Calling cards and in-state fees?

scent of cedar

New Member
What are the others of us doing regarding the higher cost of in-state long distance calls on our calling cards?

Our card is from Sam's Club. We lost the actual cards so I cannot call the customer service number there. We have just been renewing minutes over the phone when we needed to for years, now.

When we are in Florida, in-state long distance is terribly high. When we are back in Wisconsin, we can call anywhere in Florida but any long distance call in Wisconsin costs three or four times the minutes.

Rates are determined by billing address zip code.

How are the others of us handling this?

We are thinking about going to one of those bundle packages with internet / phone / unlimited long distance.

Is that what you all are doing too?

Thanks! :smile:

Barbara
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Barbara...

One word...Cell phone!

I have no idea what your long distance calling habits are or what even your phone habits are. Also...are you on dial up or cable or dsl...a lot depends on that.

I do think if you are on cable internet you can get a VOIP phone and gives you pretty much cheaper telephone service for one low price.

However...if you are on dial up...that wont work.

If you can look into cell phone plans that cover both WI and FL and find one that is reasonable...then see if they would give you the amount of mins that you might normally need to call during the daytime but make sure you get nights and weekends free. Then you are set.
 

meowbunny

New Member
I don't even have a landline. Used to have AT&T internet, had a problem with their modem they refused to fix without me paying an exorbitant fee, so I can cancelled all my AT&T accounts and went to Verizon for my phone and ComCast for my internet. One of the best decisions I've ever made. So, another vote for cell phone.

Even with my daughter on my plan, we don't use all of the minutes alloted us every month (most of her chats are after 9:00 pm anyway), we have no long distance charges as long as all calls are within the continental USA.
 

Pam R

New Member
We have bundled our DSL/local/local long distance/long distance. We only have land lines. Our company is Verizon, the local version of Ma Bell after the split-up.

But one thing I will tell you. I periodically call them and ask about discounts. The last call netted me a discount of $28 PER MONTH for a year. This was with NO loss of any services. Granted I was on the phone for an hour with both the DSL component and the long distance, but for $28 PER MONTH, it was worth it.

We have the best speed DSL, unlimited local long distance and long distance. It's for the continental US. And it's all a set rate each month.

I have seldom called the phone company and spent less than 1 hr. on the phone, but I come away with reduced rates, every time. We've come down from $140/mo. with no DSL to the above for $62/mo. This over a period of 4 yrs.

I usually call about once a year or so, when I've noticed a change in the amount we pay. The phone company periodically raises rates across the board and that's when I call.

Pam R.
 

scent of cedar

New Member
Thanks, everyone!

We should have a cell phone anyway, I suppose, with all the driving we do. Definitely one of those things that show our ages. I dislike the idea of cell phones because there are so many times when I don't WANT to be reachable or hear a phone ring.

Guess I need to move into the future!

Barbara
 

WhymeMom?

No real answers to life..
scent of cedar--you can turn the cell phone off......you must live under the rule if the phone rings you have to answer......be a rule breaker.........
 

donna723

Well-Known Member
I have never been one of those who just yammer away on the phone all the time. But I finally got another cell phone to keep in the car with me, just in case of emergency. I just got a little Trac phone and buy the minutes for it. $20 every three months for sixty minutes - that I never use. I only have a few "just in case" numbers in it - my work number, both kids, the tire store and a mechanic! I keep it turned OFF but I check it once a day and if anybody called, it shows it. I went for a long time without one and never missed it, but now that I have one in the car, I'd be worried to be without it.

I would love to "bundle" all my other services, but around here it seems like they're all connected to the satellite TV and I don't want to change from what I have now. I have a pretty decent deal though with my internet and phone - the internet is through the phone company and I get more long distance minutes than I ever use and it's for in-state calls too.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Donna...you would simply hate to see my cell phone minutes then...lol.

My plan is actually only for 1500 mins split between three lines but then we also have a feature on the plan which gives us a 10 number free calling circle, free incoming to all the phones, mobile to mobile in our network, and free nights and weekends.

Now...I add my dad, jamie, my few friends, husband's boss, my doctor, and a few other numbers and we get our ten people. Then we use all the free incoming. Most other calls are nights and weekends. Or mobile to mobile. We hardly ever use up all the 1500...in fact never.

But...I average darn close to 5000 mins a month total using all of the other services! But then again...we use the cells as our only phones and we keep in contact constantly with each other. I "page" husband out in the yard to tell him he needs to come do something inside the house...lol.
 

donna723

Well-Known Member
Janet, I'm pretty much a hermit - who would I call?

My son works weird hours and he sleeps till 3 or 4 in the afternoon, then goes to work. When he's up, I'm either sleeping or at work. We sometimes end up with him emailing me from his cell phone when he's on breaks at work. In our family this passes for "communication". I talk to my daughter in S.C. on weekends but most of the time she calls me back because her plan has unlimited time on weekends. I'm just not a "talker".
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Well the only people I call are docs, the boys and husband...lol. Rarely I throw a friend in there. Now Cory can talk up a storm!

Thank heavens for free incoming.
 

scent of cedar

New Member
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dammit Janet</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

I "page" husband out in the yard to tell him he needs to come do something inside the house...lol. </div></div>

That is too funny, Dammit! :smile:

Nomad, I did not get your PM. Could you resend it? (I switched browsers. I suppose I could go look on the Explorer one.)

I will do that in a few minutes.

Barbara
 
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