Fair point - the monthly plan is pretty important here, isn't it?
Not exactly. The important thing is not unnecessarily overspending and indulging one's mindless hedonistic consumption. Communications just happens to be one of the easiest and lowest hanging fruit to optimize.
As for the cost of the phone: Yeah! it's really expensive! I'm open to suggestions for less expensive phones, but keep in mind that I develop for android, so I would like a phone that can run the newest Android OS.
Then let me give you some valuable career advice. As a developer, don't be afraid to get your hands dirty with the OS itself, and don't be one of
those software engineers that becomes oblivious to their own ugly code bloat because they're always running the latest and greatest. Find a cheap enough, low-to-midrange used/refurbished Android handset that you can replace the battery on and is just mainstream enough with just enough oomph to either run current builds of Paranoid Android, Android Kang, CM/LineageOS or build AOSP for yourself. Don't rely on the manufacturer to keep you current. If you have to spend more than $150 these days for that...
This will keep you humble and grounded in your labors, will give you an edge over your peers by keeping you better abreast of actual OS development and the practical implications of the new releases, and will keep you mindful and connected to the vast majority of Android users who will
never have access to the latest and greatest hardware or current software.
Also: thanks for the superguide, Daley! I'm about halfway through it, and while the phone section smarts (what with my wanting to buy a shiny expensive money-hole phone on a major carrier plan), I do have some leads on how to lower our internet bill now.
You betcha. If you haven't already, follow the links to the website for the unabridged copy of the guide if you haven't already. The forum version only has half of the actual complete guide. It'd be insane trying to wedge it all onto a forum into a usable format.
Finally, the wants vs. needs comment wasn't really necessary. I feel like the new phone is pretty clearly a want, and I do recognize buying an expensive depreciating asset like a phone has financial consequences, but I can afford a $650 loss, and I really like shiny electronics.
My apologies for possibly offending, but I will still stand by my words - even and especially given your follow-up justification of being able to "afford" a $650 loss and liking "shinies".
Approach things from my perspective. Someone new has just rolled into a financial independence and early retirement forum, you don't know them from Adam, they have a total postcount of two, and their first post is talking about using postpaid AT&T phone service with subsidized phone purchases for years without providing any numbers and wanting to finance a $650 bleeding edge smartyphone that the very word "want" was used to justify its purchase.
Do you:
A) Give them a reasonable reality check, or;
B) Pat them on the head and help them be a good little consumer sukka?
Just remember, you have been entrusted as a steward of
some of the most precious of finite resources in the world that impacts the quality of life of not only yourself, but of everyone you interact with both directly and indirectly on a daily basis. That stewardship is not of money, but your very own life and soul. The money you have and every other tool you use are just that... tools. Use them wisely to help you love and care about your neighbor, and make the world a better place.
