Florida Keys, (high 82, low 70)
Not much going on around here. Al seems to have picked up a summer cold, and we had to cancel our sunset celebration in Key West with Pam and Vic. We’re hoping to see them again before they leave. Perhaps at the Sunset Grill?
I am doing my best not to get sick, but living in such a small area, makes that very difficult. There is just no way to get away from all those germs. We find that Echinacea works well to stimulate the immune system and if caught early enough, can usually keep you from getting sick. I’ve been hitting the Echinacea hard (3-4 tablets, 3 times a day), and so far, so good. Al has been doing the same, trying to shorten the length of his cold. He hasn’t gotten any worse and I believe he’s feeling better. Now, I just need him to feel well enough to take the boat out.
Since Al retired fully last summer, we found that he rarely uses his cell phone. The only time we really use it, is to locate each other at Walmart. :) We still want to keep two phones, for the rare occasion we’re not together, but between the unwanted calls and the expense, we’re trying to find a better option.
He keeps getting robo calls from several numbers. Most of the time, if you answer, there is no one there, and sometimes it’s a computer. Rarely, there is a live person, but it does no good to tell them to take you off the calling list.
We’re thinking of canceling this old cell number, just to stop the unwanted calls.
Since he rarely uses his phone, and the $9.99 additional fee for that extra line actually costs $17 with all the taxes, we’re thinking of getting one of those prepaid phones. If I understand correctly, you can buy the phone and then just buy minutes when you need them. Anybody have one, or can give me any helpful information on these plans? I’m wondering if we should get an AT & T plan since my phone is Verizon? It might give us service in areas where there is no Verizon? Or if I should stay with Verizon since they have better coverage?
I had a nice little 22% discount on our Verizon plan that recently went away when I couldn’t prove I still worked at State Farm anymore. :(
We have rain coming tomorrow and Friday, so today might be the last good day to go out in the boat for awhile. I’m hoping Al will muster enough energy to take the boat out and anchor somewhere.
Wish me luck.
We just took my dad off our plan because he only uses his cell phone for emergencies when he is driving. I bought him a prepaid Verizon card and put $30 on it. I can add money online when he needs it.
ReplyDeleteNo Verizon service? We haven't been in any area that we haven't been covered and we have been up in Washington to Maine.
My experience is different from Paul & Marsh. We had no Verizon in Texas and none in Flamingo and several other places. All the places we had no verizon were "owned" by AT&T. Only their towers were there. Depending on how much you travel I think one of each would be great. As for not catching things, get yourself some of those antiseptic wipes and just wipe everything before you touch it Karen. I kept David from getting something I had by wiping every place I touched - toilet, door handles, table tops everything. It worked and with his weak immune system that was amazing. Hope Al is feeling good soon and you don't get it. Being sick is a terrible way to spend days in the Keys.
ReplyDeleteI have had a $10.00 double minutes trac fone add $20.00 every three months and works great for us all over the USA.
ReplyDeleteHope Al gets better soon.
Craig's Verizon Android phone is very expensive because we have an unlimited data plan and use it as a wifi hot spot all of the time. I have a little ATT go phone that I bought at Walmart. I turn it on if we go separate ways, but mostly keep it for emergencies. No one knows its number because you are charged for incoming as well as out going calls. There are several options on. the prepayment. One is per minute, the other is what is what ?i have. $2 for the first call in any one day then $0 for any additional calls for the rest of the day. I figured I would only use it in an emergency, and would probably need to make multiple calls at one time. The $$ can be added in several demonations and if more are added before they expire they roll over. I was adding $25 every three months, then got stuck in a non ATT. location on rollover week and lost my build up. Now I add $100 once a year. I think I have about $165 built up. Oh, if you do not use it on any one day, there is no charge. I figure it costs me less than $7 per day on average. It's also a good watch.
ReplyDelete$7 per day...hummm, isn't that about $210 per month...I have 3 phones on my account, shared minutes, 550 per month, rollover, for around $75 per month..with AT&T...but no frills such as texting or data. Free minutes after 8PM locally and weekends from 9 PM on Friday to 6 AM on Monday.
DeleteHope the cold doesn't take hold and you're able to get out on the water with Al in your boat.
ReplyDeleteOne of each is a way to go, of course that is a bit expensive. I have ATT on the phone, but Verizon on the MiFi and iPad and sometimes one will work and not the other. Who knows. Sorry Al isn't feeling well. We discovered after the fact that you might have been at Mallory Square the same night we were there, but then you weren't there anyway so we were glad we hadn't actually missed you while in the same spot. We are leaving the Keys tomorrow. Hope you are well.
ReplyDeleteDon't have any good advice on the cell phone issue. We have Verizon and get a good signal most places except there in the Keys!
ReplyDeleteWe are likely to be here until Monday now, so we may be able to get together again before March roars in like a lion. Hope Al is in full recovery by the weekend.
We've had service with T-Mobile prepaids for a few years now. Extensive coverage and inexpensive. Put them in the mix too.
ReplyDeleteWe had to buy 2 Verizon pre paid phones while at our workamping job b/c our Att&t phones didn't work.
ReplyDeleteJust be aware that the minutes do expire if not used and they also hit you with a daily 25 cents charge. $15 or $20 bucks can go pretty fast. They want to hook you into buying more and more time.
When we leave 1 April, we won't renew any more time on the phones.
Hope Al gets better soon and that you avoid it all together.
ReplyDeleteIf you just want to old school talk, Hubs has a jitterbug and loves it. His plan has 250 minutes a month for around $30 and if he doesn't use them all they roll into the next months 250 so then it's even more minutes. They have a website I think...
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention coverage.. They use everyone's towers. I have Verizon iPhone and he's always had a signal when I do and on occasion when I don't, but that's rare.
DeleteI have a Tracfone, and for as much as I use it, it's more than adequate. I usually buy $100 worth of minutes every year. You can choose your coverage based on the phone you buy, and my semi-smart phone was $25.
ReplyDelete