Flu Tips 2012

A lot of people are suffering from the flu. Here's some stuff I've found out while under: 1. They didn't guess the right flu for the flu shot this year. I got the shot but still caught the flu. 2. The doctor can actually do something about the flu. I was surprised, as I thought being a virus it was untreatable, but they apparently have antivirals. So far I've noticed an immediate improvement in myself and my wife. If you don't have insurance, it'll run you around $150 for the drugs and another $100 for urgent care. If you do have insurance, it's half that. The best time to get this treatment is a day or two in. 3. It's more contagious than I've ever seen - every single person in my household caught it, as did a few people who visited. Where a mask if you can if you're around anyone who's sick. 4. Symptoms - It'll start with a cough and feeling tired, then into a hacking, probably unproductive cough.

Google Voice to get free everything forever

Recently I had to switch cell phone carriers as my phone stabbed me. My last phone, a Nokia brick-style phone, had seen so much use that the case chipped in various places, became jagged, and jabbed me in the skin under my thumbnail.

It was the first time my phone had tried to bleed me, other than financially.
So I figured I'd upgrade my phone to one of those new-fangled smart phones, as I frequently get lost going pretty much anywhere farther than the kitchen, and GPS would maybe save me an hour a week of, "...did they move the grocery store?"

The issue was that T-Mobile charged like 70 / month for some of their smart phone plans, and I'm a cheapskate. My previous plan, sans texting and data, was about half that, and I refused to pay more to receive more. And, as it turns out, I managed to get unlimited everything (data, text, calls) for around 35 a month. Here's what I did.

1. Swapped my old TMobile number over to Google Voice. There are many reasons to use Google voice. Short version, for me, was that my old TMobile phone number is now tied to my Google account. So if I switch carriers, I just redirect my Voice account to use that new phone.

2. My number was now on Google voice and my TMobile service was cancelled. Now I needed a cheap carrier - Virgin Mobile. They offer a small amount of minutes, and infinite text and data (data is speed-choked after 2 gb / month) for 35 a month.

3. I make calls at home using my computer and Google voice. These minutes are free.

So now all calls to my old TMobile number, which hasn't changed in years, are directed to my new phone and plan, and no one is the wiser. The same plan would work with any other carrier, but Voice let's me be a cheapskate