It is over four years since I have bought a new phone. The older me is coming to the fore now and not replacing devices every two years.
I've always bought the model before the latest as it will be much cheaper. I was doing the same this time but it was looking expensive. I found a local site selling demo phones carefully checked and made to act as brand new. I told R. But I also mentioned the best phone camera made that comes with the Samsung S23 Ultra. To buy one would be over half as much again as what I was looking at. R must have thought about it overnight and next morning told me a was a stupid penny pinching old man. You can afford to buy the best and forget about a used phone.
But I cried, as people with no help from government in their retirement do, I am a self funded retiree on a a fixed income..."So aside from me who deserves your inheritance, who are you going to leave all you money to? For goodness sake, spend some money on yourself."
He is right. Aside from having a newish desktop and tablet, I don't spend much on myself personally. Most of my clothes are old, but not shabby. I haven't bought bedding for years. Aside from daily living, I spend so little directly on myself.
R convinced me and over the next couple of days I researched the new phone and of course prices. The price varied very little wherever I looked but one retailer including an internet connected watch, worth around $350. R thought he might like that. I haven't worn a watch since the 1990s.
To the shop we went. The sales attendant learnt about the new phone deal on the fly. Firstly there was $100 gift voucher, then he discovered that deal had ended. He came up with another, a $400 discount as long as you join our internet provider, the once government owned Telstra. There are no exit fees and no contract so you can cancel the plan tomorrow and after the first month's payment of $49 you will save $351. The watch and this deal convinced me.
Once home, the complete wireless transfer worked well, though it took some time. But then the hard work started. I had been logged out of many apps and I had to know my login in and password for each for them to work. That really took time. Most were listed on our password list but a few more personal apps weren't. That task has not been completed but close to the end. My new phone is much like my old phone, but with a larger screen, making it easier reading. I have yet to try the best phone camera in the world and I hope to see good results. It seems to have five lenses at the back. It is the front lens I worry about, when I accidently turn it on and see my myself on the screen.
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R is right. A lesson this self funded retiree should take on board. Have fun with it - and I am looking forward to seeing your photos.
ReplyDeleteEC, it is nice to know that at a certain age you will also receive the old age pension.
DeleteI still have my first smart phone 5 years old
ReplyDeleteJohn, R's newer phone has a much better camera than my old one. My new one should be a step above. That and the battery having a much shorter period before recharging were the motivators for me.
DeleteIt's amazing how this small device has become such an important part of our lives. It's not just a phone, but almost everything!
ReplyDeleteI use my phone for as long as it runs. It's usually don't get three to four years. And I usually go in for a mid-range one. Expensive one is a waste. The cheaper ones are usually not good.
Pradeep, if you are an iPhone person, yes its new phones are so expensive. Samsung is cheaper. I was never at the cutting edge of phone technology, but for once in my life I am.
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ReplyDeleteAndrew we always buy phones outright they last until they die then we change over . Always Apple, we needed new phones 2 weeks ago my partners was a 6 and mine a 7. Both were dying fast . Ordered two 11 s from those great guys picked them up bought new cases for 11 Undid the phones they were 12s, (generous salespeople) price difference almost 400 each . Camera is terrific . Took old ones to cash converters $130 dollars back .
That's great Anon. Yes, $130 sounds like the going price for a quick sale.
DeleteI hope the new camera phone makes it worth all the expense. But R is right of course, spend some money on yourself more often. Most of my budget goes on cat food and litter, so I rarely buy new clothes etc, I'm looking very shabby these days. I have a "new" phone too, 'no-one' upgraded her i-phone and gave me the old one, so I now have an i-phone and it took a couple of days to get used to, but I'm comfortable with it now. I won't use it for internet though, thta's what the laptop is for.
ReplyDeleteRiver, I am selling my old phone to my ABI Brother for $200. I've already spent over an hour clearing it and sorting it out for him. I hope you are enjoying your newish phone. What if you are out and need directions to somewhere, or where is that shop? You don't have your public transport app on your phone to use when you out?
DeleteI ask the local shopkeepers, friendly face to face encounters are important when everyone else is head down looking at their screens.
DeleteTreat yourself well and cherish every moment of your life as you deserve it. I am still trying to fund my retirement and I want to get my weight into the healthy range.
ReplyDeleteRoentare, yes, I do deserve it. Thank you. From about the age of thirty five I really focused on retirement funding and I was fortunate to be able to do so at 61.
DeleteMy telephone and lap top computer are VERY old, but then I am as well. I would rather use my precious super annuation on travel.
ReplyDeleteThat's the trouble, who do you leave your money to - your hard earnt money! Whoever it is will most likely spent it willy nilly.
DeleteI'm pleased you spent some on yourself and R is right.
I always love to have the latest phone near enough, every two years. I prefer the Samsung to an iPhone which I did have once, wasn't rapped but do have an iPhone tablet which I prefer to a Samsung one, we are all different....enjoy your new phone Andrew.
Looking forward to seeing new photos from your new phone.
Hels, but are you going to travel much anymore? I hope you do, of course.
DeleteMargaret, our money is evenly split between our siblings, after each other with the addition of a lesser amount for Ex Sis in Law. Neither of us have ever treated badly by siblings. Whether they deserve it, I am not a judge nor jury.
DeleteThat's interesting that you tried an iPhone and didn't like it. I am sure I wouldn't. I like that my Samsung tablet works just like my Samsung phone does.
You won't know how they spend your money and neither will I know of mine :)
DeleteI just bought a new phone. I didn't want to but the battery on my old one was giving out. Why didn't I just buy a new battery? Because my old phone was no longer being manufactured and that includes the batteries it required. Sure, I could have gotten some batteries on Amazon or somewhere, but I felt the phone would still be on some kind of borrowed time, so I splurged.
ReplyDeleteGood on you Kirk. Phone tech hasn't jumped too much in four years, just refined and cameras improved.
DeleteMy Samsung is a few years old now but I shall only get a new one if this packs up. When I bought this one the young man in the Telecom shop kindly transferred all my data across for me for which I was truly grateful.
ReplyDeleteWe have both saved up our retirement pot over the past 40 years and have barely touched it. When we made our wills last week we decided to spend some of it on a luxury holiday before my niece and nephews get their hands on it.
Just hope we both last until next March when we are booked to fly off to sunnier climes.
JayCee, our major former government telco will do that change over for customers. Luxury holiday? Do tell. It's time for you to start a new blog.
DeleteAccidental sights of oneself are to be avoided, I think. I wish I had a good excuse to wear a burqa!
ReplyDeleteJB, just look at people on the street of a similar age to you and think, well I'm not doing too badly. It's the close ups that are the killer. I think I'll have to learn about filters.
DeleteEnjoy the new phone, and spend generously on yourself.
ReplyDeleteThe new phone is enough for a while TP. I'll think of another largess for myself in time.
DeleteI think that the whole 'being sensible' thing is so that, from time to time, you can go crazy on yourself. Well done, Andrew. Now get out there and take some pictures.
ReplyDeleteThanks Debby. It is only early winter here and cold. It is a bit hard to get out and take photos at the moment. I've lost my mojo for a bit, but it will return.
DeleteThat front lens is scary for all of us! LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm glad R convinced you to splurge a little. I'm a penny-pincher by nature so I can identify with your instinct to save, but I think with technology it's often better to get the newest and best you can afford.
Seve, there should be automatic filtering on the front lens. I have no regrets with my choice.
DeleteI hear you on the new phone and spending money bit. My last phone was so old (6years) and I had to continually delete apps as I was running out of gigs. Grandgirl nearly died laughing and hauled me off to the nearest mobile retailer. I got a new phone with better camera and the kicker was I had acres more data and exactly the same monthly fee as my old one. Lesson learned. We do not torture ourselves in old age.
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WWW, it works! Why do I need to change? We had an early stick vacuum cleaner and when the second rechargeable battery was showing signs of failure, we bit the bullet and bought a brand new one of the same well known brand. In eight years the advances were tremendous. Best thing we ever did, and I would have said aside from the battery, there was nothing wrong with our old one. And you discovered this with phones and plans.
DeleteYou sound like John, agonizing over buying the littlest thing! Just do it!
ReplyDeleteWe love our Samsungs!
I did Jackie, and I am happy. Yes, I focus on pennies but then I have found that pounds don't look after themselves. iPhone users worldwide are now a minority. Go Android and Samsung.
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