Do I Really Need A Smartphone?

Our Daydream about Smartphones has been sacrificed for the moment.

I have been thinking about finally getting on the bandwagon and becoming smartphone owners recently. I've been itching to pull the trigger especially when all my friends and family have been pressuring us to do so.

However, I'm going to have to be happy in my ignorance and stay with our $77 monthly bill for two cell phone lines. I use my cellphone quite alot for work and need it to be reliable, so, a good cell plan is necessary. Until my current non-smartphone dies, the current non-data plan is satisfactory.

What made me change my mind about getting smartphones for now?

We just spent a little over $300 bucks (charged on the credit card, of course. Bad, I know.) on Sunday on a day trip to Universal Studios Hollywood with my cousin and her family. Over $300 = Between the cost of two tickets, parking fee, lunch at Universal City Walk, dinner inside the park, and buying sodas multiple times (I'm still working on cutting that out of S.O.'s daily addiction). We MUST and NEED to recuperate this money through sacrificing something else...which, at the moment, sticking with a cheaper phone plan instead of upgrading seems like an obvious choice.

The main reason for us going to the amusement park is that we wanted to spend time with our friends since it's been ages since I last saw them and their baby. The baby is growing up too fast. Another reason is that I just could not keep telling them that I can not hang out with them because I don't have the funds anymore. Especially, when this is a once in every 4 years deal. So, basically, I'm going to sacrifice in one area in order to fullfill another area. I'm glad that I got to spend time with them and the baby.

Smartphones can wait. I've lasted 36 years (December Birthday!) without them, I can go at least a few more months without them.

However, the entire day was spent being referee to my friend's fighting about *i'm not sure what*, with the fight escalating to walk-offs, screaming, and crying in public. Me and S.O. are so happy to see them but were disappointed that it was a miserable day of constant fighting while we stare away uncomfortably. We are even more disappointed because $300 is a big deal for us but it's spare change to them and we would have liked to have had a splendid day instead if we're spending this much money.

Oh well, at least these tickets will be good for an entire 2014 year...if we go back.

Then, of course, there are so many other things that we need to budget for instead of getting smartphones. For example, I need to budget immediately for dental care. Both me and S.O. need it deep cleaning as well as cavity work and possibly more. I need to save at least $500 for this purpose just in case, although we do have PPO dental insurance plans.

Tonight, we'll sit down and celebrate the new year while we write out what we need to save for in 2014, besides debt repayment. That's right...we're not going out and getting drunk this new year's eve for a change!

Have a Happy New Year to everyone who happens upon this little blog!