My New Phone/Tablet

I got my new tablet/phone in the mail.  There was LOTS of great feedback from my last post about lowering my bills even more, I think everyone had great solutions, I was happy to see not everyone is buying into the huge cell phone marketing scheme!  Apparently I am late to this party, better late than never though!  So, there were lots of great options mentioned for cheaper services, some really great fall-backs if for some reason this doesn’t work out but the point was to get rid of the bill all together!  I have a bucket list item that states ‘spend less than $100 on my utility bills in one year‘, now some may not consider the phone a utility, and perhaps I ought to change that verbiage but I know when I wrote that I included my cell phone in it, for integrity sake I have to include that and make steps toward that.  Even if I spent $10 a month on a phone I would go over my budget.  So, the point is to not even spend that much.

I know that a LOT of people were concerned about MiniM and if there was an emergency etc.  Believe me, I am too, more than anyone else I’m sure!  The point though is that where ever it is that we spend our time we will have access to a phone.  I will be using Google Voice which is free and available anywhere there is wifi (ie home and work) where I spend 85% of my time.  If I am anywhere else it is either with friends or family (who have phones) OR on the road between those destinations.  THAT [he road] is the place I feel least secure.  The solution to that is to have a phone, charged and in my car at all times.   The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) now requires that 911 calls are required to be sent through weather or not I am a subscriber to their services.   This handles my fears about traveling without access to an emergency phone if ever needed.

“The FCC’s basic 911 rules require wireless service providers to transmit all 911 calls to a PSAP, regardless of whether the caller subscribes to the provider’s service or not.”

All problems solved:

• Home phone via tablet and wifi (my wifi has been FAR more reliable than my cell phone has been).
• Work phone via work phone (I am just ditching the cell option there, I have email and rarely got calls on my cell for work anyway).
• Travel phone via unsubscribed, always plugged into my car charger and in my console, old-school flip phone.
• When I am out with friends and family, we will have their phone, (unless they decide this is also a good idea and ditch their line, but then I still [most likely] have the wifi option because where is there no wifi anymore really?? :), PS, that won’t happen I’m sure, people think I’m pretty extreme in ditching the phone.

Other benefits:

• Every loved one I have will appreciate this, NO TEXTING WHILE DRIVING!   A horrible habit that I have that is extremely dangerous and needs to stop… check.
• When I am with friends and family I will be WITH friends and family, not checking my phone… Check.
• No phone bill!

My new Tablet 🙂

With keyboard!

Pretty cut little set-up, and convienient!

Fits perfectly into my purse (or I imagine my diaper bag too...)

I think I'm going to like this better than a phone 🙂

Also convenient for doing computer things 🙂

And in other fun news here is a video of a Great Dane fighting with a Chihuahua 🙂 (Denny and Tobi)