I’m old enough to remember when answering machines were a new thing. Now they’re all but obsolete. Most people use the voicemail on their cell phones or caller ID instead. However, there are still people (like me) that still use answering machines. Here are 10 types of people that will expect you to leave a message on their answering machine.

1. Older – Many of the older generation still have their answering machines and use them to get messages. Once they learned how to use the new-fangled contraptions, they got used to the convenience of not missing calls when they weren’t home.
2. Home business – People who run a business from their homes know that an answering machine is a must. You can’t always be by the phone during regular business hours, but don’t want to miss calls.
3. Technologically challenged – There are people who are technologically challenged that find answering machines the limit of their capabilities. It took them a long time how to figure out how to use them and they’re not about to try learning something new.
4. No cell phone – Believe it or not, there are still some people who don’t have cell phones and only have a land line phone in their homes. They’re just the type of people who would still use an answering machine.
5. No caller ID – Some people got rid of their answering machines once they got caller ID, but people who don’t have that feature on their phones rely on their answering machines.
6. Privacy concerns – Some people don’t like the idea of their voice mail being stored digitally out in cyberspace somewhere. They like to know that their personal messages are being stored in their possession and not able to be accessed by strangers.
7. Homebodies – People who aren’t constantly on the go and actually spend a fair amount of time at home enjoy the convenience of an answering machine. These homebodies are perfectly content to check their quaint old machine for messages.
8. Families – Answering machines with multiple mailboxes are great for busy families. This helps eliminate missed messages because whoever checked the machine first forgot to write it down.
9. Call screeners – There are some people who actually never answer there phones to avoid annoying unsolicited calls. All their friends and family know to leave a message if they want to get through the screening process.
10. Frugal – Some people have to pay a fee for voicemail on their cell phones while the answering machine receives messages for free. Frugal people will know when it makes economical sense to use an answering machine.

People who use caller ID instead of an answering machine or don’t check their voice mail drive me crazy. Sometimes you really don’t need to talk to someone and just want to leave them a message. On the other hand checking your cell phone voicemail can be a pain, while checking an answering machine is much easier. There are many types of people that still use an answering machine and then there’s me. I’m an older homebody who runs a business from home, likes my privacy, is technologically challenged, but has a cell phone with voice mail, caller ID and an answering machine.