Three years in the making

This blog is not about getting bargains, or where to save 25 cents on Ritz crackers. It's about the decision making behind purchases I make and careful spending. This one took three years.

I finally got an iPhone.

Usually, I am an early adopter. But the data plan expenses have kept me at bay.

However, it was getting increasingly more frustrating not to have a smart phone.

I rely on my GPS, which has broken twice. Now, I can use my iPhone.

I rely on the internet, which I can now access anytime, anywhere.

And I can now rely on Siri, too.

The expenses double, since my daughter was due for a phone upgrade, too.

So it took a lot of thinking through over many years. A.) I don't like paying for a home phone and a cell phone, too. B.) I don't like paying for texting. C.) I don't like paying for home internet and a data plan, too.

Yet that is now what I am doing.

Why?

With wifi available in most places, I could chose the lowest data plan, increasing my monthly expenses by $20. (Plus all those taxes and fees, which increases it ever more. That stuff makes me mad.)

I had already upgraded to an unlimited texting plan, thanks to AT&T alerting me that my daughter was sending so many texts at 20 cents each, I might as well get the text plan for $30 more a month.

And I found a factory refurbished iPhone 5 32 gig on the AT&T website for $249. Since I had to get two, I saved $100.

And AT&T was actually helpful in helping me make this decision. I talked over the various pitfalls of having a teenager on the plan, and how to avoid overage charges. I placed a block on the plan, costing an extra $5 per month.

I should probably have done more research and checked out Verizon. But I had had enough of the VERY loud text alert on that PanTech phone, which is not adjustable. And I realized I do way more on my phone than use it for conversations. I was dying to upgrade!

If you watch the show 24, which my daughter has been watching so I having been catching glimpses of, in the second or third season, Jack Bauer actually says, "Send that information to my Palm Pilot." That show started in 2001 and it's now just 2013. (!) My old phone felt even less functional than a Palm Pilot.

I have no cognitive dissonance on this purchase. Couldn't be happier.

The evolution of my phone in just three years.

Ron gone

News this week that Ron Johnson has been ousted from jcp.

Lots of speculation about what is being dubbed an epic fail.

But has anyone else really tried? Just sayin'.

Loyalty programs. Choose wisely.

Loyalty programs such as Sky Miles can become addicting, a game to see how many points you can rack up. I admit, I am as addicted to Sky Miles as anyone else.

But what about other loyalty programs? 

I've joined the Rainforest Cafe's club, Sally Beauty Mart's club, the Vitamin Shoppe's club (though the Vitamin Shoppe is now on the boycott list) and others that have no real value to them.

Plus, you really have to work it. I don't want to put a whole lot of effort into my continuing to shop somewhere. Why should I have to work harder as a loyal consumer?

Two loyalty programs I work:

Target Rewards, wherein I get a 5% off voucher for ever 10 prescriptions filled. Being the Mom of a family of lemons, these coupons come frequently. I can use it with my Target credit or debit card for an additional 5%. This comes in handy for big purchases like iPads or big grocery runs or the never ending supply of jeans my teenager seems to need.

Aveda Pure Privilege. I can redeem points for products purchased for $75 vouchers on a service such as a haircut or color. This one takes monitoring on my part, and is not nearly as easy as Target's. But for $75, I am willing to put in the time.

Loyalty programs should have value and work easily. Unfortunately, few do.

Not a simple loyalty program, but one worth the work.

Why I will never join Costco or Sam's Club

I don't believe I should have to pay to shop somewhere. Period.