Do YOU Still Have One?

I'm talking about a house phone. A land line. A telephone that you can only use inside your house, can only talk on, not text or take pictures or search the internet or check your e-mail.

In preparation of leaving my day job in a few months to write full-time, we talked with a financial adviser. I had to work up a budget and it got us thinking about ways to cut down on unnecessary expenses. Hubby and I each have a cell phone. Do we really need a house phone?

I know a lot of people who only have their cell phones. None of the ones I've talked to miss their land line. So why is it such a difficult decision to make?

I talked with a friend recently who is debating the same thing. She said she heard that those of us who have had house phones for years are holding onto them for sentimental reasons. We've always had one. We've had the same number for years.

Probably members of the younger generation reading this wonders what all the fuss is about.

I'm not sure sentimentality is the reason I've been reluctant to give up the house phone. I don't like to get unexpected phone calls on my cell. To me, my cell phone has always been the number friends and family have. Everyone else gets the house phone number.

And how many people and places have only the house number? There are bound to be people I'd want to be able to reach me who only have that number. Or maybe not, if most of my friends and family have my cell phone number.

At close to $40 a month, it's tempting. Hey, think of all the space I'd have on my table if I got rid of the telephone and answering machine! So how about you? Do you still have one? If you made the decision to get rid of it, do you miss it? Or have you never had one? I'd love to hear from you!

Natasha
Paolo's Playhouse series from Samhain
Silken Canvas - coming Dec 25th
www.natashamoore.com

3 comments:

Alison Stone said...

I'm like you. Only friends and the kids' schools have my cell phone number. I keep a house phone to screen all the sales calls. I certainly don't want those coming to my cell. I say it's worth $40. Hubby and I have had same exact conversation.

Alyssa Kress said...

If you live in an area where an emergency might cut your power (or disturb the power of the cell phone towers), you will be very glad to have a house phone. You need one that plugs into the wall, not a mobile one that requires electricity to run. These will work during a power outage. Living in earthquake country myself, I will never give up my plugged-in house phone!

Natasha Moore said...

Thanks for chiming in ladies. All good reasons to keep the home phone. Guess I'll find some other ways to cut costs. :)