AT&T: New iPhone, No Contract

AT&T announced today they will sell the Apple iPhone without a contract. That means the devout iPhone consumer can purchase the phone from AT&T with AT&T service but without signing an agreement. But there's a catch: the price of the iPhone just jumped two-fold without the contract.

According to previously stated reports, the two new models of iPhones will go on sale this month for $199 and $299, depending on the amount of memory. You can grab the iPhones at that price if you sign a two-year AT&T contract. Don't want a contract with AT&T? Prepare to pay $599 and $699.

Would someone please tell me what the upside to this is? Either way, aren't you paying out the ass for an iPhone?

Bye, Bye, Boston Sports Club

The evil gym monkey is off my back. My contract expired (a month earlier than I originally thought) and I promptly called membership services at Boston Sports Club and asked them to kindly cancel my membership PRONTO. I'm pleased to say I didn't get a sales pitch and the membership services person didn't try to guilt me into staying at the wrecked gym. However, I did get suckered into a "processing fee". Because it wouldn't be Boston Sports Club if they didn't try to suck one more penny out of you before you leave. So I caved.

"Fine," I said. "Charge me a processing fee and please do not ever contact me again. I do not want to see so much as a flyer in my mailbox."

The sales associate agreed to my terms (or she lied to me to get me off the phone), took my credit card number and said goodbye. I am free from Boston Sports Club!

And on to another gym...

I will post more on my new gym later but I need to come clean about one thing: it is more expensive than the evil gym (by $20). But on the flip side:

1. It is two blocks from my office and in the direction of my apartment.
2. It is a private gym (which means they cap memberships so that the gym isn't too crowded during peak times).
3. It has a spa. And yes, there are discounts associated with my membership.
4. It is small by gym standards, but again, it's private so you're never waiting for a machine.
5. The clientele is "professional" (i.e. no college kids parading around in boy shorts that barely cover their yahoos).

More on the new gym later...

Travel Don'ts: The Fung Wah Bus Line

Why do people still take this bus line as a mode of transportation? After the previous accidents, chicken rides (and I do mean live chickens) and near fatal disasters, people still take the Fung Wah from Boston to New York and back again. And today, an innocent woman waiting to board the Fung Wah was struck and killed while boarding the bus. I honesty believe that this bus line breeds bad karma.

Yes, I understand that it's cheap. But lucky you -- I make a living off writing about cheap finds in travel and so I've come up with some alternative options!

Lucky Star bus: Prices range from $5 to $25 one-way, depending on the time you travel.

GotoBus.com: $30 round-trip (that's two martinis - you can spare 'em.)

Amtrak: Really, it's not that expensive if you think about it. For $160 round-trip, you sit in comfortable seats like the civilized person you are and read a book for 4 hours. Livestock isn't stored in the bathroom, it doesn't smell like feet and the worst-case scenario is that you get a drunk Ivy League kid next to you. Easy fix: get up and move -it's a big train with lots of seats.

Ok, so no more Fung Wah, right? You are a smart, successful, civilized human being -- treat yourself like one and take a safe mode of transportation to NYC.