Do I deserve a face punch?

[Vitai Slade]

I've been feeling really guilty lately about a purchase I made and committed to the other day.

For a while, I've kinda been wanting a new cell phone... And with it, preferably better service. My old phone was perfectly fine and I could have gone on using it for a couple more years easily. But I didn't.

I caved and bought a new phone with Verizon. Now, my $35 month 2.5GB data (MORE than enough), unlimited text, 500 minute talk (also more than enough) turned into a unlimited talk, text, with 5GB data $60/mo. plan.

My only justification is that I get free mobile hotspot included (that uses my data) - worth $10/mo., free international texting, and a better carrier - maybe worth $5 mo.? I did have to buy the phone, though I got $150 off of the $500 price tag on that with free two year 0% financing just added in the bill (making the bill $80/mo. For the first two years) - so there's the other $10/mo.... At least for the first 15 months.

On the other side of this, I absolutely LOVE my new phone and the service quality (so far). I get 4G easily and that mobile hotspot is actually kinda a big deal for me. I like having that. The phone has amaaaaazing battery life, perfect for the other semi-expensive hobby I enjoy (Ingress - a game that can only be described as a mix of capture the flag and foursquare with a decent amount of driving, xD)

I've thought about this a lot and I feel guilty, even though I know I can easily afford the extra expenditure. I just try and make my monthly expenses as efficient as possible. Do I deserve a face punch?

[Neustache]

I dunno...it depends a bit on your savings rate.  You don't have to get the cheapest everything, in my view, but if you don't have a whopping good savings rate, then yes, maybe a face punch is in order. 

[alsoknownasDean]

$80 - $35 = $45 * 24 = $1080 extra over two years.

It's not a Mustachian purchase, but how bad it is depends on your financial situation. If you're in hair on fire debt, then yep, you'd need a face punch. Otherwise, you'd get away with a face slap.

[NewStachian]

It's not financially optimal, but at the end of the day only you can say if it's worth it or not. If you are still meeting your savings goals, then I say don't worry about it. it's also a sunk cost and there's nothing you can do about it so feeling guilty is unproductive.

But, Mustachianism means something a bit different to me than some on this forum. I don't think the goal is to spend the absolute minimum amount of money that you can. It's about putting your financial goals first and optimizing the happiness and enjoyment you get out of life while you're on that journey to FI. If you did a cost/benefit analysis on your phone plan and decided to go for it, then enjoy it and don't look back.

[Ricky]

The only face punch you deserve is making us think Verizon offers a talk/txt 5GB plan for $60. Because they don't. If you're referring to the current plan it's 2GB for $60 w/ EDGE

[NewStachian]

The only face punch you deserve is making us think Verizon offers a talk/txt 5GB plan for $60. Because they don't. If you're referring to the current plan it's 2GB for $60 w/ EDGE

I don't know. You can do a considerable amount of negotiating. I had a $150/mo plan for me and my wife and I called them to cancel and they offered me the exact same plan for $91/mo.

[Ricky]

The only face punch you deserve is making us think Verizon offers a talk/txt 5GB plan for $60. Because they don't. If you're referring to the current plan it's 2GB for $60 w/ EDGE

I don't know. You can do a considerable amount of negotiating. I had a $150/mo plan for me and my wife and I called them to cancel and they offered me the exact same plan for $91/mo.

Guess it depends on what you're paying and getting. They flat out lied to me one time about a plan they had. Even after the rep noted our account and I talked with 3 supervisors, they still woildnt honor it or help me out in any way. Had been a customer for 10 years. We stiffed them. They just don't care because they don't need to.

[Vitai Slade]

The only face punch you deserve is making us think Verizon offers a talk/txt 5GB plan for $60. Because they don't. If you're referring to the current plan it's 2GB for $60 w/ EDGE

I got a plan with my roommate to save on cost.
More everything plan w/ 10GB shared data = $80
Cost of each line access to plan - $40 x 2 = $80
Edge phones at 0% interest (2 yrs) - $25 x 2 = $50
Edge discount for phones while on plan - -$25 x 2 = -$50
$150 per line credit for switching - -$150 x 2 = -$300

= $160/mo. for two people = $80/person per month

If you consider yourself to be buying the phone @ $600 (and the edge credit can continue off contract after the phone is paid off), the plan is $55/mo. With the $150 credit for switching, it's like buying each phone @ $450 instead of $600.

[CarFIRE]

Bottomline, you're using the new hi-res phone so you can read MMM and the MMM forums from the road, so you are INVESTING in the future!  <facepunch>

[neo von retorch]

I get free mobile hotspot included (that uses my data) - worth $10/mo., free international texting, and a better carrier

I absolutely LOVE my new phone and the service quality (so far). I get 4G easily and that mobile hotspot is actually kinda a big deal for me. I like having that. The phone has amaaaaazing battery life, perfect for the other semi-expensive hobby I enjoy (Ingress - a game that can only be described as a mix of capture the flag and foursquare with a decent amount of driving, xD)

We don't really have happier lives because we have "lots more internet", though, do we? While the exact phone you bought might not be available / fully compatible with other carriers, you could be on a $30-40 plan saving $480-720 over the next two years. So you paid $350 for this phone? How much would it be to buy it without a contract? Is there a phone with 80-90% of the goodness for 30-50% of the price? Most people would be hard-pressed to qualify the difference between an HTC One M8 and a Motorola Moto G. But one is $400 more! (Oh but it's faster and... the speakers are nicer. The camera is... worse. Ha!)

It's not the end of the world, but why spend money that you don't need to? Verizon coverage is good, but so is AT&T (depending on where you live - some places, T-Mobile is good, too.) And PagePlus lets you use Verizon coverage for a fraction of the price. You feel guilty - let the feeling go but only after learning that... when you have options for saving a bunch of money and still being happy... consider those options!

[Westoftown]

It depends. Money in itself is not simply made to always be hoarded and saved. If you have a huge net worth, good savings and goals - and like this item - great!   However, if your hair is on fire with debt and you already had a decent phone, then punch yourself.

Think about this though.  You have already made this decision!  Its done.  Don't beat yourself up and second guess your past decisions or you'll drive yourself nuts.  Just go forward and make the best decisions in the future.  Reliving past decisions won't get you anywhere.  Good luck!