Cellphones Are Eating the Family Budget

[sharktale1212]

Heidi Steffen and her husband used to treat themselves most weeks to steak at Sodak Shores, a restaurant overlooking a lake near their hometown of Milbank, S.D. Then they each got an iPhone, and the rib-eyes started making fewer appearances.
"Every weekend, we'd do something," said Ms. Steffen, a registered nurse whose husband works at a tire shop. "Now maybe once every month or two, we get out."

More than half of all U.S. cellphone owners carry a device like the iPhone, a shift that has unsettled household budgets across the country. Government data show people have spent more on phone bills over the past four years, even as they have dialed back on dining out, clothes and entertainment—cutbacks that have been keenly felt in the restaurant, apparel and film industries.

Full article link: Cellphones Are Eating the Family Budget - WSJ.com

Not exactly a tech news but IMO relevant.

 

[W@rrier]

Definitely affected my bachelor budget too when i bought a phone

dint have lunch for a week

 

[saneguy]

Fortunately the bug hasnt bitten me yet ! Saw the Samsung Galaxy Note II being priced at Rs 39,900/- Very steep !! Can never imagine me spending this much money on a phone

 

[6pack]

lol. no dearth of stupid people in the world. buying phones beyond their means to look cool but end up looking like morons when they go hungry.

 

[sharktale1212]

Personally bought a Vibrant, everyone at my office all tried going one up on me. Got iphone 4, Galaxy S2 etc. I never had an urge to buy anything else, Vibrant was doing very well. Until recently (after 2.5yr-ish) it ended up drowning in water. Now getting a used S2 at cheap 15k price from a guy who bought S3 after an year.

 

[Grease Monk]

The article is about customers spending all their money on cell phone plans not the phones themselves. Based on the skimming I gave the article, it looks like they're cashing in on the recent iPhone release by only referencing the iPhone, when in reality, the reason these plans are expensive are due to the high speed data connections and download limits...which has nothing to do with the iPhone itself.

 

[vijayshimla]

This is not only the case in the US, even ordinary folks in my state in HP are prone to this, i see very ordinarily placed folks talking endlessly on cell phones- making inane conversation and ending up making money for the Mobile companies-spending scarce resources they can ill afford to spend- but they would rather yap- than have wholesome meals. Perhaps a similar survey in relation to Indian contexts will be shocking!.

 

[ankushv]

Talk about budget ! I buy a new phone every 6 months and do not sell or exchange the old ones . I collect them . The phones I bought in the last 2 months are --> Micromax A80 --> Samsung Galaxy s3 --> Samsung Galaxy Y. And in the past 1 Yr Nokia c7 --> Samsung Monte --> Nokia 101 :lol: . Oh PS I am not rich . I have a falmiy . They think I am crazy .

 

[divyesh2129]

I buy a new phone in every 3 months as u can see my signature :lol: :bleh:

 

[saneguy]

Talk about budget ! I buy a new phone every 6 months and do not sell or exchange the old ones . I collect them . The phones I bought in the last 2 months are --> Micromax A80 --> Samsung Galaxy s3 --> Samsung Galaxy Y. And in the past 1 Yr Nokia c7 --> Samsung Monte --> Nokia 101 :lol: . Oh PS I am not rich . I have a falmiy . They think I am crazy .

I buy a new phone in every 3 months as u can see my signature :lol: :bleh:

You guys are either super rich or super crazy :lol: :bleh:

 

[Otaku]

I do not know whether to be amused or sad... most of the people I know do not require a such phones, and can be perfectly okay with a basic phone. Still they would go with the latest and greatest and look forward to the next version. Cycle continues...

 

[mathrisk]

^^ people had sold their kidneys to buy iPad.

(“We buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't like.” - Dave Ramsey)

 

[divyesh2129]

You guys are either super rich or super crazy :lol: :bleh:

I m not rich just saving my pocket money to buy Mobiles :lol:

 

[sharktale1212]

Talk about budget ! I buy a new phone every 6 months and do not sell or exchange the old ones . I collect them . The phones I bought in the last 2 months are --> Micromax A80 --> Samsung Galaxy s3 --> Samsung Galaxy Y. And in the past 1 Yr Nokia c7 --> Samsung Monte --> Nokia 101 :lol: . Oh PS I am not rich . I have a falmiy . They think I am crazy .

I buy a new phone in every 3 months as u can see my signature :lol: :bleh:

Guys do share some love with TE folks too. Once used, please put up a FS threads for us :bleh:

 

[haris5sani]

I m not rich just saving my pocket money to buy Mobiles :lol:

I suppose u r getting very handsome amount of pocket money.

Else Samsung -I9250, I9100, I9020, I777, I9250, I9100, I9020, I777, T959 all are very good phones n costs around 15 - 20k atleast,(not looking at Moto, Sony, Nokia, Palm/HP) :bleh:

 

[stme]

Those people are adicts, you have to control your expenses, I have an Iphone and still do my life as usual!

 

[raksrules]

Kids today get lot of pocket money. I had cherished my first mobile phone bought using my hard earned money. It was Sony Ericsson w800i. Getting a phone from your own hard earned money has a different value and feeling, even if it is not some high end one.

 

[pratzgh1]

At 60k for the Iphone 5, family budget? Dude if one gets phones priced like that, there will be no family, forget budget!

 

[ankushv]

Not super rich yaar just super crazy . My wife and daughter tell me that I am nuts .

 

[baccilus]

The article is about customers spending all their money on cell phone plans not the phones themselves. Based on the skimming I gave the article, it looks like they're cashing in on the recent iPhone release by only referencing the iPhone, when in reality, the reason these plans are expensive are due to the high speed data connections and download limits...which has nothing to do with the iPhone itself.

AFAIK most people in US and Europe by phone through contracts so the phone's cost is included in the monthly bills.I know people who really go out of budget to buy an iPhone or an expensive smart phone and then use it only for texting and calling.This urge to show off is really illogical and stupid.