We are going to need to go on a major data diet when we start full-time RVing.
Based on the past 4 months, we used about 416 GB per month via our home modem. Yes, that is a lot of data and no that is no misprint. The primary source of our internet in the RV will likely be Verizon. Their largest advertised data plan is for 100 GB a month and that costs $710. Their overage charge is $15 per GB. So our average monthly bill would be about $5450 ($710 + (316 GB * $15). They say veterans can get 15% off any plan, so maybe our bill only would have been $4632.5. Clearly, a bill that high would be a budget buster. This amount of data only costs us about $95 a month via Time Warner Cable.
We both work online and we will be paying more for our data than we are in our sticks and bricks home. However, clearly we need to cut back. I know we can cut a lot of data, I just don’t know how much that cutting will help. Here is a list of things I know we can cut or cut back on:
1. Netflix: We watch a lot of streaming Netflix shows. I would guess 95% of the “TV” we watch is via streaming Netflix. Our blazing home internet connection allows us to receive high definition videos. Susanne and I watch a show every night, Sam watches his kid shows, and sometimes we all watch our own shows on are own screens at the same time. We can stop streaming Netflix shows. I think this will be a huge data savings. Instead we can rent DVD’s from Redbox, get Netflix disks via the mail, or get them from libraries. We can also just watch less and get outside more.
2. Backups. I back up everything online. Every picture I take gets sent to the cloud, every file and change I make gets sent to Dropbox, and I have other cloud based systems in place to backup data that just automatic happens. Turning these off or waiting until I have cheaper internet to do the backups will provide a major saving of those internet bits. The computer geek in me will not be happy, but that red Hulk doesn’t have to pay the bills.
3. Youtube: We (well Trent) has been watching a lot of Youtube videos about RVs and Full-time RVing. I can cut this back to just watching videos about potential next stops or videos about how to fix whatever problem we are facing.
4. Podcasts: I listen to a lot of podcasts (this is an understatement). However I download even more than I ever hear (so is this). We currently have great and relatively cheap internet so I always make sure I have enough podcasts to listen to as I run or do household chores. I can easily cut way back on the number of podcasts I download.
5. Automatic updates: I have automatic updates on for our mobile devices. I can turn this off and only check for updates when we have good free wifi.
6. Web surfing: Now when I want to read the news I click on my news tab and 20 news sites automatically load. It’s 10 tabs for sports. I can cut my news reading back to the NYT, CNN, and a locally focused news site. I can easily cut my sports news back to only ESPN (you can pry the PTI podcast from my cool dead fingers).
7. Work related data: I don’t think we will cut back here. Maybe just narrow down any Dropbox syncing to just the files we need, not all the files we could ever possibly need. We will just have to pay for whatever work related data we need.
8. Other: Ghostery and unsubscribe. I already use Ghostery to block unwanted ads and trackers and I’ve been unsubscribing from many email lists. I do love that thing I bought 4 years ago, but I don’t need to pay to get that email about the new deals.
One possible solution: Unlimited plans - If we can get one, we will. T-mobile does offer an unlimited type plan for watching Netflix, HBO, and the like. However, they are too far behind Verizon in terms of coverage to count on them for work. They might be the back-up service we use.
What other suggestions do you have? If I am missing something, let me know.
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