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Original poster

How many people do you think have your phone number saved?

28 replies

FrannyScraps · 04/01/2025 17:09

Just been having a clear out of my phone contacts and started wondering...

I have 151 contacts in my phone, it's probably average. It doesn't feel a lot or very few, just about right.

But then I started wondering how many phones have got my number saved.... my gut feeling is it's probably more. I'm a childminder so my number is on advertising etc. Maybe 250?

What about your phone number?

OP posts:
WalkOnTheLeft · 04/01/2025 17:12

Probably not many… 25?

Original poster
FrannyScraps · 04/01/2025 17:15

That's not a lot at all. Is it quite a new number?

OP posts:
Love51 · 04/01/2025 17:18

That's made me realise that "work me" is a lot more popular than "home me" so thanks for that!

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Childcare & nursery
Moonlightstars · 04/01/2025 17:21

I've just looked I have around 1400 contacts so maybe around that? I did a cull recently. It's also my work phone which is a about 300 of them so they might not have me on their normal phone.

CMOTDibbler · 04/01/2025 17:30

3, which is a bit sad I know

Chasingaces · 04/01/2025 17:31

I've just had a clear out as I've retired so got rid of most of my work ones and I still have 355! Lots for a hobby group and voluntary job i used to do but I do tend to keep old numbers just in case.... 😬

BorgQueen · 04/01/2025 17:32

7 including my hairdresser and Dentist.

FelixtheAardvark · 04/01/2025 17:35

No idea. Why should I care?

purplespink · 04/01/2025 17:48

Including doctors and dentist and midwife, about 11.

Cindersilly · 04/01/2025 17:53

iPhone deleted my contacts recently and when I restored them from iCloud I went through them. I kept 15.

I like my circle small & peaceful.

Zippedydodah · 04/01/2025 17:54

5? 10? Definitely very few.

Itswno · 04/01/2025 17:56

Not many, never really used my number for work and don’t have the largest group of friends, probably around 15 have it saved

ExceededUsefulEconomicLife · 04/01/2025 17:59

I've had my number decades so loads. But I only actively message about 8 people and 2 of them live with me. I used to be really sociable but now I can only tolerate the 2 I live with 🤣

BBQPete · 04/01/2025 18:03

No idea, but am pretty surprised by the number of posters already who seem to have so few.

I mean, putting aside family members and friends (how do you have so few?) there are all sorts of fairly standard people who would have your number (GP, Dentist, work, etc even if you don't have dc, whose schools would have your number even if they don't do sports or drama or Scouts etc).

Original poster
FrannyScraps · 04/01/2025 18:32

I was wondering if those with so few don't have children?

I've shared mine for play dates and parties and with neighbours, for lift shares etc.

I also have more than 25 people in my family.

I'm also very surprised by the low numbers!

OP posts:
Cindersilly · 04/01/2025 18:38

I have 5 best friends - 5
A mum, dad, brother, step dad - 4
GP - 1
dentist - 1
school - 1
husband - 1
DC - 1
sister in law - 1

🤣 everyone else is on Messenger! (Especially parents of DC friends!)

After school and Clubs are all via email.

I don’t have work saved on my personal phone (I have a work phone for work stuff!)

purplecorkheart · 04/01/2025 18:49

I have had the same phone number for probably 25 years plus. I have 487 numbers saved.

Sadly probably about 20 numbers are of people who have passed away.

Loads of them are business/restaurants etc.

I would say probably 100 have my number saved. Mainly family members and some friends. Others are work connections.

There are probably 10 people who have my number saved that would help me out if I needed help.

Ginkypig · 04/01/2025 18:52

I’ve had the same number for at least 20 years and have always kept my landline as the private number because I couldn’t look at who was calling me on it so a LOT most likely.

CMOTDibbler · 04/01/2025 19:02

@BBQPete its not really rocket science how you can have few friends and family is it? My parents are dead, no phone contact with the remote family left, and I don't have any friends. So DH, DS and my cleaner are the only people with my personal phone number.

Original poster
FrannyScraps · 04/01/2025 19:25

CMOTDibbler · 04/01/2025 19:02

@BBQPete its not really rocket science how you can have few friends and family is it? My parents are dead, no phone contact with the remote family left, and I don't have any friends. So DH, DS and my cleaner are the only people with my personal phone number.

That sounds very lonely, I'm sorry.

OP posts:
BBQPete · 04/01/2025 19:54

CMOTDibbler · 04/01/2025 19:02

@BBQPete its not really rocket science how you can have few friends and family is it? My parents are dead, no phone contact with the remote family left, and I don't have any friends. So DH, DS and my cleaner are the only people with my personal phone number.

You don't have a GP? Dentist ?

I'd say it was unusual to have neither any family, nor any friends, yes.

I've just done a quick count and I reckon I have 26 people I'm related to in one way or another (incl blood relatives of my dh) who would have my phone number. My parents are dead, as are virtually all of my Aunts and Uncles, but dh and I both have siblings, and sibling in laws, and nieces and nephews.

Where people don't have family, it seems more likely they will have built relationships with friends. One of my long standing friends is an only child, and both her parents were only children so she doesn't have any relations left on her side, but she has some on her dh's and she has created good friendships to ensure she has people close to her in her life.

I know MN is rather skewed towards recluses, but I find it hard to believe people can have a child and never have exchanged numbers with anyone in relation to them.

CMOTDibbler · 04/01/2025 20:10

I don't think of GP/dentist/optician/physio as having my phone number saved - its on their records, but its like the garage or plumber, on record not a personal contact.
My ds is at uni, and though when he was under 11 I had contact with some of his school friends parents via FB its long gone. Sports as a teenager were organised through the kids or on the club app.

DH has relatives that he has contact with, but its not the sort of family where they'd contact me.

I'm far from a recluse, its just the way life has worked out for me and I have a great life.

ExtraDisorganised · 04/01/2025 20:17

I have 710 contacts saved but I have had the same number since I first had a phone (late 90s) and quite a lot are saved as email addresses. Probably a couple of hundred though. Big families on both sides and have quite a wide social circle.

pizzaHeart · 04/01/2025 20:19

CMOTDibbler · 04/01/2025 17:30

3, which is a bit sad I know

it very much depends on your job so no reflection on you personally.

ACynicalDad · 04/01/2025 20:19

I’ve got 807, doubt they’ve all got me though.