Thread Drift

[Pax]

... We were just about to cut the cable cord, but comcast has a monopoly in our town and we found out that if we cut the cable, they would jack our internet rates up three fold. GRRHHH.

We ran into the same thing back in IL, it was infuriating; so I canceled all our service with them, got a tablet with 4G on it, and upped our cell data plan to 10gigs, saved a bunch of money and never looked back. Comcast is the devil!

[emily_in_nc]

We just ditched our flip phones and got track phones at Walmart for 50 dollars and a pay as you go card.

That's what we have! Ours happen to be flip phones, but they were the super cheap LG ones. Only reason I prefer this type is when I had the flat one with buttons, I found I was butt-dialing a lot, and I didn't want to lock the phone, which makes it a pain to answer and call. I use my phone very infrequently anyway, never been a phone person (much to my mother's chagrin). It's mostly just for safety on rides and to talk to DH when we are apart for whatever reason.

[emily_in_nc]

Comcast is the devil!

And its demon twin, Time-Warner! SO glad we don't have to deal with them now. As full-time RVers, we do have a Verizon MiFi device and data plan, but that's IT for utilities now.

[Pax]

And its demon twin, Time-Warner! SO glad we don't have to deal with them now. As full-time RVers, we do have a Verizon MiFi device and data plan, but that's IT for utilities now.

We get basic cable provided by our HOA through Brighthouse, we had to get broadband for my honeys work at home gig, when she's done we'll go back to the basic "free" service and our phones for connectivity.

My presence on the web has decreased dramatically since we moved to FL, I'm outside a lot more and when I'm home I just use my chromebook to check TE, and my fake FB account to see if our favorite restaurants are offering any specials. It's really nice; I used to be heavily involved in a couple of motorcycle forums, spent literally hours every day reading/writing on them. Very glad that's in the past now.

[Helene2013]

One reason I can't wait to see retirement arrive (+/-4 years now). So we can become RV fulltimers too and be free of way too many things related to a home/costs. Staying in such small environment and traveling/staying 6 months in winter 6 in summer somewhere forces you to think about plans and other junk we think we MUST have but realize we DON'T need. Viva marketing and the likes to work our heads in the needs.

Personnally, I would not have a tv and my goodness I'd save tons of money on the tv itself, and the cable fee, and the roku plan and.... and.... In Quebec, I think we have the highest fees for such services in north america. Can't wait to get out of here. But it is what it is for now....too close to early retirement to make such a move.

[Trek420]

I'm one of those Apple people who just lost the use of my iphone with the latest update, I'd been having issues before that and spent forever trying to get things resolved with Apple, this was the last straw. I'm going the opposite way now, less and less tech (when I can find it), my only home computer is a chromebook and I just got a simple android phone... still wish it wasn't necessary to have either. I do appreciate the value of modern tech, I just wish it wasn't so complicated and pervasive, I can still barely turn our fancy new oven on.

If the latest update bricked your iPhone it might not have installed properly. If you installed over wifi I think the fix is settings > iCloud > back ups > manage storage and see if you have iOS 9.3 in there. Delete it.

Then wait for Apple to re-release it. I never get the software when it first comes out. Nor rush, no reason to. I update before things start crashing for sure but never the first on the block.

Can't wait to retire. About 01/21/18 but who's counting?

[shootingstar]

So far I haven't had tv for last 5 yrs., before that he had tv and was paying cable for 8 yrs.

Prior to that I didn't have tv for about 25 yrs. Admittedly if it weren't for a tv in Vnacouver, I would be out of touch...with foodnetwork, HGTV, etc.? Latter has not influenced my own quality of living. It hasn't changed my taste..since on the food side I was already eating broadly and trying different things without foodnetwork.

I'm pretty certain once he finishes his contract job, he will cancel his cellphone plan. And write off the iPhone as business expense..which you can in Canada.

[Crankin]

I am more connected than I used to be when I was teaching. The day in school didn't allow me to surf the web!
I am on FB and TE and that's it. However, I do check them a lot.
I started texting when I got my I Phone when I got my first counseling job. It was the best way for in home therapy clients to reach me. Now, I tell everyone to text me to cancel/reschedule appointments, or if they need to talk. I don't talk about their private stuff by text, but if they need to reach me, it's the fastest way. Sometimes, my VM at work takes hours to go through. I give everyone my cell number and no one has abused it. DH and I do text during the day, but, it's mostly around cooking dinner, or other things like that. I also text my older son for initial contact; he never answers his phone or listens to voice mail.
We have a Comcast monopoly, too as our town refuses to put in underground wires for FIOS. The town now has it's own system, but I don't want a different email, and it's only for Internet, not TV. But, we always get good deals, so we are now back to the phone, Internet, and cable with them. I actually don't watch a lot of TV, except for news, but I still want to have it.

[Pax]

If the latest update bricked your iPhone it might not have installed properly. If you installed over wifi I think the fix is settings > iCloud > back ups > manage storage and see if you have iOS 9.3 in there. Delete it.

Then wait for Apple to re-release it. I never get the software when it first comes out. Nor rush, no reason to. I update before things start crashing for sure but never the first on the block.

Can't wait to retire. About 01/21/18 but who's counting?

Thanks, I'll try that, I am one that got bricked. My other issues with Apple are an Apple ID that is linked to an old hacked and no longer accessible yahoo account. I've been all the way up through senior apple tech support and apple engineers and they say they cannot unlink the eleven apple products from it, so no access to my account/itunes/music/anything, well anything except updates that brick my phone.

[Trek420]

Thanks, I'll try that, I am one that got bricked. My other issues with Apple are an Apple ID that is linked to an old hacked and no longer accessible yahoo account. I've been all the way up through senior apple tech support and apple engineers and they say they cannot unlink the eleven apple products from it, so no access to my account/itunes/music/anything, well anything except updates that brick my phone.

You should be able to link a second email to your Appleid and you use that one. Just do not create a new Appleid. The only issue with the old one would be if you change your password or need to reset it. Since you can't have Apple send you an email you'd just use security questions.

I hope you set those up and or remember who you considered your favorite teacher at that time

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203983

[Pax]

You should be able to link a second email to your Appleid and you use that one. Just do not create a new Appleid. The only issue with the old one would be if you change your password or need to reset it. Since you can't have Apple send you an email you'd just use security questions.

I hope you set those up and or remember who you considered your favorite teacher at that time

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203983

I knew all my security questions, I could answer every question they threw at me, but without the original receipt from the macbook I bought back in '07 or '08 (where I created my original apple account), they won't change my account so I can get into it. Told them I was going to move to another brand and all they could offer me was "if you buy a new iphone and simply say you do not have an account, you can set up a new one using a different email". I asked them if they'd give me a credit for the current, barely two year old iphone and they replied "well we can't wipe it without your ID/password, so no".

So, I'm done.

[Catrin]

So sorry Pax - I would fire Apple as well It isn't like they are cheap - and that would be an excuse either but it does add insult to injury.

[Pax]

Beyond all the cost and annoyance, it's so wasteful!

[Pax]

On a happier drift, I'm enjoying my switch to an android phone, our condo pool is just warm enough that I can start swimming regularly again, and my new job is the easiest money I've ever made.

[Catrin]

Yayyy Pax! Glad to hear you like the new phone. I switched from the iPhone to Android years ago now and have not regretted it.

As for me, I'm stopping group KB training next month. Well, any form of group training and I am sad about that. I've so many broken bits and problems that I can't do much of the class. I really need one on one with him but I can't afford that.

I do, however, know what I can do. I've my own KB gym at home, can still hike (this is improving all the time) and still have my gym membership that isn't expensive. So I will work on my own and meet individually with him every 5 or 6 weeks to check my programming.

I will miss the group social interaction, but it's the best thing to do given my situation and tendency to do things I shouldn't when surrounded by others doing those things. That probably comes as no surprise

It also feels a bit like I'm giving into my age and that has me a bit cranky with myself but will get over it. The point is to stay active in a sustainable way.