Slowly... getting off the grid

[techristian]

Just retiring recently, I'm keen to all of this. Who needs a cell phone anyway? We lived without them before. As far as pay TV , I stopped that because my TV alone was up to almost $100 a month. I now pick up a few TRUE FTA channels (completely unencripted and free) History and Biography channels can be found at the satellite at 101w and ABC NEWS NOW is at 89w. We also got a toilet now that uses 1/3 the water because my city now charges $2.18 per cubic meter just for DISPOSAL of waste water. Cars are also another money grabber. Insurance , payments and maintenance can be like a small mortgage. I'm downsizing in that area also.

 

Dan

[blue2blue]

Anybody remember how when the recession first hit, I said there were going to be two recessions - the first one involuntary, and the second one voluntary as people scaled back? This thread is exactly what I was talking about. There's a constant encouragement of materialism from the media and from multiple companies, but ultimately, shiny objects only hold your attention for so long but I can't resist looking at the sunset every night. No charge for it, either

Businesses do the same thing and that's why, it seems to me, that most serious recessions seem to be 'double-dip.' It's a pretty natural, easy to understand, if regrettable, dynamic.

[Ernest Buckley]

 

I do wish the house was tighter and kept heat and cold where it should be, but I figure that new windows, new insulation, and a more efficient furnace and air conditioner would cost so much more than what I'd save over the rest of my lifetime, so I guess I'll just have to burn up a little more than my share of the environment. But I figure I make up for it by not making any kids.

 

 

Thats a shame because you seem like the grandfatherly type. :poke:

[Ernest Buckley]

 

Man I'm glad Ernest brought this up...I'm figuring I'm the only curmudgeon that is 'anti-gadget and Gizmo' since this is porportedly a techie type site. Glad to hear others are feeling the pain.

 

 

 

Luke,

 

You are not alone. Maybe I`m getting too philosophical (or maybe I`m tired) but I feel theres a shift taking place with many people these days back to a simpler and more effective ways of communication: face to face communication and the phone call... you know, where you actually hear the persons voice!

 

I don`t see it with the younger generation but I do sense it with my friends who range from 30s - 50s. These are mostly folks who remember life before it got digitalized and now see the folly of the "information age".

[Lukenskywalker]

 

Luke, You are not alone. Maybe I`m getting too philosophical (or maybe I`m tired) but I feel theres a shift taking place with many people these days back to a simpler and more effective ways of communication: face to face communication and the phone call... you know, where you actually hear the persons voice! I don`t see it with the younger generation but I do sense it with my friends who range from 30s - 50s. These are mostly folks who remember life before it got digitalized and now see the folly of the "information age".

 

 

Right on about 'the younger generation' Ernesto,... when our girls come to visit the first thing they do is plop there very expensive phones on the coffe table and just hope they are the FIRST get a call or text...

Then we have to listen to their 'oh so clever ringtone'

They giggle, pick up the phone throw their hair back, and announce to the others who is calling/texting....If it's a call they talk real loud, as if everyone is interested in hearing their inane conversation, they chatter like Magpies, for what seems hours.

 

If it's a text message their fancy nailed fingers start drilling the keypad at lighting speed...

 

If no one calls or text messages them, they start texting each other or play their silly little phone games.

My daughter has a 700 minute plan, she is out of minutes by mid month and had the audacity to say to my wife and I,

'Why don't you put me on your package?...you two are just wasting money not using your phones.' (Making it sound like she was doing us a favor.)

 

When Mike Rivers mentioned in a previous post about a 'kid that texts all day long' I was going to tell him this story...but I didn't want to get started...

It was bound to happen though, I knew I had to vent....

Sorry for the rant gentlemen:lol:

BTW my three daughters are not 'kids' per se, they are in their Twenties and all have very good jobs.

[Ernest Buckley]

 

Right on about 'the younger generation' Ernesto,... when our girls come to visit the first thing they do is plop there very expensive phones on the coffe table and just hope they are the FIRST get a call or text... Then we have to listen to their 'oh so clever ringtone' They giggle, pick up the phone throw their hair back, and announce to the others who is calling/texting....If it's a call they talk real loud, as if everyone is interested in hearing their inane conversation, they chatter like Magpies, for what seems hours. If it's a text message their fancy nailed fingers start drilling the keypad at lighting speed... If no one calls or text messages them, they start texting each other or play their silly little phone games. My daughter has a 700 minute plan, she is out of minutes by mid month and had the audacity to say to my wife and I, 'Why don't you put me on your package?...you two are just wasting money not using your phones.' (Making it sound like she was doing us a favor.) When Mike Rivers mentioned in a previous post about a 'kid that texts all day long' I was going to tell him this story...but I didn't want to get started... It was bound to happen though, I knew I had to vent.... Sorry for the rant gentlemen:lol: BTW my three daughters are not 'kids' per se, they are in their Twenties and all have very good jobs.

 

 

Hey Luke,

 

To me its really all about ego. The digital age allows everyone their 15 minutes of fame and having people post on peoples updates on Twitter and FB are all ego driven activities. I know for myself, when I first got on FB, if I didn`t see people commenting on my status updates, I would get "upset", feeling like I was being ignored. Its all ego. We need constant attention.

 

I think this is huge when you`re in your teens and 20s. As you get older, you want more privacy.

 

Just my $2.00... inflation... you know.

[Lukenskywalker]

^ Thanks for putting things in perspective Ernest,

 

Just wondering what I would be like in this day and age if I was 20-ish again.

 

I did play in a band and had moderate success as a Musician/Songwriter when I was that age

I always enjoyed and reveled in the attention..altough even at Twenty years of age, I was cognizant of the fact that it was just pure dumb luck rather than talent that made it happen.

 

You are, and have always been, a voice of reason/ perception, and moderation on HC, and one of the first friends I have made here.

 

Have a good weekend.

Luke

[Beck]

To me its really all about ego. The digital age allows everyone their 15 minutes of fame and having people post on peoples updates on Twitter and FB are all ego driven activities. I know for myself, when I first got on FB, if I didn`t see people commenting on my status updates, I would get "upset", feeling like I was being ignored. Its all ego. We need constant attention.

 

 

I saw the potential right away for us all ending up talking to ourselves with facebook. It

[Ara Ajizian]

I've gotten down to a $45 cell phone bill, $30/month for broadband, and $10/month for Netflix. No more cable/satellite or home phone. I put an antenna on my roof that gets all my local HD channels. Between that, the internet, and Netflix with the PS3, I don't miss paying for TV at all. Really the only event I miss out on is Monday Night Football, but I can usually find a friend who's watching;)

[Plain Vanilla]

Anybody remember how when the recession first hit, I said there were going to be two recessions - the first one involuntary, and the second one voluntary as people scaled back? This thread is exactly what I was talking about. There's a constant encouragement of materialism from the media and from multiple companies, but ultimately, shiny objects only hold your attention for so long but I can't resist looking at the sunset every night. No charge for it, either

An old boss of mine actually talked of the stages of quality of life. The lowest was survival. When one is in this stage, things like window shopping seem utterly irrelevant. As more and more people get to this stage they will voluntarily cut back. The scary part for our consumer culture is that people will learn that they don't need all that stuff they thought they needed. They will learn that a huge proportion of the things they own are really balls and chains around their ankles.

 

The recovery will then become long and hard

[Plain Vanilla]

Hey Luke, To me its really all about ego. The digital age allows everyone their 15 minutes of fame and having people post on peoples updates on Twitter and FB are all ego driven activities. I know for myself, when I first got on FB, if I didn`t see people commenting on my status updates, I would get "upset", feeling like I was being ignored. Its all ego. We need constant attention. I think this is huge when you`re in your teens and 20s. As you get older, you want more privacy. Just my $2.00... inflation... you know.

Like I care what you think.

 

[Ernest Buckley]

Like I care what you think.

 

 

I know, I don`t care either. Thats also why my $.02 went to $2.00... I have to take advantage of those still buying my BS to make up for all the lost business.

[Ernest Buckley]

^ Thanks for putting things in perspective Ernest, Just wondering what I would be like in this day and age if I was 20-ish again. I did play in a band and had moderate success as a Musician/Songwriter when I was that age I always enjoyed and reveled in the attention..altough even at Twenty years of age, I was cognizant of the fact that it was just pure dumb luck rather than talent that made it happen. You are, and have always been, a voice of reason/ perception, and moderation on HC, and one of the first friends I have made here. Have a good weekend. Luke

 

Luke,

 

I think if I were 20-ish instead of 37, I would be all over the gadgets too so I`m not judging. Its just from my own experience, I know in my 20s my head was very me driven. Everything revolved around... ME. (Like most souls in their 20s) Then comes marriage, the kids, the house, etc... and you realize, "Hmm, there are other more important things in life!"

 

I think lots of single people are also more into the gadgets than married ones. The gadgets connect us to others and thats really why these devices are so popular. We all want to be liked, accepted, wanted... When we are married, we are already all of those things (if the marriage is healthy). So there is less or even no desire to get attention on these social media sites...

 

Now I know I opened Pandoras Box with that but whatever.... wait and see.

[Jeff Leites]

Any time I'm in a hotel, I spend more time surfing channels, looking for something to watch, then I do watching a show. So at home, it's OTA (over the air) TV. We get a ton of channels here in Los Angeles, and there's always more to watch via the web.

 

I'm not a big cell phone fan, but I like having it case of an emergency or in lieu of a pay phone. Nothing fancy, just a basic phone with an old AT&T plan that covers 3 states, cost $20 a month for 50 minutes, free nights and weekends, no rollover (I don't think I've ever used more then 5 minutes in one month). My wife has a prepaid Virgin Mobile phone... $20 every 90 days on the Sprint network, and she has a ton of rollover minutes ($.18 a minute when we signed up) no roaming charge and national coverage.

 

$30 a month for AT&T ISP. I used to use a volunteer run dialup ISP for $50 a year, but I couldn't live with that these days.

 

A $3.25 a month for my web page (Just Host)... cheap hobby.

[BushmasterM4]

In my youth, we never had cell phones or the internet (thats what I tell my kids) Sound like the whole "I walked 4 miles to school in the winter" thing my dad always said when I bitched about the bus. Anyway I plan on ditching the cell phones once my kids are gone. I feel safer with the my daughters having them, especially with them driving. Or maybe I should just buy them CB Radios. like I had.

[Lukenskywalker]

In my youth, we never had cell phones or the internet (thats what I tell my kids) Sound like the whole "I walked 4 miles to school in the winter" thing my dad always said when I bitched about the bus. Anyway I plan on ditching the cell phones once my kids are gone. I feel safer with the my daughters having them, especially with them driving. Or maybe I should just buy them CB Radios. like I had.

 

Breaker 1, Breaker 1, We got 'are-selfs' a Convoy....

[rjt]

I love my cell phone. Got them (one for me and one for my mother) when my rather elderly mother's car broke down and it took her hours to get home. So I got a plan and pay for both of them. Plus, as she lives in a different city, there are no long distance charges when I call her or other relatives. While I could live without a cell, I ditched the land line.

 

I always kept a close eye on repeating expenses, but my biggest downsizing/cutting back has been in the area of purchases. I don't automatically upgrade to the latest software, buy the newest version of camera gear or order the DVD or book from Amazon when it is in the library. That has saved me a ton.

[guitarflyer]

Some guys who have been poor seem to want to accumulate, others who have had some excess, or 'enough' can evolve to 'needing and wanting' very little..

 

I can see myself on sailboat...about as off the grid as possible....

[Jeff Leites]

Breaker 1, Breaker 1, We got 'are-selfs' a Convoy....

 

I was using CB today. My wife and I belong to a Miata car club, and do club rides, convoy style. As a licensed radio amateur of nearly 50 years, I feel kind of icky using it, but it's the right tool for the job. On one of our runs, we were warned of a rock in the road, just in time for my wife to perfectly center the car for smashing into it She wanted to avoid hitting it with a tire, but forgot how close to the ground these cars are.

[Lukenskywalker]

I was using CB today. My wife and I belong to a Miata car club, and do club rides, convoy style. As a licensed radio amateur of nearly 50 years, I feel kind of icky using it, but it's the right tool for the job. On one of our runs, we were warned of a rock in the road, just in time for my wife to perfectly center the car for smashing into it She wanted to avoid hitting it with a tire, but forgot how close to the ground these cars are.

 

Cool, my older brother got his in 1990...Red/Tan...82,000 miles. garage kept.

 

We were four brothers in the sixties and we all drove British Sportscars, Healeys, Triumphs, MG's etc.

My older brother saw an original marketing ploy in a Miata ad likening the Miata to 'carrying the torch' of the old British Roadsters....he bit, and was hooked.

I used to love to drive it, still do when he's in a 'giving' mood.

 

Don't wanna derail a thread but, can you tell me what kind of Miatas you guys have?

[Richard King]

"I walked 4 miles to school in the winter"

Uphill both ways in a Minnesota blizzard..

[Richard King]

 

Cool, my older brother got his in 1990...Red/Tan...82,000 miles. garage kept. We were four brothers in the sixties and we all drove British Sportscars, Healeys, Triumphs, MG's etc. My older brother saw an original marketing ploy in a Miata ad likening the Miata to 'carrying the torch' of the old British Roadsters....he bit, and was hooked. I used to love to drive it, still do when he's in a 'giving' mood. Don't wanna derail a thread but, can you tell me what kind of Miatas you guys have?

 

 

My dream car was alway a Triumph TR-3. Almost bought one in about 1979 or so, but it was too much of in need of a total rebuild.

[Lukenskywalker]

 

My dream car was alway a Triumph TR-3. Almost bought one in about 1979 or so, but it was too much of in need of a total rebuild.

 

 

I had a 1961, most of thse cars were part interchangable and were actually junk on wheels, but they were so easy to work on...

I am not mechanically inclined, but we would change an engine or tranny overnight with a hoist and a large tree in my parents backyard.

I loved the TR-3, (British Racing Green/w/ British Racing Yellow stripes, wire wheels) and my MGA 1600.

My love for these cars never died, and my heart still races when I hear one or see one...

However, AFTER I bought my 1968 Porsche 911 I never looked back at the Brit cars again.

[Hush]

When I lost my job in 2009 the first thing to go was cable. Couldn't get rid of the internet though. We don't watch alot but we do have some shows that we like. When cable went so did the DVR. We found that was one luxury we didn't want to do without. Being able to watch when we had time and cutting out commercials was too convenient. We kept basic cable at $10 a month for reception of the local channels and bought a refurbished Tivo.

 

That plus NetFlix (which streams to the Tivo) and we don't miss the $100+ cable bill at all.

 

We also ditched the cell plan for cheap pay as you go Virgin Mobile cells for emergencies.

 

Now that I have a job again. I don't plan on going back to the big cable bill.

[Kerouac]

I've been cable free since I turned 21. When I go to my parents house or a friends house it's amazing to see how little there is to watch. I use the OTA signal at home for local news and PBS and Netflix for everything else.

 

No home phone, so my cell bill is a bit pricey, but it's also a tax write off. My electric bill is STUPID expensive though. I live in an old apartment with crappy electric baseboard heaters, next to no insulation and up until recently completely crappy windows that would rattle at mild winds. I have window unit A/C too... whenever I finally buy a house I want to keep it as green as possible.