Kyeli is planning on upgrading her iPhone to the new version, and she generously offered her old one to me.

“Sweet!” I replied. “Sure thing!”

But after I thought about it some more, I changed my mind.

Here’s why.

An iPhone will not improve my life.

An iPhone will not solve any problems that I actually have in my life.

I already have the cheapest-ass cell phone on the planet, and it does everything I honestly need. All my other problems are… not really problems at all.

Bored while waiting? I can read a book.

Want to google something when I’m out and about? I’m almost always out and about with Kyeli, so I can borrow hers. If she’s not around, I can just wait. It’s not that big a deal.

Want directions to somewhere? Again, I can borrow Kyeli’s, or if she’s not around, I can googlemap it at home and write them down.

Want 24/7 access to email and Twitter? No thanks.

If I had 24/7 access to email, I’d stress out way more. If someone emailed me saying “I’m having trouble downloading the World-Changing Writing Workshop Bonus Pack” while we’re out dropping off Dru at his Dungeons and Dragons campaign, then all of a sudden I’m worrying about work instead of spending time with my family. I know myself well enough to know that I wouldn’t be able to resist checking my email if I had an iPhone, so I’m going to avoid that cheese factory, thankyouverymuch.

Also, I prefer to minimize the number of things I feel tied to. The iPhone itself is no big deal, but I’d feel tied to a contract and a data plan, and that would weigh on me.

The benefits aren’t worth the costs — even if it’s free.

Are the products and services you buy solving a real problem or a created problem? In other words, did you have a problem you wanted to solve before you knew about that product or service?

Good products solve an existing problem. Evil products (or to be precise, evil marketers) create a problem you didn’t have before and then sell you something that will solve it.

Do you ever acquire stuff because it’s shiny, free, or on sale? Because you were somehow convinced you needed it at the time, but upon reflection, you really don’t?

Can you let go of these things? Get rid of them? Maybe even get your money back?