Don't have a cell phone? You're not alone.

[jwight]

the-cell-refuseniks-an-ever-shrinking-club: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

It's a luxury not to be reached when I'm out and about," said Gregory Han, a 34-year-old writer and editor living in Los Angeles. Life for him is a lot more planned than most, the consequence of not having a cellphone — or even a landline — at home.

[orngandblack]

I do have one it's a pay as you go. 15 bucks a month with roll over minuets. I don't use it much but it's good to have for emergencies. That being said, I would think that if you don't want to be bothered when your out, just turn it off.

[NCC1701]

I'm a proud refusenik myself. Although, I DO have a landline so the telemarketers can reach me while I'm home.

[mdfortwoguy]

I couldn't deal. I went backpacking, hiking and rock climbing on the Appalachian Trail 2 weeks ago for 2 days and left my BlackBerry in the car... it was tolerable because of exhaustion and such, but I don't like to be disconnected in the least.

I don't find it relaxing, personally - but can understand the appeal for some.

[RVGRINGO]

I've never had a pager, cell phone, PDA or any other portable communication device and, after 72 years on this planet, see no reason to have one. Here in Mexico, we have public phones everywhere and one can carry a phone card, available in any small store, to use in a pinch. On the highways, the Mexican Ministry of Tourism provides free roving mechanics who will refuel, repair or tow you to a garage if you break down. Other drivers will always stop to offer assistance and most of them do have cell phones and can call these 'Green Angels,' a tire service, mechanic or even the authorities. I've never felt 'cut off' and I know that my e-mail and answering machine will be there when I get home. On a long trip, we just carry the laptop and check e-mail along the way. I don't need my ego puffed up by feeling that I am so indispensable to the world that I must be able to be within reach at a moment's notice.

[Big Panda]

While we both have cell phones, we DID give up our landline. The only reason we kept it as long as we did was to use it to send and receive faxes. Then we realized THAT was only about 6-8 times/year. Kind of expensive at $51/fax, so we dropped the landline. Guess what......we don't miss it a bit!

Originally Posted by NCC1701

I'm a proud refusenik myself. Although, I DO have a landline so the telemarketers can reach me while I'm home.

You're so thoughtful. If it weren't for you, they would have no one to call.

[Big Panda]

Originally Posted by RVGRINGO

I've never had a pager, cell phone, PDA or any other portable communication device ........ On a long trip, we just carry the laptop and check e-mail along the way.

Hate to be the one to inform you of this, but your laptop IS a "portable communication device", especially if you're using it to email!

[rfernatt]

My wife and I pay $100 a year each for two cell phones and $35/mo for a stripped down landline. Cell service is sketchy in WV. Of course, we haven't had television since 1995 either. Once ST:TNG went off, there's nothing worth paying $50 plus a month on satellite to watch.

I wouldn't mind a smartphone or similar device when I can't get WiFi for the netbooks, but I'm not paying $50 plus a month for data service that wouldn't work well in WV. Did I mention that we're cheapskates?

[sunnyokanagan]

I no longer have a landline phone. And for the last few months I have been leaving the cell phone off and just checking messages once or twice a day.

Surprising how many callers don't have anything sufficiently important on their minds to leave a message about it.

Actual incoming calls where the caller wants to communicate with me enough to bother leaving a message - not even average one per day!

Email - another story entirely. The Interweb is where I work and play.

[NeWave]

I didn't have a cell until a few years ago. I don't pay for it.. company phone. Only a select list of people have my number.