Mobile phones--luxury or necessity?

batg

as title says
are mobiles a luxury or necessity?
If for example a person says they are struggling with debt, and spends say, £50+ per month on internet access, is that access deemed to be a luxury or necessity?

I say luxury, what say ou?

pepper77_2

batg wrote: »

as title says
are mobiles a luxury or necessity?
If for example a person says they are struggling with debt, and spends say, £50+ per month on internet access, is that access deemed to be a luxury or necessity?

I say luxury, what say you?

Phones or internet ?


My smartphone is a luxury, but its PAYG so around £15 pa and free WIFI in lots of places.

King_Nothing

A regular phone on a basic contract or pay as you go, a necessity nowadays I would say, especially with the reduction in availability of payphones etc.

However; something like a brand new Iphone X on a £70 a month contract is a luxury.

Pennywise

£50 = luxury

You can get far cheaper phones, tarriffs etc for the necessity.

Jackmydad

Cheapo phone of whatever type PAYG, probably a good idea to have, if only for emergencies.
It's what I've got.
I don't need internet access away from home usually these days. If I did I'd have a smart phone and contract.
But if you're struggling with debt or short of money, then the latest smartphone on contract is definitely a luxury IMHO.

Quasar

The world of work tends to latch on to the latest technology, particularly in the case of communications. If your job takes you out and about, as in my own case, the company nowadays expects you to be contactable by voice and/or email, at least during working hours - which is company time.

As for private use, who doesn't appreciate the ability to communicate at any moment, when out of the house, with for instance: a sick relative one is caring for, a friend to advise of lateness for a get together, and so on?

The issue here is not the usefulness of mobile phones, but whether we use them judiciously or let the technology use us by allowing ourselves to become overly dependent for trivial communications minute after minute.

NYM

It depends.

Is your argument because someone has what to you seems an expensive mobile phone contract?

Consider perhaps that it might be a lifeline. Some disabled people rely heavily on having contact with the world outside their home. They need to be able to order food, pay bills, contact family.

Are you are just trying to justify your comments to another poster on the Benefits board?

davidwood681

In my opinion, phones now are causing just as much harm to the future of our children as drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.

It's only going to get worse and lazy parents throwing phones and tablets at children as young as 3 have a lot to answer for.

If you can't go for a meal without looking at your phone or if you look at your phone in the morning before you say hello to the person next to you....you have a problem

batg

King_Nothing wrote: »

A regular phone on a basic contract or pay as you go, a necessity nowadays I would say, especially with the reduction in availability of payphones etc.

However; something like a brand new Iphone X on a £70 a month contract is a luxury.

what about 2 people with a contract each costing about £20 each and say, £20 internet access?

davidwood681

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hER0Qp6QJNU

A couple of years old but well worth a watch. A couple of minutes in he talks about phone addiction

batg

NYM wrote: »

It depends.

Is your argument because someone has what to you seems an expensive mobile phone contract?

Consider perhaps that it might be a lifeline. Some disabled people rely heavily on having contact with the world outside their home. They need to be able to order food, pay bills, contact family.

Are you are just trying to justify your comments to another poster on the Benefits board?

just asking, I wouldn't say £20 a month for a phone is THAT expensive, but add on the cost of internet access of the same amount again, and I was wondering what people thought. All comes back to the same question....luxury or necessity
Maybe I should have added "perceived necessity"?