It seems like everybody has a smartphone these days except Carol Holst of course – I even held out until last year when my old phone bit the dust – making many of us tempted to play games and distract ourselves. So how can we stop looking down at our phones and out into the world?
Get rid of apps (or don’t buy them at all)
I’ve seen friends of mine with so many apps on their phones that they’ve run out of room. In fact, they sometimes find apps they forgot they downloaded. If you’ve found that you went a little overboard with free apps, take some time to do some spring cleaning. If you’re tempted to buy an app, think about whether it’s really that necessary, especially if you’re on a budget. They may not seem to cost all that much, but they can really add up.
Use an online phone service
If you’re like me, I’m on the bare minimum of minutes on my phone plan so I can keep my bill down. If you find that you can’t change your plan, take a look at online phone services like Skype or Google Voice as an alternative to eating up minutes.
Schedule some off time
Of course, it’s always a good idea to become friends with the on/off button on your phone and schedule an hour or two where the phone is completely off and you can have some “you” time. You can go finish that book you’ve been reading or get some housework done.
You can get there if you decide that you have enough for today. I did – nowadays I read about a cool new app and I want to download it, but I realize I don’t need it. I save money and don’t find myself wasting time. Smartphones can easily be budget suckers, but keeping your head on your shoulders can help keep your bills down and keep you on budget.
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