The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Throw Down the Gauntlet => Topic started by: Daley on September 15, 2014, 04:10:46 PM
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Given some (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/index.php?topic=23523.0) of the conversations (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/index.php?topic=23569.0) around here lately (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/index.php?topic=23713.0), and in the spirit of some (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/index.php?topic=5798.0) past (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/index.php?topic=2660.0) gauntlet (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/index.php?topic=6385.0) challenges (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/index.php?topic=18697.0), I think it's time to throw down this particular gauntlet.
Because I know a lot of folks have wholly abandoned any sort of home phone line, I'm not proposing anything quite like turning your phone completely off and not using it at all for an entire month. Note in the title that I deliberately used the term "mobile phone use". What I am proposing is a two-tiered challenge:
All cellphone users: If you leave the house, simply leave without the phone. I don't care where you're going, just don't take it with you. If you want to call or text someone, it has to wait until you're back home.
Smartphone (and data accessible feature phone) users: While you're at home, don't use your phone for any sort of network data access. Just turn off both the mobile data and WiFi. No social media (even if it's an SMS replacement to reduce texting costs), no web browsing, no streaming entertainment. If you want to load music or e-books onto the device, you have to do it physically through your computer's USB cable or an SD card.
Do this for a full 30 days. I will be participating (starting today), even though I use the device for work outside the house. If I need to check for messages left on my cellphone while out of the house, I will ask to borrow someone else's phone to check my voicemail remotely, or wait until I get back.
If your work pays for your phone and you need to use it as a tool due to being a road warrior or something, I'm not going to throw this challenge down to you to do it. Same goes for anyone who's deliberately carrying for safety reasons (no, GPS use doesn't count as a safety reason!). Everyone else? I encourage you to take up this challenge just to see how little you actually need your mobile phone.
Good luck!
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Since I'm paying for it I will be using it but come Dec 8 when my contract is up I'm DONE WITH paying for DATA! I'm told my smartphone will still work w/o data plan so I'll still have it to use with wifi.
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I'm up for this.
I will only press the button on my phone at 5:50am because it doubles as my alarm clock.
Else will definitely try and keep phone use to a minimum.
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I'm totally up for this! I never adopted the constantly connected cell phone mindset and leave my cell phone at home on weekends. However, when I have it, I check email as soon as I see the new message icon, which is a habit I want to break.
I bike to work, so I'll keep my phone, with data and ringer turned off, in my bike bag in case of an emergency. I won't check it/use it otherwise. Thanks for the challenge!
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Finally, a couple takers!
As for the potential objection from some of, "well, I'm paying for it so I'm not going to do this," view the challenge thusly on that "wasted" service: one month of overpaying might help you realize how little you actually need it, which opens up the potential for sub-$10 PAYG service options from various providers instead of erroneously believing you need unlimited anything or a large bucket of data usage at $25+ a month.
I wish I could find an equivalent for iPhone users, but I'm also going to encourage the Android users to install RescueTime (https://www.rescuetime.com/) on their phones during the 30 day challenge just to find out how much of their life is spent staring at the tiny little screen, whether it be for work or play.
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I am curious to try this. I have had my mail notifications turned off of my phone for months now, and I really like that. Times when I have forgotten my phone at home or had it die on me, I've enjoyed the feeling of liberation/serendipitous possibility which being tethered to a mobile phone seems to preclude.
Count me in as of today with challenge ending Thursday, October 16, 2014.
Like Nancy, I will keep my cellphone handy for emergencies on the commute, but will keep it on airplane mode. The phone will be used for text / calls at home only.
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Count me in.
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Interesting challenge!! For a few months now I've been abstaining from internet use on the phone, and I'm still alive. ;) It was making me mad anyways, haha, so I just refuse to use it now. Thanks for the android app suggestion, will see how much actual use it's getting. Still having to keep it around for work, for now, though.
Will look forward to seeing how everyone does with their challenge.
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Challenge update:
This has been going mostly very well for me. I really enjoy not surfing the web on my phone. My one issue is that my partner and I commute to and from the same place, and arranging logistics of meeting given that our daily schedules can be erratic (and we also like to squeeze in workouts). So it is just not possible to know when to meet without the phone. I have made an exception for one phone call or text to establish a time / place to meet for our daily commute.
Other than that, it has been a great challenge.
:)
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Great challenge. I went without a cell or home phone for something like 5 months a couple of years ago. I was a great time. My adult children would look at me and shake their heads not understanding. Even the one that we still paid her $80 per month phone bill (wife) thought it was weird.
IP, I've been reading your information about phones, net etc.. It is a little too techy for me to wrap my head around.
I have a Verizon smart phone with an expired contract. Can I just downgrade to their smallest monthly text and phone plan and then use the phone via wifi at home and office for calls and web access?
Special Thanks, Bob Werner
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Personal update: Even I have found this challenge difficult. I left the house with my phone yesterday as I had an unexpected day trip out of town that looked like I would need to have it with me. Expected and unsurprising result? It never came out of its holster except once to check the time.
Thanks
Apologies for the late response, and I'm parking it over in the communications discussion thread (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/index.php?topic=14309.msg406989#msg406989) to keep from derailing the subject of this thread too much.
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Update: This challenge has been pretty easy for me.
I caught some flak from extended family members who want to be able to reach me at all times on the weekends, but I told them that at work, I'm expected to respond to every call, chat message, and email instantaneously (though thankfully I never have my cell phone on me at work, and I'm not expected to use it for work purposes). Disconnecting during the weekends helps me remember what it's like to be a human existing in the world. I love my fam dearly, but the conversations can keep.
The hard part for me has been my inability to access my calendar or Keep while I'm out. I have a bad memory (because of being constantly connected? See "The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains" or this vid about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKaWJ72x1rI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKaWJ72x1rI)), so I have to create an external reminder for myself right away. To compensate, I've been jotting stuff down on notes (paper!) and making up To Do songs, which are funny.
TL; DR: Don't mind the freedom of being disconnected, but find the lack of calendar and reminders more difficult.
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Update! The month is more than complete for me.
With the exception of the 23rd as reported, and two very late-night alarm calls I received on a commercial property, I went the entire month without taking the phone out of the house or even touching it inside the house except for the rare phone call or incredibly slow-to-respond text. Even as a less than frequent user, I still found the challenge difficult at points which reminded me of how useful it can be, but I also found it very liberating to simply not care or worry about being contacted anywhere and anytime.
My most important personal take-aways are that a) I need the phone even less than even I anticipated, but b) I still need the phone on occasions that I simply cannot escape with my current responsibilities. It was a great re-adjustment.
Anyone else care to report back their experiences?
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Not exactly a voluntary separation from cell phones, but I have been in Korea for 4 months and haven't gotten a replacement cell phone (mine would not work over here).
Really have not missed it at all. It's just sat in a drawer. If I want to speak to my family I can email and Skype. I'm considering just keeping a wifi only phone when I return to the states. Even though I only had a $30/month plan, that seems like easy money with how much wifi there is everywhere.
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I forgot about the challenge.
However, during the month the battery was dead for approx 5 days before I got off my butt to charge it. Otherwise there was minimal use.
My friend showed me her new IP6. She needed 2 hands to hold it lol. Why do people spend so much money to make themselves uncomfortable??
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One month of no use!
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As someone who is used to constantly checking email, facebook, etc. I found this very refreshing. I was forced into it because of a move to Germany shortly after my SIII died, but the experience has opened my eyes a bit. I've found myself wasting much less time looking at email, facebook, news, etc. and I have a lot more time now. I think I'm going to keep it up when I move back to the states at the end of the year.
Great challenge I.P. Daley!
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I think it's time to throw down this particular gauntlet.
Crap! I only just saw this thread. But wait: it's not too late to join.
I encourage you to take up this challenge just to see how little you actually need your mobile phone.
Good luck!
Our household (2 adults, 1 child) has one cellphone. We used to have a $46 all in Wind Mobile plan (Canada). My wife suggested that we downsize the plan. I was super hesitant. But I did; because I realized that I was an addict. I didn't like that I was constantly checking email/news/social media etc. It was really hard to take that first step up from the fog. Once I did, I realized that none of the smartphone crap was really necessary.
Today: the smartphone sits in the bowl of crap on the kitchen counter. It only costs money if we make a call or send a text. I have disabled data except for potential wifi use. It is often found discharged. It only goes with us on road trips or (I anticipate) winter cycle commuting for safety.
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648 months with no mobile phone use! LOL
Since I've never had one, it was easy. I often wonder what everyone is talking and typing about around the clock.
Even as a less than frequent user, I still found the challenge difficult at points which reminded me of how useful it can be, but I also found it very liberating to simply not care or worry about being contacted anywhere and anytime.
^^^This.
I've thought about getting one a few times, but never felt compelled enough to do anything about it.
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(http://media.giphy.com/media/12nGP78XPU5R1S/giphy.gif)
Just kidding.
But seriously, I'm obligated to be reachable on my phone.