Technology+remote living=ouch!
With it looking more and more that my work provided cell phone will be coming to an end, I am now researching other options. The new director of my seasonal job hasn’t been happy that I have this benefit and she is doing everything in her power to end it. Given that it was never a written benefit, there is little that I can do to fight it. Yesterday she informed me that the phone at work was changing from a landline to a cell phone and with that, they are canceling the additional cell phone plan that is currently in place. Only having one cell phone is not going to be very inconvenient for anyone on grounds. I am thankful that I do a fair amount of my work from home.
To an extent, she is doing me a favor as this entire phone deal has had a carrot dangling feel to it. Only, in this case, it has been a phone that was dangling. As for how it will affect my job? It will take the “obligatory” feel out of the equation for even taking on the position again. I’m not saying that I won’t, it is just that now other than my prior experience, there is (pardon the pun) no other real connection to the job by losing this phone. I have asked her for a heads up before she disconnects my phone which she has agreed to do. Meanwhile, I am researching other options.
What I am finding is that a phone with a reliable data plan that I need for my business is expensive! We use Republic Wireless for my Hubby, but in our area, it is very unreliable. To get any service at all is surprising since they say it isn’t even available in our location. For the internet, we use a mom and pop company which is the only thing available to us. With my Hubby never knowing exactly where he will be, he also has a tablet through ATT with a data plan. Again, this is a need for the job. Unfortunately, his company doesn’t pick up the tab for either his phone or the tablet.
With me now needing a phone and Hub’s phone being close to three years old (and starting to have some weird quirks) we feel now is the time also to upgrade that. I am running figures on different package deals, but ouch, this will increase our bill. On the bright side, I can write it off as a business expense, so that does take a little of the sting out of the equation. I saved the transcript from the chat I had with the rep from ATT this morning and will be running some numbers with Hubby.
So how much do you pay for technology? Any money saving tips you’d care to share? I need all the help I can get!
I think that I am paying way too much. We used to be able to use the wi-fi from work but they discontinued that about 2 years ago, so I needed to up my data plan as I listen to podcasts at work and stream music. And I share a plan with my cousin. Which is going to have to change when I move.
Rhitter94 recently posted…On The Last Week Before Road Trip
That bites. I’m thankful that I can access the wifi at my work, so I don’t go through a lot of data. Hopefully, when you move, you can change to a plan that will reduce what you pay.
Sorry you are losing the perk (especially due to jealousy as it sounds). I use VW prepaid at $40/m + 2.36 taxes for 2GB or WiFi. If the need for data, I have never run out of 2GB because wifi is available pretty much everywhere for me.
I do think it is over jealousy as she doesn’t have the same perk. I’m going to look into a few other prepaid plans. What ATT&T quoted me was far more than I want to pay. $40/m + taxes (no way around those!) is far more reasonable.
It’s more expensive in this rural area for internet than when we lived in a big metro area and it’s much slower internet speed. We have two options. Through the phone company, which is decent dsl internet, but you have to bundle it with landline. Thankfully, they did just drop their rates quite a bit. The other option is a very new local wireless company that is very expensive too. Plus, they won’t be an available option when we build our house, so I’m not bothering checking into them. Cell phone we are still able to use our same Verizon plan, so we didn’t change anything there. I am on the lowest 2gb data per month plan they offer and for 2 phones it’s $83/mo (not counting paying for DH’s new phone). We rarely even use the 2gb of data. At home we are on wi-fi and seems most places we go offer it free too (restaurant, stores). I used to have a pay as you go T-Mobile plan that hardly cost me anything because i hardly used my phone and it didn’t have data. When DH was on the phone with the phone company yesterday (about phone service at our property) they said they plan to bring in fiber optic in 5 years. Apparently the lines are already put in.
OneFamily recently posted…Scratch and dent
That is great about the lines going in at your property. I’m sure you’ll have far better service with fiber optic.
I had posted a comment to this yesterday, but it didn’t work. We pay higher in a rural area too. We have 2 choices for internet. The phone company DSL, but it has to be bundled with a landline. The other option is a very new local wireless company, but they are expensive too and won’t be available where our property is, so I’ve not bothered checking into them. We were able to keep our Verizon cell service when we moved here. It’s $40 per phone for 2mb of data, their lowest plan. We hardly use data at all on our phones. We are home most of the time and seems lots of places have free wi-fi.
OneFamily recently posted…Scratch and dent
Sorry about your comment not going through. Oddly, it ended up in the Spam account. My work phone is Verizon but I’d like to switch to AT&T because the coverage is better in places I visit. I can see from usage that while I use some data, it isn’t a lot. We only have one choice for the Internet in our area, so they certainly have a monopoly.
We have five people on a family plan from tmobile for about $140. We do buy our phones, but sometimes they have deals on those, too.
Good luck!
That is a good price for that many people!