TheHaitian
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Post by TheHaitian on Nov 29, 2018 15:50:44 GMT -5
At that age, I'd call any dance, "barely dance", while swimming lessons could actually be useful in getting the kid used to the water, and comfortable getting her face in it. That was the big obstacle for my kids. I think, again, it depends. Swim lessons for DS weren't really useful until he was 14, when he was ready.
Was he just not interested in learning how to swim or he was not capable of swimming till that age? Was he afraid of water?
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TheHaitian
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Post by TheHaitian on Nov 29, 2018 15:53:03 GMT -5
If you had to go through everything and make cuts, what absolutely would you keep as an expense? It is that time of the year to make inventory of our expenses and make plans for next year. We don’t budget and basically the goal is to minimize on going monthly expenses (end goal is to eventually cover all expenses under 1 income by either increasing income / decrease or maintain expenses or combo of both). Basically we have a good/descent lifestyle and I try to not let the lifestyle creep get out of hand . Been considering cutting cable since our contract has been up since September; never got around to it. So today mention it to my wife and she said she would rather keep it, is is her only form of entertainment and she rather I try to cut elsewhere. I was not suggesting we go without TV at all, I was thinking about getting sling + Netflix + amazon stick since we have prime. Also was considering “ring” as a replacement for the security. We currently pay ~$325/month for: - security system (~$30/month) - phone (plan was cheaper to have one) - internet - cable (showtime, hbo, stars) - Netflix Per looking around I think a switch can reduce our bill to about ~$100/month which is at a minimum $200 month, even if it is as low as $150 that is still good. Nope she still won’t hear of it, she does not think she will like Sling, etc. and with Carlie we must have cable (Disney Channel etc) and her mom watches Tele novellas and what not. So Cable is her “sacred cow”. I am not going to push it and leave it as is. My sacred cow is not as expensive but any assault on her sacred cow make it open season on mine... let’s see where else we can cut back that lifestyle creep. Mine is “meat”... no meal to me is complete without that. My wife is vegetarian and my mother in law is semi-vegetarian so that leaves me consuming 80-90% of the meat purchased. And meat can easily be 30-50% of our total grocery bill (I try to to chicken as much as possible to keep it on the low side and my wife made me give up pork which was my other cheap option ... something about it is bad ; same for hot dogs). I guess I can always call and threaten to cut it! So your sacred cow is cow?! Sorry couldn't resist. Lol... what can I say I love "meat"
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Lizard Queen
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Post by Lizard Queen on Nov 29, 2018 15:57:46 GMT -5
Betcha he would've been ready earlier if he learned to have fun splashing, gliding, and blowing bubbles at 2. The place we go is really great about easing into it, and the kids love it. This summer, my kids finally learned to doggie paddle enough to get by, which was a huge relief to me. They still don't know any regular strokes, but that's okay. My fear of their drowning is greatly diminished. Nope. He did parent child swim lessons from 18 months to 3, when he aged out of the program. DH and I both took turns with the classes..but we did have fun splashing, singing songs, and jumping around in the pool.
Once we couldn't be in the pool alongside him, that was the end of that. And personally, I didn't think it was safe/appropriate to ask one swim teacher to focus on the crying/tantruming/non-complaint kid and ignore the other kids in class. Our group swim lessons are taught with one teacher.
Well, I stand corrected then. I'll tell you what I did, though, as both kids were very anxious about water, and this goes along with the sacred cow theme here. (I wouldn't call it an absolute sacred cow, but we kept this when we were cutting back on alot of other things.) We joined this fitness center that has a family pool that looks like a miniature water park. I'd take the kids to that, from time to time to get used to having fun in the water. They wore their lifejackets in the pool at first (a couple parts were over their heads at the time), but life jackets weren't allowed on the water slide. The lower-level kids have all their swimming lessons in that family pool area, so they associate fun with swimming lessons. Now that they don't need to wear life jackets all the time, they have a blast on the water slide as well as the other areas.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Nov 29, 2018 16:02:26 GMT -5
I think, again, it depends. Swim lessons for DS weren't really useful until he was 14, when he was ready.
Was he just not interested in learning how to swim or he was not capable of swimming till that age? Was he afraid of water? We cross posted. He wasn't down with swimming after parent/kid classes. When DS was a baby, we were too cheap to do swim lessons at actual swim schools. We did it through the Y, and the only option for toddlers-age 3 was parent child classes.
I just looked online, and one of the swim schools does offer swim classes where the parent sits on the side of the pool, transitioning to parents not being in the pool at all. The class price for that is $17/half hour class. I still wouldn't pay $70/month for a swim class that weans DS off of me at age 2, though...even now.
ETA: He did just great when he was prepping to spend a week on a boat in St. Thomas. I think most of us would, though, with that sort of motivation. I'm too old and tired to fight with my kids. I guess, I've learned for our family, it just works best, sometimes to wait until they are ready. And then there's just no struggle.
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jinksd1
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Post by jinksd1 on Nov 29, 2018 16:03:41 GMT -5
Mine would have to be high-speed internet in some form. I just can't see going through life disconnected from the internet, as it would impact far too many areas it currently serves (entertainment, keeping in touch, news, cooking/recipes, gaming, research, hobbies, online shopping, banking/investing, etc.).
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TheHaitian
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Post by TheHaitian on Nov 29, 2018 16:07:59 GMT -5
What Vodka do you drink? Must be TOP shelf . I drink Rum but does not cost enough to make it to the top of the list to be considered “sacred cow”. It's not top shelf. Now I have to think of a different thing. What is the minimum dollar amount? Couple hundred a month, something that would make a real difference in a budget I guess? I don't drink that often so I think my booze spending get mixed in with the groceries... and not that much to make a noticeable difference; more of a social drinker than seating at home by myself drinking... I need company to drink lol and my wife does not drink at all... so if I am drinking at home by myself something really f*cked up my day and not in a good way lol!
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NastyWoman
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Post by NastyWoman on Nov 29, 2018 16:08:25 GMT -5
my sacred cow is travel, or maybe I should say family since I travel with family (DSis2) and or/to family. I would give up a lot before I cut that out. Now, I don't travel luxuriously - cattle class is fine with me despite very long flights → my nearest relative lives a 9 hour flight from here add to that the travel to and from the respective airports and you can just imagine. But how can I go to Europe and not stopping by to visit my sibs and their families or DS2/DDIL/grand babies? Or go to SE Asia without seeing DS and his fiancee? And... I like to visit other places too. So travel has to be my sacred cow.
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Lizard Queen
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Post by Lizard Queen on Nov 29, 2018 16:19:03 GMT -5
Was he just not interested in learning how to swim or he was not capable of swimming till that age? Was he afraid of water? We cross posted. He wasn't down with swimming after parent/kid classes. When DS was a baby, we were too cheap to do swim lessons at actual swim schools. We did it through the Y, and the only option for toddlers-age 3 was parent child classes.
I just looked online, and one of the swim schools does offer swim classes where the parent sits on the side of the pool, transitioning to parents not being in the pool at all. The class price for that is $17/half hour class. I still wouldn't pay $70/month for a swim class that weans DS off of me at age 2, though...even now.
ETA: He did just great when he was prepping to spend a week on a boat in St. Thomas. I think most of us would, though, with that sort of motivation. I'm too old and tired to fight with my kids. I guess, I've learned for our family, it just works best, sometimes to wait until they are ready. And then there's just no struggle. Hey--I'm older than you! But it was for my own anxiety as much as anything. Plus, the 7 year old was motivated when he saw he was 1 of only 2 kids on his baseball team that couldn't swim. I didn't know he was going to be left behind at such a young age, but in his peer group, he was. Plus, lessons are only $55 for 6 weeks, or $40 with a membership.
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NastyWoman
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Post by NastyWoman on Nov 29, 2018 16:36:55 GMT -5
We cross posted. He wasn't down with swimming after parent/kid classes. When DS was a baby, we were too cheap to do swim lessons at actual swim schools. We did it through the Y, and the only option for toddlers-age 3 was parent child classes.
I just looked online, and one of the swim schools does offer swim classes where the parent sits on the side of the pool, transitioning to parents not being in the pool at all. The class price for that is $17/half hour class. I still wouldn't pay $70/month for a swim class that weans DS off of me at age 2, though...even now.
ETA: He did just great when he was prepping to spend a week on a boat in St. Thomas. I think most of us would, though, with that sort of motivation. I'm too old and tired to fight with my kids. I guess, I've learned for our family, it just works best, sometimes to wait until they are ready. And then there's just no struggle. Hey--I'm older than you! But it was for my own anxiety as much as anything. Plus, the 7 year old was motivated when he saw he was 1 of only 2 kids on his baseball team that couldn't swim. I didn't know he was going to be left behind at such a young age, but in his peer group, he was. Plus, lessons are only $55 for 6 weeks, or $40 with a membership. Would you two kids please just cut it out already...
ETA: "it" = all that talk about being old
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TheHaitian
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Post by TheHaitian on Nov 29, 2018 16:44:30 GMT -5
Amen. I'd say any dance at that age is a waste based on my observations. It's more for the parents at that age IMHO. At that age, I'd call any dance, "barely dance", while swimming lessons could actually be useful in getting the kid used to the water, and comfortable getting her face in it. That was the big obstacle for my kids. My daughter is 2, still not sure how she will do with ballet but so far with water she loves it (been to the beach a few times since she was born and have used the pull at the community rec with her). The face thing ; depends on her mood, sometimes she is ok with it and sometimes she wants to kill me after I dunk her.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Nov 29, 2018 16:46:42 GMT -5
50 years? Was it your parents #? Yes it was my parents phone number. And now that I've done the math it's been 66 years. I took the "family phone number" with me when we sold the family home. I had lived at home until my mom died. I was a 'late in life baby'. I bought a house in the same suburb about a mile away.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Nov 29, 2018 16:51:56 GMT -5
At that age, I'd call any dance, "barely dance", while swimming lessons could actually be useful in getting the kid used to the water, and comfortable getting her face in it. That was the big obstacle for my kids. My daughter is 2, still not sure how she will do with ballet but so far with water she loves it (been to the beach a few times since she was born and have used the pull at the community rec with her). The face thing ; depends on her mood, sometimes she is ok with it and sometimes she wants to kill me after I dunk her.As a little sister... getting dunked is fun if you know it's coming. If it's a surprise and you happen to be inhaling on the way in - it SUCKS. If your kid has bad vision - she might not "see it coming" even if she can "see" you. <-- this was me. in my pre-teen years I learned to HATE going to the pool during the summer...because it was just so much fun to 'dunk' poor unsuspecting me - everyone did it. I couldn't tell friend from foe while in the pool (no glasses on). And it carried over into HS and even to today.
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weltschmerz
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Post by weltschmerz on Nov 29, 2018 16:55:01 GMT -5
If you had to go through everything and make cuts, what absolutely would you keep as an expense? It is that time of the year to make inventory of our expenses and make plans for next year. We don’t budget and basically the goal is to minimize on going monthly expenses (end goal is to eventually cover all expenses under 1 income by either increasing income / decrease or maintain expenses or combo of both). Basically we have a good/descent lifestyle and I try to not let the lifestyle creep get out of hand . Been considering cutting cable since our contract has been up since September; never got around to it. So today mention it to my wife and she said she would rather keep it, is is her only form of entertainment and she rather I try to cut elsewhere. I was not suggesting we go without TV at all, I was thinking about getting sling + Netflix + amazon stick since we have prime. Also was considering “ring” as a replacement for the security. We currently pay ~$325/month for: - security system (~$30/month) - phone (plan was cheaper to have one) - internet - cable (showtime, hbo, stars) - Netflix Per looking around I think a switch can reduce our bill to about ~$100/month which is at a minimum $200 month, even if it is as low as $150 that is still good. Nope she still won’t hear of it, she does not think she will like Sling, etc. and with Carlie we must have cable (Disney Channel etc) and her mom watches Tele novellas and what not. So Cable is her “sacred cow”. I am not going to push it and leave it as is. My sacred cow is not as expensive but any assault on her sacred cow make it open season on mine... let’s see where else we can cut back that lifestyle creep. Mine is “meat”... no meal to me is complete without that. My wife is vegetarian and my mother in law is semi-vegetarian so that leaves me consuming 80-90% of the meat purchased. And meat can easily be 30-50% of our total grocery bill (I try to to chicken as much as possible to keep it on the low side and my wife made me give up pork which was my other cheap option ... something about it is bad ; same for hot dogs). I guess I can always call and threaten to cut it! You eat meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner? You sacred cow should be life insurance.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2018 17:03:03 GMT -5
My non-negotiables: First, the things that keep me healthy. That includes healthy foods and my gym membership. I eat very little meat but would hate to switch to canned vegetables instead of fresh, foods with high-fructose corn syrup, cheap starches like potatoes and white rice, and breads that don't have enough whole grains in them. My gym membership is $10/month plus a $42 annual fee so it's not a budget-buster.
The next would have to be Internet access. I've got Google Fiber plus Netflix so it adds up to $81/month.
Third: my smartphone. Mine is a 4+- year old iPhone bought outright; my Ting plan runs under $20/month depending on what I use.
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stillmovingforward
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Post by stillmovingforward on Nov 29, 2018 17:05:52 GMT -5
I have 2 sacred cows; my dog and my rv. I love my dog, he's a great companion and loves everything we do as long as we're together. I don't have any car payments so the amount I spend on rv payment is fine with me. I do most of my own repairs. If I ever need a bare bones money diet, I'm taking the dog and living in my rv. I'll rent the house out or sell it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2018 17:07:34 GMT -5
You eat meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner? You sacred cow should be life insurance. I eat meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner most days. Breakfast is probably 50/50, but I like eggs.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Nov 29, 2018 17:09:10 GMT -5
Cleaning company and Lucy cat.
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weltschmerz
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Post by weltschmerz on Nov 29, 2018 17:13:12 GMT -5
You eat meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner? You sacred cow should be life insurance. I eat meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner most days. Breakfast is probably 50/50, but I like eggs. Eggs aren't meat unless you're eating balut.
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weltschmerz
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Post by weltschmerz on Nov 29, 2018 17:15:34 GMT -5
My sacred cow is the animal that owns me. If he gets sick, then I will spare no expense. He's family.
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Lizard Queen
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Post by Lizard Queen on Nov 29, 2018 17:25:19 GMT -5
Hey--I'm older than you! But it was for my own anxiety as much as anything. Plus, the 7 year old was motivated when he saw he was 1 of only 2 kids on his baseball team that couldn't swim. I didn't know he was going to be left behind at such a young age, but in his peer group, he was. Plus, lessons are only $55 for 6 weeks, or $40 with a membership. Would you two kids please just cut it out already...
ETA: "it" = all that talk about being old
She blames it on being old, but really she works her ass off all the time. I would have been exhausted with her pace 25 years ago. I'm like
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2018 17:45:36 GMT -5
Eggs aren't meat unless you're eating balut.Interesting coincidence: I was in an Asian grocery store today and you can buy it there (along with cans of shark fin soup). The balut carries a warning label. I bought kimchi, seaweed salad and baby bok choi.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2018 17:58:25 GMT -5
I eat meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner most days. Breakfast is probably 50/50, but I like eggs. Eggs aren't meat unless you're eating balut.I have a rooster. There's a teeny tiny chicken nugget in all those eggs!
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weltschmerz
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Post by weltschmerz on Nov 29, 2018 18:12:09 GMT -5
Eggs aren't meat unless you're eating balut.Interesting coincidence: I was in an Asian grocery store today and you can buy it there (along with cans of shark fin soup). The balut carries a warning label. I bought kimchi, seaweed salad and baby bok choi. Love seaweed salad! I have quite a bit in my freezer.
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countrygirl2
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Post by countrygirl2 on Nov 29, 2018 19:48:37 GMT -5
I would keep the internet, the way things are now, I do all my bill paying on the net, or automated, but check my bank accounts daily. Here I have to keep the landline to have internet, wish it were not so.
We could do without cable and also Sirius could go. but it sure would be boring.
We could drop insurance coverages within the LLC and self insure.
I don't know of anything other then the net I wouldn't want to drop.
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steph08
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Post by steph08 on Nov 29, 2018 19:59:52 GMT -5
I don't really have a "sacred cow."
If I had to pick, I'd say Internet and cell phone.
Internet because I work from home a lot and the cost to drive to the office more would be wayyyyyy higher than the Internet bill.
Cell phone because, when I go to the office, it is a long drive. Plus having kids, it is convenient to have one. I could cut that back to Straight Talk or pre-paid or something if our situation was really dire.
I love TV, but I could give up cable and just do Hulu for my shows.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Nov 29, 2018 20:12:16 GMT -5
50 years? Was it your parents #? Yes it was my parents phone number. And now that I've done the math it's been 66 years. I took the "family phone number" with me when we sold the family home. I had lived at home until my mom died. I was a 'late in life baby'. I bought a house in the same suburb about a mile away. I wish I could have kept my parents' phone number from when I was a kid. Now, I could port it to a cell phone. It was a very easy number to remember and now belongs to an office of Jackson Hewitt.
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Anne_in_VA
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Post by Anne_in_VA on Nov 29, 2018 20:41:26 GMT -5
I would keep the Internet. I wouldn’t want to go without it. I have Internet, Amazon Prime, Sling and Hulu for about $100/mo. If needed we could cut out eating out because we often eat out when out and about. We do tend to eat fast food, but will eat in a nice restaurant about 4 or 5 times per month. I work from home most of the time, and eat leftovers or a Lean Cuisine for lunch.
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Lizard Queen
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Post by Lizard Queen on Nov 29, 2018 20:49:18 GMT -5
Yes it was my parents phone number. And now that I've done the math it's been 66 years. I took the "family phone number" with me when we sold the family home. I had lived at home until my mom died. I was a 'late in life baby'. I bought a house in the same suburb about a mile away. I wish I could have kept my parents' phone number from when I was a kid. Now, I could port it to a cell phone. It was a very easy number to remember and now belongs to an office of Jackson Hewitt. I was a little ticked at my dad for losing their number they had for probably 50 years in a switchover from Comcast or something. It was pretty easy. I have an even easier landline # that I kept for my mom, because she remembered it, and now for the kids. DH and I use ultra cheap cell phones to make up for it.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Nov 29, 2018 21:59:27 GMT -5
Tiny -- you might look into VOIP, with your internet provider, if you do want to save money. It should be closer to $10/month. Downsides: if power and/or internet go down, your phone won't work. But, you can keep your number and save money!
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alabamagal
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Post by alabamagal on Nov 29, 2018 22:03:50 GMT -5
50 years? Was it your parents #? Yes it was my parents phone number. And now that I've done the math it's been 66 years. I took the "family phone number" with me when we sold the family home. I had lived at home until my mom died. I was a 'late in life baby'. I bought a house in the same suburb about a mile away. Yep, hardest part of getting rid of landline was giving up “our number” that we had for 30 years. I only used the land line to call my cell phone to locate it, so had to get used to that also.
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