Comments on: Technologies I Live Without and Save Big

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:32:52 +0000

I like and use many of the things that you have excluded but the new hand held devices that connect people to the world through text messaging and Internet surfacing seem a little bit much for me…

I get enough technology the way it is and do not need to be glued to one of these devices!!

By: Monica

Monica — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 06:49:28 +0000

If you have a computer with internet at home, consider Hulu.com for watching TV. We went a year without TV and used Hulu to watch sitcoms and other shows for entertainment. Plus, if you “subscribe” to a show, it automatically saves new episodes for you! Who needs a DVR?!

Currently, no iPod (who needs one when I can listen to music on grooveshark.com), free cable, 17-year-old car, and an old phone. I do spend $$ on our cell plan: data, text, etc. But we know it’s a splurge and we’re OK with that!

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 19:11:44 +0000

I found this article a relief. My friends thought I was nuts to cancel my TV, but honestly my husband is not venting every morning while he watched the news, and using NetFlix, considerably cheaper, we have exactly what we want to watch when we want to watch. Things are just freer feeling. We’ve often thought about going now to one car versus the two we have and I admit, your article is inspiring both myself and my husband to seriously reconsider being a two car family. Much thanks! Sandy

By: Dianne

Dianne — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 13:37:51 +0000

Most of this comes down to want versus need. Some of us are around who lived in a time before the iPod, before SmartPhones, before computers were widely available. Guess what…we found our friends, we were able to do work, we managed just fine. I used to to have electronic gadget addiction/envy but I jumped off the bandwagon when I realized I was allowing myself to be sold stuff because someone else had it and not because I needed it. I truly don’t need most of the electronic stuff that will end up in land fills in the next year because something newer will be coming out. If you have lots of money, and like the toys, and don’t have anything important to do with your money (like save for retirement, college funds, mortgages), fine. Spend away, but know you will never catch up. Some of us don’t want to. As for people who insist on being constantly on electronic leashes, I find it very rude to go out with someone and find them more interested in the phone than spending the time with me. It is about the most insulting thing a person can do to me and I’m starting to not put up with this lack of courtesy, and I will say something. I do have a car, but that’s mainly because I have an elderly mother and the local public transit system stinks, and I don’t have wads of money to spend on very expensive tax cab rides. The car is a need. The iStuff is a want, and I can skip it without regret.

By: CindyM

CindyM — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 12:29:21 +0000

Tyler – How do you manage without a car, you ask. Well, you find a town where you can work from home or very close to home if at all possible and buy/rent a place within walking distance of a Walmart or several bus routes. It worked well for me, did a ton of walking which never hurt, and the bus was great for the big snows we had. Did have Mom’s car as a backup for buying bigger things but I truly seldom asked to borrow it. I’d go without a car again if I had to and feel lucky I live where I have the choice.

By: larabelle

larabelle — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:18:58 +0000

While in debt I found that I am VERY susceptable to advertising so I gave away the TV (two years ago) and now that I am out of debt I realized I really did not miss it so never replaced it.

I also gave away my computer and lap top as I was not using them. I sit at a computer all day for work and the last thing I want to do in my free time at home is sit at a computer. I can use it at work during my breaks or go to the library if need be. I have not missed them.

I have a car, although an older model and I am pleased with it…as the insurance is cheap.

I have a cell phone although it is one of the free models and I have the cheapest cell plan and God has blessed me as my cell phone company also offers me a 15% discount on top of the cheap plan due to where I work.

I do not own nor want an ipod.

There are just many, many technologies I can do without.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:00:29 +0000

I still don’t understand how individuals are able to live without a vehicle? I have lived in towns and cities of every size (populations of 500; 50,000; 185,000; 600,000; 2,900,000, 5,900,000) and ONLY the city of 50,000, which had a joint college/city bus system could meet my transportation needs. In all other areas, the distance from home to any other necessity of life (employment and groceries being the main ones) is a minimum of 5 miles, with no public transport available. Even traveling on a bicycle, that’s pushing it.

By: Erika

Erika — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:44:31 +0000

I think you have great advice. Unfortunately, the TV and iPod are the only ones that can apply to us since we have small children. I can’t be without a car in case of an emergency. We have a TV but no cable. We have a prepaid cell phone which costs $125 initially for the phone and prepaid card which is good for a year. After that, we just buy a $10 or $20 card once a year to refill the phone and the minutes don’t expire for another year. It’s worth it to us to have it for emergencies. Something to add to your recommendations might be home phone/internet service. We decided to purchase Ooma two years ago and have not had a monthly phone bill since. We do have high speed internet (our only bill of this type) in order to use the Ooma phone service. It’s like getting a 2 for 1 deal.

By: Grant

Grant — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:12:15 +0000

I think the trick with this sort of thing is to not go all out…

My wife and I have one car but it is 10 years old and in good shape. Unfortunately we will have to get a second next year due to moving to a southern city where it just isn’t possible to not have a car.

My wife and I both have iPhones… but we use them to their limits which I think a lot of people do not do. To us, they are phones, laptops, notebooks, organizers, music player, video player, and video game player. I have a laptop through work, but if I didn’t I still wouldn’t have one due to how robust the iPhone is.

My 10 year old TV finally died, and we (okay it was mainly me) did splurge on a beautiful new TV. We compensated by having no cable and free internet from our landlord. I would say in the past three years this is my one and only thing I really spoiled myself with- guilty as charged.

Here’s where I have an opinion: Why do people own iPods? Now especially the ones who also have smartphones which can store music! Do you REALLY need 40 gigs of music on you at all times? I have 4 or 5 on my iPhone and it is way more than I need… once or twice a month I’ll swap some stuff out- pretty easy to do! And for those without iPhones… I used to have a 2 gig Sandisk I got for $15 on woot.com! However I agree with the guy who said they are an easy cost b/c there is no follow up expenses though… if you get one as a gift why not?

I do like all your philosophy though.. though I think you should cave and get a pay as you go cell phone. Not only would it save you an immense amount of trouble, it could literally save your life one day.

By: CindyM

CindyM — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 12:59:18 +0000

I managed without a car for 3 years and could have gone on with it but found a cheap old Civic that runs well. I use a cheap Tracfone for emergencies and have kept my landline. I have my TVs hooked up to converter boxes. Have rediscovered garage sales and made a killing this past summer – among other things, picked up some nice used furniture, a nice TV for $10, an old VCR for $2, a cheap rewinder and tons of VCR tapes, sometimes for 50 cents each, some even unopened – very cheap entertainment since I don’t have a movie channel. I’m managing nicely and could care less about having newer stuff. I feel fortunate to have so many thrift stores in my area, and they are full of nice things.