Bye-bye husband, hello smartphone.
What would you give up to keep your phone? A new nationwide survey found out. The results are eye-opening.
The survey, conducted by the SMS marketing platform SimpleTexting, talked to 1,000 smartphone users across all 50 states. It asked them what things they’d be willing to sacrifice — and how much money they’d pay — to keep their phones. Stuff on the chopping block included dogs, sex, vacation and significant others.
Forty-two percent of respondents said they’d rather be separated from their significant other for a month than from their smartphone over that same time period. Dogs didn’t fare much better: 40% of people were willing to not see their dog for a month if they could keep their phones handy.
Here’s how some other prized possessions, services and experiences stacked up:
- 47% would rather give up sex for a month than their phone for a month.
- 44% would rather serve five days of jury duty than be without their smartphone for five days.
- 41% would rather be cut off from all TV, movies, music and podcasts for one month than lose their phone for a month.
OK, so it’s only a month. But what would people permanently sacrifice to keep their smartphones?
- 54% of females would permanently give up exercise, versus 42% of males.
- 39% would rather give up all future vacations.
Respondents also revealed how much they’d pay to keep their smartphones:
- 66% of Baby Boomers said they’d pay $0-$500 per month, 17% said they’d pay $500-$1,000, and 10% said they’d pay $1,000-2,000.
- 40% of millennials would pony up $0-$500 per month, 19% would pay $500-$1,000, and 19% would pay $1,000-2,000
What would people pay for an entire year?
According to the survey, 26% were willing to pay $1,000-$5,000 per year. Fifteen percent would pay $5,000-$10,000. And 12% would shell out $10,000-$15,000. Generally, the younger the respondent, the more willing they were to pay a higher amount.
While these results are compelling, they should also be taken with a grain of salt. One-thousand people were surveyed — that’s a decent sample size, but certainly not the be-all end-all.
In any case, the survey results include a lot more details on these demographic breakdowns, and other items/experiences/etc., that people said they’d sacrifice. To see the complete results, visit SimpleTexting’s website.
I now pronounce you husband and ... phone.