Five Cent Nickel over at PFBlog just did an interesting poll on how people are connecting to the internet. Results, here:
www.fivecentnickel.com/2006/05/08/money-poll-11-internet-acc...One of the commenters said he was spending $60 a month for DirectTV, $50 a month for his cell phone, $55 a month for internet, and complained of how much technology costs. He spoke of not having a landline with dialup, as it would cost too much money.
It made me want to look at my own spending on telecommunications overall; I wondered if I was really saving money having a landline. So I reorganized my categories in Quicken, and ran a report.
This fellow is spending $1980 a year on telecommunications all together.
I am spending $862, including Netflix to keep the comparison fair.
Limited basic cable, $123
Basic landline, $265
Toll calls (phone card and Pioneer Telephone), $50
Cell phones (2), $153
Dialup internet, $55
Netflix, $216
That's a savings of $1118 a year, and I have basically the same services that he does. In fact, I feel like I'm better off because in emergency situations, if the cell doesn't work I have the landline, and vice versa. (Both cases have happened to us before.)
I'm wondering if anyone else here has added up what they're spending on telecommunications as a whole, and how much they're spending? Compared to this guy I'm doing pretty well, but how do I compare to other tightwads?
May 14th, 2006 at 03:42 pm 1147621362
May 14th, 2006 at 04:21 pm 1147623676
I do not make long distance calls--maybe once every two-three months.
Satellite TV is $720 (we are in the boonies so no antenna or cable avail)
Cell's (3) $720 ($20 per phone per month)
Basic landline $588 (cell phones do not work well out here...so we still need a land line for calls at home)
so my total is $2028. (yikes...now you got me thinking that I need to reconsider some of these wants!!)
May 14th, 2006 at 05:18 pm 1147627138
I will be seeing changes in these when my kiddo moves. Cable will go down, as we pay for a set up in his room, so we don't have to watch Mr Rogers.....his cell is on my plan & he will continue to pay his part of the bill. I have paid for my moms cell on my plan too, for years.........and she is now putting money towards these things I've done.
And, I'm thinking of going back to dial up, or DSL, loosing the cable modem.
But, you've caused me to really think on this grouping.....definately not necessary expenses here.
May 14th, 2006 at 08:33 pm 1147638820
Long distance Card: we put maybe 20 bucks a year on the card, if that. Last time we stocked it it was early 2005, and we still have enough minutes left for all of 2006 potentially.
Land line, 17.10 a month for household, 205.20 annual.
Netflix 19.29 incl tax per month, 231.48.
$1344.68, and my share is $672. I would not have many of these things if I didn't have a person to split the cot with. (We each keep out finances separate and pay half to all sahred bills.)
May 15th, 2006 at 01:26 am 1147656398
DH and I have talked about dumping cable, since everything comes out on DVD's these days, just have to wait a little longer for it to come out. We could probably cut our internet in half if we wanted to use one of the bargain basement ISP's. But that cell bill is an ouch we can't get rid of. DH travels too much to be without one and I'm alone with the kids too much on the road to be without one.