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Paper Roses (4,642 posts) Thu Jun 13, 2013, 01:16 PM I'm scared to do this: any thoughts?My kids have put me on their cell plan and given me a phone with far more functions than I need. I want only to send and receive. That aside: I have had my current land line for 45 years. I have no idea how many people or businesses have the number but certainly some are important but I have no idea who other than my bank, insurance company etc. The last 2 months, I have tried to use the cell phone for long distance as often as possible. Takes some getting used to.Yesterday I paid my normal bills and one of them was to Verizon. OK, this was a 2 month bill.April $8.00 worth of toll calls (one town over) , May-$12.00 the rest of the bill are fees, taxes and other junk.Grand total 92.06 I live on SS and must cut all corners. It seems that this is one of them. Have you ever been nervous about closing your land line and going cellular? When I am upstairs, I cannot hear the phone ring. That bothers me. I wish there was a remote ring station. I could still go downstairs if I could hear the phone. If I am home, I am usually on the first floor and can answer, otherwise I am out of luck. I feel funny having to rely on a cell phone.
Downwinder (7,746 posts) Thu Jun 13, 2013, 02:05 PM1. Verizon was going to offer a $5 landline plan that would receive calls but not dial out. Might check it out.
elleng (41,773 posts) Thu Jun 13, 2013, 09:39 PM2. If they've put you on their plan, they should pay, imo. I don't mean to be mean, but given your circumstances, I'd raise this with your kids and/or Verizon. Maybe ask your kids to share the expense with you, and change the plan and your phone. I ONLY have cell, FEW functions, and like it, but that's since we sold our house and everything in my life changed. I don't go anywhere without my phone. I share a Verizon plan with my daughter, and pay $175/month for both of us together. This is voluntary, and I can afford it. With me only, I estimate I would pay about $105. edit: A friend suggests you and your kids look into Consumer Cellular, recommended among others by AARP.
No Vested Interest (737 posts) Fri Jun 14, 2013, 01:08 AM3. Cell phones can present some problems for seniors...For instance, if female and you keep the phone in your purse, it frequently rings four times, then stops before one can get it out of the purse. You will likely have an indication of who called, and/or sometimes a message, so you can call back as necessary. If you misplace the phone, in your home or elsewhere, you can call or ask someone to call your cell phone number to hear the ring and retrieve it from wherever it was left. The "contact list" is useful for having numbers of others available when needed. I've had my kids put in the necessary numbers for me, including friends, family members, pharmacy, doctors and a few other business numbers. Like you, I've had the same land line number for 50+ yrs. I have about 6 phones on that number throughout the house; some are connected by cords, some I can take to a chair or table where I am. I use these when in my home in preference to the cell. - The battery won't run down as it can with cells. My cell is also on a family plan with a son and a daughter; they use the bulk of the minutes. However, I consider the cell a necessity for safety on the road and when out of the house, in case of accident. It also saves time frequently to check with a family member re meeting, something forgotten, etc. I can remember the cell numbers of family members which are dialed frequently; however, since I never dial my own number, I cannot remember it, so when people ask, I tell them I can't remember and don't give it to them. Besides, I don't encourage calls on my cell, especially from people with whom I do business, especially because of the above-mentioned problem of retrieving it quickly enough. It seems to me your local land line company would offer a minimum usage plan, which might be worth inquiring about. $92.+ is too much for very limited usage. Be aware that land lines are losing quite a bit of business to cell phones and may encourage you to keep yours, but you know your needs better than they do.
RebelOne (27,585 posts) Sat Jun 15, 2013, 04:42 PM4. I am thinking about dropping my land line.I have a package plan with Comcast that bundles my cable, Internet and phone, but it is becoming too expensive and am considering eliminating the land line and just using my cell phone for which I only pay $22 a month. I am also on social security and money is really becoming tight.
pipi_k (17,137 posts) Mon Jun 17, 2013, 12:01 PM5. Have you checked out the Jitterbug phone? Also, there's the Tracfone Straight Talk plan. Mr Pipi and I were using that for a while until we got onto his daughter's family plan, which only costs us $5 a month more than the Tracfone plan did, which was $45 per month for unlimited calls and texting. My daughter uses the cheaper Straight Talk plan which is 1000 calls and texts per month for $30. Anyway, regarding the "where is the cellphone" issue...there are holsters/holders you can buy that fit onto a belt. I usually keep my cellphone on the kitchen table, except for when Mr Pipi is not home, then I carry it in one of those little doggy treats bags for training dogs. It clips onto the waistband of my pants. I don't lose my phone...I have a tendency to fall, and so he's always after me to keep my phone ON me when he's not around. PS...I agree with a whoever said it might be nice to ask for a bit of help from your kids paying your bill, especially if they insist on your having the phone they want you to have.
pengillian101 (2,124 posts) Tue Jul 16, 2013, 08:59 PM6. The main reason we keep our land line is for 911 and calling when the power goes out.We live very rural so cell phones are hit and miss. We've tried the Jitterbug, but found we seldom used it. I also tried a pre-paid Tracphone, but didn't use it either. Both of us have difficulty with the small buttons. So for now, we each have On-Star in our vehicles and keep the land-line, as it's sure to work when the power goes out (frequently). The regular phones we use are V-Tech with two docking stations. So I always carry one with me throughout the house and garage, while the other phone is charging. Dang it, phone service is expensive! Currently, our land-line is about $50+ and my limited OnStar is $199 a year (or $18.99 per month) and his is $398 a year (38+ a month) because he has OnStar directions available. No more cell phones. That land-line just kills me; it's all taxes and other junk What I'd really like to do is bundle phone, internet and satellite TV, but am having trouble finding all, three together in our area.
Worried senior (559 posts) Thu Jul 25, 2013, 01:17 PM9. We too live ruralI do have a trac phone for travel, costs about $10.00/mo and we never use all the minutes. We also have our land line, we are with Centurylink which can combine free long distance (you do pay in the package), DSL which works pretty well and Direct TV. It costs us just under $200.00/mo, hope to keep the service as long as we possibly can. They do have assistance if you are on Medicaid but so far we aren't so there are no senior deals for us.
I love how many of them feel they have a "right" to their kids earnings. I would feel like an absolute failure if I had to leech off my kids.
I refuse to even consider a cell phone. If I'm enjoying baseball or football out on the deck, or driving to town, I don't want to be bothered. If a call is important, they can leave a message on the recorder or call back later.
chronically helpless primitive
I still have the land line Dummie. It's cheaper than a cell...
I still have the land line Dummie. It's cheaper than a cell...which I don't have if you don't count the work cell they make me carry. Nobody ever calls me at home unless it's Mom or She Who is the Omnipotent One telling me I need to be in a location that I currently ain't. Nobody calls the work phone unless it is a crisis either.I'm set in my ways and the phone is for my convenience, not someone else's.
