This was the subject line of the Craigslist ad Chris put up three days before our departure for the UK.
In our haste to leave town, we’d let the issue of getting rid of our young iPhones languish at the bottom of our must-do list. Neither of us wanted to deal with it. It was depressing. We’d paid $250 a phone in November and signed 3 year contracts. Now we were going to lose a lot of money getting out of the contracts. I’d initially been quoted $400 per phone to end the contract and keep the phone. Chris called back and the real amount would end up being almost $1700 total for the two phones. OUCH.
As I wrote earlier, I was determined to leave the ‘smart’ phones in Canada. The move was a great opportunity to reset and I had already shown that my iPhone mostly led to procrastination and distraction. I wish I could use it properly like MelD who wrote:
I simply do not understand why everyone lets their phones control their lives.
The only thing I was anxious about before I was given an iphone over two years ago was that it could get expensive if I constantly wanted to look information up. That is something I like to do, but it hasn’t been a problem, I just have to be sure I’m on a local network or the costs shoot up (I live near borders!).
However, otherwise, I look at my phone or use it ONLY when I need to. I leave the sound off. I don’t let it dominate me or my life. It’s a tool, for goodness sake. If I’m expecting a call, I will look for it. If I miss one, no big deal – the information is there for me to call back at MY convenience.
On the contrary, my phone is so useful to me – clock, calendar, alarm clock, timer, camera, calculator, notebook, music, maps, capacity to look ANYTHING up, check the weather etc. etc. and I no longer need to drag a book along with me, either, since I got the Kindle app. I actually rarely use it as a phone – though it’s great to keep tabs on the family as necessary and also for my business, freeing me to be away from home at times and still get things done.
My favourite minimalist TOOL!!!!
MelD: that’s what I wanted my life with a smart phone to be like. But I didn’t have the will power, fortitude, good habits and focus. My iPhone became a bad habit.
Maybe some day I’ll have a smart phone again if I feel I can use it sparingly. This will probably be the same time that I can finally leave chocolate unopened and forgotten about in my cupboards.
Instead of buying out the phones and reselling them (going rate on Craigslist: $250) and still losing a lot of money, Chris put up the Craigslist ad and we had a buyer in minutes. They agreed to take over the phones and contracts.
We paid to get rid of our iPhones.
And it was worth every penny.
Life mostly disconnected is good. It’s easier to focus. No iPhone calling its sweet siren of time wasting connectivity. When we’re at the park, we’re at the park. We’re not on Facebook or answering an email. I see other parents tapping away as their kids play and I feel even better about my choice to ditch the ‘smart’ phone.
We picked up super cheap pay-as-you-go phones for life in the UK. Initially I didn’t want one but we ran into a few snags where it would’ve helped to have a phone. I’m keeping it as limited use: I haven’t given the number to anyone but Chris, some new acquaintances here and for registrations. No using it to text family and friends in Canada. That’s what Skype is for.
Anyone cut the chord with their phone recently or take a step back from their Internet use recently ? Considering it?
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An iPhone works for me as a minimalist tool too, as wrote by MelD. My purse is so much lighter now that I do not have to carry all the stuff that an iPhone can replace. And I just love to read books, but I hate to have a lot of paper books to organize. I don’t mind reading on the iPhone. It is also great that I do not have to buy an ebook reader to be able to read books nor do I have to be in front of a computer. Anyway, I guess you can just configure it not to bug you with unwanted events (like calls or messages) if you ever want to have an iPhone again 😉
I have to admit that I have NEVER tried this method. Way to be unconventional!
The main thing I miss now I have a smart phone, is turning the pc on and seeing my e-mails come through altogether. It used to be something to look forward to rather like the postman arriving with your letters. Now they drip through all day, and what I find is I read them less and less and delete as I am usually doing something else when they do come through. Before I would allocate some time to pick the mail up and respond.
I agree! And I am probably less effective because I see them come through, but by the time I get home, they already show as “read,” so I don’t remember there’s action I need to take!
Currently my phone is the most expensive alarm clock I have ever owned. I use it more than I would like to admit for things that are not important. But I love having the kindle app and access to an online bible at any given time. I could probably drop email, facebook and twitter from it completely and not miss them. I usually only check email from my phone to get rid of the little reminder icon. I check facebook if I’m bored, usually sitting in the car waiting for my husband to get back from running an errand; and I hardly ever check twitter, even from home (I hate twitter). I could live without my smartphone, but not without some withdrawal symptoms, I’m afraid.
I knew email checking on the iPhone would be an issue for me from the beginning. You can turn-off the push notifications and change the setting so that it only connects when you open the app.
Alarm clock: I ended up banning my iPhone from my bedroom. I was using it as an alarm but if my son woke me up – as he often did – and I couldn’t get back to sleep myself, I would jump on the iPhone. Which, of course, is not helpful for getting sleep.
While I got rid of the iPhone I am using an old iTouch. This way I can still use apps that I find helpful (mostly budgeting). I don’t bring the iTouch with me when I am out though. Enjoying being out and not connected. Might get tempted to look for free wifi if I had it with me.
You might find an ipad without internet good. I have one, but cannot connect when out and about so never take it out (too large anyway so no tempatation as with the touch). Great for apps, reading etc…
Chris has an iPad and we’re finding that as well. He uses the iPad for apps and I use the iTouch – we can both enter our financial items on one account with the new budgeting app we are using. I don’t bring my iTouch out of the house but Chris occasionally brings the iPad for the GPS map function (works even without wifi).
What financial app are you using? I use Quicken on my desktop but don’t want to pay for the upgrade to be able to do things from my phone. I have been wanting to get rid of my iphone for a few years now. Contract is up in November. I don’t want to be as connected as I used to be. I get irritated with myself for being so connected to it, and yet am a bit scared to get rid of it. I see that Straight Talk will now let you bring your phones with you, so maybe to start out, I can just switch to them to avoid the next 2 year contract. Good for you for being able to let go.
I am a new mom and foolishly let my daughter play with (drool on) my phone and that was the end of that. So then the great debate – iPhone or not? It was so tempting…. in my mommy group they chat on the phones and those of us with old technology are left behind (out?). But with some teeth clenching I got an old phone super cheap that does not have internet access and …..I’m fine! And richer! I can’t say I’ll never have one but right now its one less thing eating into my time and money – both of which are in short supply.
I’m about to tally up our cost of living changes since moving. The loss of our big bill cell phones is huge. I doubt we will spend more than 10 pounds (16 dollars) a month between the two phones. And yes, I seem to have more time without the iPhone. I’m actually really on top of the housework and we’ve only been in our new place just over a week. Miracle!
Am I considering getting rid of my iPhone? Um…no. But I do think that was a super smart way to get rid of your phones quickly. For my own part, I can’t see ever not having a cell phone. It’s been our only phone for years. We haven’t had a land line for over 7 years.
Now that I have a smart phone I couldn’t imagine going back the other way. But just because I have an iPhone doesn’t mean I am not fully at the park when I’m at the park, or at the beach when I’m at the beach. The only time my phone is out with me when we’re out with the kids is when I’m using the camera to take their pictures.
Having chocolate in the house is a problem though…
See, you’re one of the people that is sensible with technology. I should probably put a few caveats in a post like that. I know that most people and parents use smart phones responsibly and are respectful to those around them. But… the rest of us need them slapped out of our hands.
We have an i-phone sitting at the bottom of our wardrobe. It’s a hangover from a nasty experience with ID theft – nightmare, I won’t go into it all. Anyway this phone accidentally ended up at our correct address instead of the fraudster’s address, which is how we found out what was going on. We’ve been BEGGING the cell phone company to send us a postage-paid envelope so that we can return it to them. We don’t want it. Turns out neither does the cell phone company. Their reluctance to let us return it was baffling until I realised – it’s worthless to them. A new iphone will come out and they won’t be able to give this model away. Claiming on the insurance is far more certain revenue. Which just goes to show how worthless a lot of the shiny things we’re supposed to want are, no?
I love it when we go camping in the summer – no cell phone signal. An (adult) family member asked me ‘Well, what shall I do if I have a big problem while you’re away?’ I took a deep breath and said ‘You will have to deal with it, as I won’t be contactable’ Her jaw dropped. I felt a weight lift…
I’m so sorry – I hear ID theft is long hard road. And yes, electronics lose their value so quickly. However, I’m surprised a cell phone company wouldn’t eat the loss. That’s just bad customer service. Even if you’re not technically a customer.
Thanks for posting here. Checked your blog – ideal for us as we are hoping to visit at least a few times this year. Great resource for us to find free things to do. Thank you.
We moved to the US almost 2 years ago and when we tried to get the basic model of phone with the lowest possible amount of minutes/texting, the sales-people where confused. “Why would you do that?”, they asked. I find my phone buried deep in the bottom of the diaper bag and it’s usually covered in cheerio bits. A good friend shared the term “i-phone orphan”…I see them at the park all the time! In fact, I’m usually playing with them because they are drawn to the grown-up who makes eye-contact and plays. Glad you were able to jump off the wheel 🙂
iPhone orphan – I’m using that one!
I just went through the same thing with my Blackberry. I am in front of a computer all day and in the evenings for work. Why do I need a phone with Internet access too? It was excessive and costly. I switched phones and service plans and saved $30 per month.
I have also been without cable for the past year. There are times when I would LOVE to crawl into bed on a rainy day and watch Food Network…but other than that, I don’t even know it’s gone!
Smart choices, Lauren. I am definitely feeling like the odd man out lately – cutting cable, tossing my cell phone – but it feels great. Nice to hear others are also reigning the screen time in.
I haven’t had a cell phone in four years. The only bad part -I’m hyper-aware of other people’s use of their phones, and easily get annoyed when I’m ignored. Have to work on my patience…
The fog is clearing and I’m starting to ‘see’ that people are on their phones constantly. Funny, I took a 1 hour each way bus trip this week and I killed time playing games with my son. Sure, I would have done some of that before but I would have been waiting for a moment to check my phone. The compulsion is gone!
So true: you have to be the example for your children. I’m still living in years past as far as teens having cell phones goes – just seems ridiculous.
Funny, I missed a train yesterday and was thinking: if only I had my iPhone I could look up the bus route and timetable. Instead, I wandered into a coffee shop and asked for directions and a bit of help. The man had a printed bus timetable he was happy to give me and we had a really nice chat. You don’t get that personal connection from Google Maps.
Thanks re: the pic. From the Vancouver Mom Bloggers party.
It was a good Craigslist experience: win win for both parties. The best way to do business.
Congrats!
We’ve always only had pay-as-you-go phones, and frankly, I forget about mine most of the time. I know that if I had an iPhone, I’d overuse, so I don’t even go there.
It’s true – when your phone is limited use you really do forget about it. And the battery life! My iPhone needed to be charged at least every other day. This phone can sit for over a week and keep going.
We don’t have internet or cable at home. We get three channels (CBC, CTV and Global), which we rarely watch (the tv stays in the basement). We have a pay as you go cell phone that I rarely check. It’s really not that radical or strange, we’re normal people 🙂
And I have internet at work, so can check things during breaks.
I like not being so “connected”. And I like that our kids are not staring at screens (or watching mommy & daddy stare at screens) for significant portions of the day.
But, to each their own. Sometimes, I really, really wish I had cable 🙂
We cut the cable about a year ago. We did get Netflix and we had some options to stream tv shows from our laptops onto our TV. Even with those options I noticed a huge reduction in how much we watched. It was very intentional and my husband and I would decide what we want to watch before the tv was on.
Thanks for posting your comment – great to hear from a family that has limited screen and connection time.
Re Wilma – not sure where you live, but being in a big Canadian city, we have a digital antenna and we get 7 channels in HD, without paying any cable bills. Although we do not get the specialty channels, we do get all the major stuff.
Hey Rachel,
I’ve never owned a cell phone, partly because I don’t like to be plugged in and mostly because I’m wary of contracts. Call me non-committal. And ouch, now I see why. $1,700 to STOP using a service? Something seems so wrong with the world.
Internet use: I use the internet for my business so I’m online a lot. A few months ago I started tracking my time and I cut back from 60-80 hours a week down to a reasonable 40 so I’m pretty ecstatic with the switch. The main thing I did was reduce twitter to a minimum and streamline some other aspects of my business. It was worth it!
Looking forward to hearing how your no cell phone experiment works for you! Take care.
Hey Tanja,
Saw photos of your tiny house in construction. It looks really good. Can’t wait to see the finished product.
I’m always happy to hear of/meet people that don’t own cell phones. It just seems like such a given in my circle of friends and acquaintances. And yet, it wasn’t so long ago that it was a rarity.
Nice work on reducing your screen time!
R