wouldnt know how to fold them... much less read them.

As to getting stuck without a cellphone.... most folks have one... all you do is vary the theme I always used... Instead of walking to the nearest house and use their landline... you simply ask the nearest person walking by for help. Most folks I know will be happy to offer the use of their phone to one in trouble.

Annsni · #**277** 01/21/13, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby

Service stations are even rare these days... when was the last time you had a pump jockey check your oil?

A lot of stop and robs (convenience stores where we now get to pump our own gas) do carry road maps, but most of todays university students wouldnt know how to fold them... much less read them.

Have you seen their cost? They are really expensive and not worth purchasing if I already have an app on my phone.

Quote:

As to getting stuck without a cellphone.... most folks have one... all you do is vary the theme I always used... Instead of walking to the nearest house and use their landline... you simply ask the nearest person walking by for help. Most folks I know will be happy to offer the use of their phone to one in trouble.

That's assuming anyone is around....

Yvonne's hubby · #**278** 01/21/13, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morningstar

You may as well try to explain to them your cool 8 track player in your Gremlin

8 tracks were great werent they?

I never had much use for a Gremlin... I liked real cars.... something with at least a 440 hemi to kick it down the road.

Yvonne's hubby · #**279** 01/21/13, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Annsni

Have you seen their cost? They are really expensive and not worth purchasing if I already have an app on my phone.

That's assuming anyone is around....

Yep, I bought a couple last month while touring the great American west... 5 bucks each! My Yvonne had her Iphone and Ipad... which were both pretty much useless when there was no signal. My road maps were far more useful.

There is always someone around... dont believe me? Try dealing out a hand of solitaire.... within minutes some jerk will magically appear, telling you to play the black ten on the red jack!

Annsni · #**280** 01/21/13, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby

Yep, I bought a couple last month while touring the great American west... 5 bucks each! My Yvonne had her Iphone and Ipad... which were both pretty much useless when there was no signal. My road maps were far more useful.

Man - I want to be where you are!! They are ridiculous around here!

Why were the iPad and iPhone useless? There is still Google maps that should show local streets even without a signal. Basically, an online map.

Quote:

There is always someone around... dont believe me? Try dealing out a hand of solitaire.... within minutes some jerk will magically appear, telling you to play the black ten on the red jack!

LOL - Yeah, not in some areas of the country at 2 am!