Today I went and got my eyes tested as I’ve noticed recently that it takes a little while to focus on some things that I pick up to look at or read. This never used to be a problem for me. I’ve got the beginning stages of turning 40 (or nearly turning 40) disease – Presbyopia. I’ve done a quick poll of my friends around the same age and it’s almost spot on the 40th birthday that this starts to happen. Great!! At this stage it’s not worth me getting glasses to correct this but in a year or two it will be.
Excellent, I don’t have to get new glasses – money saved about $400.
On the way back to work from this I popped into the Telstra shop to inquire about getting an updated mobile phone. I bought my mobile (an LG) five years ago and in mobile phone terms it’s an antique. I hardly use it but whenever I want to text someone I have to write down the phone number to then send a text, I can’t bring the number up on the menu. I also can’t reply to texts I do receive which is painful whenever I do want to text someone. In addition to this I’m on the CDMA network which Telstra is getting rid of in sometime in 2008.
So, I just wanted to explore my options. I could buy a new cheap CDMA Nokia at $80 that will do me for two years or so until I change over to the network. But the new network is apparently coming into play sometime this year so I decided to stick with my clunky antique until then.
I don’t want to go GSM as the coverage is crap outside the bigger centres. Even when we were on Kangaroo Island I had some coverage down where we were and my friends had none on their GSM phones. I also do a lot of driving over to Yorke Peninsula and don’t want to be stuck with a kid and a dog in a mobile blackspot because of the network I’m on.
Money saved $80.
UPDATE – a day later: I got an offer from Telstra this morning to upgrade my phone to a Samsung something or other on the 3G network for a $20/month plan ($10/month cheaper than it would normally be). I reckon I’m still better off waiting, buying a new phone outright, and sticking with my $10/month plan as I don’t use the phone much. Apparently they don’t offer this cheaper plan anymore. Nice try Telstra.
Total money saved today – roughly $500. Not bad ey?
