necessity for me specially if a panic attack starts in I use no plans just buy minutes cheaper for me 20.00 every two or three months.

 After breaking down on the Interstate on a December night, I no longer considered it a luxury but a necessity.  I was no where near help.  As it was it took help 45-60 min to arrive.  I still don't have all the fancy things on mine.  It is just basic with text (text came with the package).  I am quite thankful for mine.

I really dislike them but they are a necessary evil

my DH and boys are surveyors they arent in an office to contact so  I have a phone that part of that group ..... alot of times its customers calling  I do take messages

my Phone is for my family and E- family here.

we still have land lines

we go days with out the line ringing

 

They seem to have a range from simple to very complicated with all the features and options. It makes me wonder if instant access to answers via phone, internet and apps is helpful or creating a dependancy on technology. I can see a day coming where people won't be able to problem solve or understand a map or phone book if it doesn't show up on a screen. I like being able to function in both new and old technology.

Dear ALl, For me, a cell phone is definitely a luxury.  All that I would want it for is to call in an emergency.   I have a land-llline at hoome, & out on teh street, people have rescued me.  The cost just isn't worth it for me.  That said, there are times when I'm waiting for a cab wen I wish that I had a cell to call the company & have them re-dispatch as the cab hssn't cooome n 15 minutes.  (Under San Francisco Paratransit, I have taxi scrip -- you pay $5 for $30 worth of scrip.  I need it because I cannot keep my balance in the bus.)  Yours in Him, Deb

I've always thought it was a luxury until I had car trouble. One person stopped to offer assistance and he sort of scared me so I was glad to tell him I had already called for someone and could sit in my locked car and wait.

My dad never saw it as a necessity and then in December, before my mom passed away, he lost control of his car on an icy road and slid into a ditch. His car was far enough down that he could not climb up to the highway because of the snow. It was also about 15 degrees outside and really starting to snow. He did not have a cell phone and sat for almost 3 hours before a truck saw his tan scarf blowing from his window and stopped. A sudden storm snuck up on him on his way back home.

My dad and mom had one cell phone but my dad thought my mom should always carry it and she had chemo that day and was also driving but did not run into bad weather or icy roads like my dad (he went north and ran into a storm, she drove east and had sunny skies). She was very worried after my dad didn't return home so they had decided to get one of the pay as you go phones so each would have one.

Now, my dad faithfully carries his cell phone. But he never has it turned on, lol.

I consider it a luxury but a necessary evil at times. I got into having one when I lived in the Minneapolis/St.Paul area because it was such a time saver and for safety. Now where I'm living is smaller and the only time I really would use it is for driving in the country and when I go over 1/2 hr away. I do keep it shut off most of the time. Have used it to enter contests by texting (I'm slow!), and chatting but not too much since it's prepaid. $10 + tax will only last 2 months before the minutes goes away (not sure how many minutes that is). Not happy with the company (Alltell) since when I'm out of my "home" range, I have to do "double dialing". This requires me to know the phone # and dial it again for it to connect. I am thinking that when I go away for my evaluation end of next month, I will borrow my mom's cell (tracfone). I will only now stick with prepaid since I don't want to spend more $ on a contract. 

Luvd_Lioness:

when I go away for my evaluation end of next month, I will borrow my mom's cell (tracfone).

 

Sis - maybe you should switch to Tracfone too.  They have 30 min/30 days for $9.99 or 60 min/90 days for $19.99.  Those are actually the most expensive plans.  The more you pre-pay, the cheaper it is.  Or maybe Mom could add you to their phone with the new Family Value Plan I see they have.  First Phone - 50 Minutes, $9.99* / month; Each Additional Phone - 30 Minutes $5.99 / month

We have two cells in the house.  Like our mother, I have a Tracfone. Originally bought for cases of emergency ... but mostly used for "honey, I'm going to the store, do you need anything?"   I also like it because I live in one state, work in another, and most phone coverages stop at the border.  With the Tracfone, I may be "roaming", but that just means that I use two units instead of one unit per min.  Still a lot cheaper than a $.60/min roaming charge!!

Dh has a separate phone with a major carrier.  His is a necessity.  He owns his own business - but it's a service business (tile, carpet, concrete, etc. cleaning) so he doesn't need an office / landline.  So he uses the cell# as his business#.  This way, no matter where he is, customers can still reach him.

necessary evil.  researched the best prepaid option and dh bought it for me for xmas.    mostly because of the kids for emergencies.  though I don' t keep it on and haven't done voice mail. dh programmed all the numbers for me.

we have digital phone at home and dh cell phone has always been paid by work (before cells he had pagers) so family plans don't work for us.  dh has a fancy phone :) 

I don't drive in rural areas without dh so not an issue.  I did use it for dd to phone home when she missed dh and ds from camp.  but I have starting using it for convenience like phoning the inlaws at iga today. 

Hi ... Yes ... our's are out of necessity. Mine has a nice monthly discount and I added my husband to my plan because it was less monthly than his work plan offered him. 

Also, since both adult daughters' still have their's attached to their hands, it is a fast and easy way to keep in contact with them. Also, receiving pics of the grandbaby are priceless!

Finally, all calls to my ill Mother, and others using the plan, can talk for free. Two years ago, my Mom and her hubby got phones - they now never leave home without them and they talk all the time now (he is a long-haul trucker).