My Phone is Turned Off
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
United States
November 12, 2015 9:18am CST
I received two phone messages on my iPhone the other day. I didn’t notice them because my phone was turned off. I was at home. One was to tell me that my new glasses were ready, the other was because my new orthotics had arrived. My iPhone is usually off. I use my laptop or iPad if I want information. I have my home phone, if I want to make a call. Even when I am out and about, my phone is off unless I want to use it.
Mobile phones were not yet popular when I bought my first one. Although I knew hundreds of people at the time, I think I was the second person in this group to see the need. I was driving quite a bit then, from Ventura to San Diego, from Ontario to Santa Monica. These are pretty good distances to be driving on almost a daily basis.
Sometimes traffic would slow me down, and I would arrive late. Since I am a very punctual person, those waiting for me freaked out and went out looking for me. So I bought a phone that I could carry in my purse (they were far too big for pockets back then). I kept the phone off unless I wanted to make a call. I still do.
But business people continue to leave messages on the wrong number. They assume that my iPhone is constantly in my hand. This is not the case. I guess I will have to stop giving businesses both numbers. I bought my electronics to make my life easier, not give me a job. I’m retired. I don’t want or need one of those anymore.
Do you leave your cell phone off when you are at home?
28 people like this
31 responses
@Marilynda1225 (82690)
• United States
14 Nov 15
Texting is 99% of my phones useage LOL
3 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
Kindred spirit. You must value your privacy too.
2 people like this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
13 Nov 15
Never give them your cell number, it's the one they will call. They assume all people use their cell phone all the time, and the landline is just because it comes with the cable package. And they are right about most people. But I don't want calls on my cell phone, I barely use it. Still, if someone has the cell number, they call that number instead of the home number. Which is why they don't reach me.
4 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
This is a good idea. I think I will ask for the number to be removed from my file, except for the cab company. I need them to be able to reach me when I am not in my house.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
That is what I used to do. I should go back to doing that.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
It is a godsend when traveling. I love getting voice directions when driving to a new place too, especially when the area has bad lighting or poor signage.
2 people like this
@Castlerock34 (2259)
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
12 Nov 15
I do not unfortunatley I am glued to my phone like the rest of the population. I have been trying to wean off of it by doing other productive things in the house. My first problem is Facebook, I was on that thing at all dull moments in the day even at home, now I am slowly decreasing my time by actually writing on here which has been helping a lot!
3 people like this
@Castlerock34 (2259)
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
12 Nov 15
@Marcyaz I dont know what the addiction is about FB, everyone is hooked. I dont think its just the pictures its gossip too
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
12 Nov 15
My mobile is on 24 hours a day, with the exception of when I am actually flying and they are not allowed. I have never any point in buying a mobile in order to be contactable and then turning it off, or leaving it at home as many people do.
I see no point in them sending a text message to inform you that your new glasses are ready. How are you supposed to read it before you collect the glasses?
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
15 Nov 15
@ElizabethWallace I have known a few people to carry a mobile that is turned off until required, but that was back in the early days when the batteries rarely lasted for a whole day. Nowadays it is quite a scarce practice.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
16 Nov 15
@Asylum I like my privacy. Friends and family know how to reach me. Others can wait until I feel like looking to see if there are messages.
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
Very funny, but these were voice mail messages, and not texts. I did not buy my phone so that other people could call me 24/7. I bought it so I could use it to call in case of emergency, to get driving directions and take photos.
@silvermist (19702)
• India
12 Nov 15
@ElizabethWallace I do not usually,switch my phone off.All who want to contact me try that number first.Of course,I have another one the number of which I have given only to close family members.I think you must not give your iPhone number to the business contacts.
3 people like this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
12 Nov 15
@silvermist
Yes and there were times at night late that I was needed so it taught me to keep my phone on at all time.
2 people like this
@silvermist (19702)
• India
12 Nov 15
@Marcyaz That is good to hear.You can be reached always.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
Several people have suggested not giving it out. I think they are right.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (82690)
• United States
14 Nov 15
My phone is on all the time as my children and grandchildren are fond of texting and often jot off a message throughout the day
2 people like this
@fawkes62 (1276)
• United States
16 Nov 15
@ElizabethWallace I keep my cell phone with me most of the time, so there doesn't seem to be the need for the land line. I've had more issues with the land lines than I have with my cell phone.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
16 Nov 15
@fawkes62 I like having a landline and it only costs $10/ month.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
I have thought about that, but like having a landline, in case of emergency.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (121546)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 15
I pretty much treat my iPhone as my main computer. I pretty much do everything from my phone, and it is glued to my hands pretty much 24/7! The funny thing is, I actually never use it for phone calls! It's amazing that phone calls seem to be a dying form of communication! Now, if Bubblews and MyLot would just hurry up and create apps for smartphones, I probably wouldn't ever need to use my laptop anymore!
3 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
The keyboard is too tiny. It is harder to use. I touch type, learned how years ago. That is not possible on a phone.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (121546)
• Gainesville, Florida
15 Nov 15
@ElizabethWallace It's hard for me, too, but I somehow manage! My eyes aren't as good as they used to be, so it's harder to see the smaller print, and plus I have big hands so it makes typing somewhat of a challenge, but it is what it is! I do the best I can! lol
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
16 Nov 15
@moffittjc I have little fingers and still have trouble with the keys.
1 person likes this
@jillybean1222 (6407)
•
16 Nov 15
@ElizabethWallace i guess i'm just always connected which i wish i weren't sometimes
3 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
16 Nov 15
@jillybean1222 Just turn it off.
3 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
Why? Don't you like your privacy?
2 people like this
@JudyEv (339433)
• Rockingham, Australia
13 Nov 15
We have the one cell phone between us. I have noticed on forms recently that some make it mandatory to give a mobile phone number. It seems to be expected that everyone will have a mobile phone just as it seems that everyone is expected to have a computer.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
16 Nov 15
@JudyEv So you cannot communicate with them online? That is silly.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
And they expect everyone to live their lives according to their demands. Not likely in my life!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339433)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Nov 15
@ElizabethWallace It does get harder to get information etc though. If you write to Centrelink, which controls our pensions, they say to allow two weeks for a reply. You can't get through on the phone half the time and our only alternative is a 70km round trip into our nearest city - and then an hour or so in the queue!
1 person likes this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
12 Nov 15
No, I do not turn my cell phone off at home or anywhere else as I receive calls from out of state and need to answer them in case of an emergency. I do not have a landline phone as I no longer need one since I have the cell phone. It would just be an added expense that I don't need or want.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
What if there was a power outage? Would the cell towers still function? If not, how would you get help, if you needed it?
@mom210 (9117)
• United States
18 Nov 15
@ElizabethWallace For the amount of people we have, ours is not to bad because I have trained them to turn off lights when no t in use and so on.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
I leave most things off when not in use. Maybe this is why my electric bill is so low?
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
18 Nov 15
@mom210 Do you use power strips for electricity vampires? I do, and leave them off. It really helps.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
Exactly. I like this approach. People complain that others are invading their space, yet they allow the cell phone to control their lives. Not us.
@bookbar (1609)
• Sudbury, England
15 Nov 15
@ElizabethWallace I see your point on being alone but for the other I just use a Sat-Nav...now that is a brilliant piece of tech, now I never get lost..finding places that are often badly signposted
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
I think it is a safety feature. I am often alone. If I have a problem, I can always get help, and it is handy for driving directions too.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
@bookbar I drove from a place I did not know, with poor signage, in the dark to my hotel without problems because Siri knows all, bless her heart.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40288)
• Laguna Woods, California
13 Nov 15
No, my cell phone is on during the day, but not at night. I rarely give out my home phone number anymore.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
We do just the opposite. I would rather they call the house.
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Nov 15
I find it pretty easy to turn it off. I own it, and not the other way around.
