Last year I taught accounting at Dakota Wesleyan University. As a professor, I embraced my weird accountant side…from my love of spreadsheets to my flip phone. For many of my students, the flip phone was by far the weirdest thing about me…almost unbelievable. So why do I carry a flip phone?
#7 – It actually fits in your pocket
A flip phone is made for the front pocket of your pants. I don’t have to pull it out to sit down. When you hold it, it fits nicely into your had for making a call. The size is just about perfect.
#6 – Practically impossible to crack the screen
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a flip phone with a cracked screen, and I’m pretty hard on mine. Even though they are the perfect size, I will still drop it on occasion and never had my flip phone screen crack.
#5 – I only charge it a couple times a week
Most smart phone users seem lucky to make it through the day without needing to charge. Typically, I charge my flip phone 2-3 times per week.
#4 – Forces you to call
For family and friends that text me, you’ll notice that after usually three text exchanges with me, I’ll likely call you. That’s because texting on flip phone is work. I’m pretty quick to get tired of texting and decide to just call. This might sound like a negative, but I think it’s a good thing. Hearing someone else’s voice, especially someone you like or enjoy, is better for mental health than a text string. You will notice a difference in how you feel if you call more often instead of just texting. I would bet your hormone levels, such as cortisol and oxytocin, are effected more positively by calling versus texting.
#3 – Harder to waste time
You will rarely see a flip phone user scrolling social media or surfing the web. That’s practically impossible. There are no games on a flip phone. When I’m board and all I have is my flip phone, I’m either just going to sit there and think, or I’m going to text or call someone. Neither of those are wasted time in my book.
#2 – Helps maintain work boundaries
When thing I noticed was that people with smart phones had a difficult time getting away from work. When we took breaks, they were emailing or doing some other work activity. With a smart phone, you have to make a conscious decision to not work. With a flip phone, I could make calls and texts, but I can’t do emails. I can’t review documents or participate in a Zoom meeting. When I’m away from my computer, I’m pretty much away from work.
#1 – It’s cheap!
I normally spend between $0 to $30 to replace my flip phone. I will never need a payment plan to get a new phone. When you buy a flip phone, the difference in cost between the best and the worst is minimal. For my cell phone plan, I also choose a cheap plan because I just need text and calling. I don’t need much for data.
Useful Links
- My Cell Phone: https://electronicsforce.com/products/lg-classic-flip-l125dl-8-gb-tracfone-cdma
- Article on Zoomers and Flip Phones: https://nypost.com/2024/04/04/lifestyle/meet-the-zoomers-ditching-their-iphones-for-flip-phones/
- Article about Experience with Switching to Flip Phone: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/fjollaarifi/motorola-razr-fomo-mental-health
If you need bigger numbers, they might still make the jitterbug
I’m getting close! I do wish a flip phone would allow for speech to text.