Does anyone use phone cards instead of long distance plan?

**Michelle** · 01-11-2004, 07:32 AM

I am considering using phone cards for out of state long distance rather than carrying it on my phone. I'm currently seeing how much this will save per month. I think it's at least $10/mo. The only people I call out of state are my parents once a week, so I think this will work out nicely.

I'm going to price the phone cards at BJs, Walmart, my grocery store, and Target.

Target has a 600 min card for $18 (this works out to $.03/min) this week. I'm sure I can do better at BJ's and Walmart.
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The rest of this post contains my calculations to weigh the cost benefits of taking LD off our phone. Mostly just ramblings, so if you don't read it, you're really not missing anything

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My calculations based on using the Target phone card:

600 min will yield 20 phone calls @ 30 min each (this is the usual amount of time I spend on the phone with them). Since I call my parents once a week, this will last me 5 mos. So...long distance for 5 mos will be $18. Per month: $3.60.

OR

based on 20 min phone calls, I can stretch this to 30 phone calls or 7.5 mos. So...long distance for 7.5 mos will be $18. Per month: $2.40.

I checked my phone bill, and we're actually paying $10.80/mo for LD, so using a phone card does seem like a better deal, BUT....

I think we get a discount on our DSL if we have LD and DSL through them. I'll need to call the phone company to see if that is the case, and how much the DSL will go up if I take off the LD.

**BlessedMommy** · 01-11-2004, 07:46 AM

We don't have a long distance carrier, just the 600 minute phone card from Sam's Club that I can add minutes to without having a membership. Works great for us. Dh has the 1800# and PIN in his palm pilot (password protected for security) so he can use it when he's away. I use it to call family, most of whom live out of state.

**Darlene** · 01-11-2004, 07:57 AM

I have a 670 min MCI card from BJ's that cost $20. I love not paying all those charges & surcharges that used to be on our ld bill. So you have to punch in some extra #'s, it's worth it to me.FYI~ They let you know how much time you have left when you place your call.

You have to be careful renewing some cards, for some reason they don't always keep you at that lower cents per min. you had when you first purchaced it.

**halo475** · 01-11-2004, 07:59 AM

Yes I do. I do have long distance on my phone, in case of emergency. I feel safer that way as the teens are sometimes home alone and need to reach me.

But for the majority of our long distance, we use phone cards. Some one gave us one from Sams club and I just recharge it over the phone. It works out to be .03 per minute.

**paelthom** · 01-11-2004, 08:00 AM

I use the Walmart card. We don't call long distance much and it works fine for us.

Ryan wanted me to add a smilie so......

I smell breakfast cooking, gotta

**Michelle** · 01-11-2004, 08:10 AM

I'm thinking this may be the way to go for us. We used to have a bundle that allowed us a $5/mo discount on DSL for having local, LD, and DSL through Verizon.

WELL!! I just went to Verizon's website, and they've lowered the price of DSL to what I'm paying now, so there's no savings any more for us

. I need to give them a call and see what they can do for me--otherwise, I'm taking LD off. Punching in the extra numbers is no big deal for me, and I don't mind setting up a reminder after 6 mos time to go buy a new phone card to keep the 3¢ rate.

So I'll either save on the DSL per month (which would be nice too), or I'm going to save on LD per month.

**Michelle** · 01-11-2004, 08:14 AM

Originally posted by paelthom
I use the Walmart card. We don't call long distance much and it works fine for us.

Ryan wanted me to add a smilie so......

I smell breakfast cooking, gotta

LOL at the smileys Pat

Any idea how much that Walmart card costs and for how many minutes?

**mustang80** · 01-11-2004, 08:25 AM

I can't believe Verizon lowered the price on anything!

I've never used a phone card. I use a LD carrier I chose from Lowermybills.com. I use OPEX. It costs me $0.0450 per minute plus $2.99 minimum usage fee, since we don't use it alot. AT & T was surcharging me up the ying yang-it was about $10-12 per month after all the surcharges

I told them where they could put all their charges. (One charge was just for the privilege of them doing business in NJ, $1.35 per month)

That's when I cut them off.

My bill for November for example with 45 minutes worth of calls to California-was a whopping $5.50.

I'm very happy with the service and if your bill is over a certain amount, you have the option to pay online.

**slowtypinwoman** · 01-11-2004, 09:13 AM

I use my cell for the majority of our long distance. But I have been thinking about getting a crd for at home use. My friend Hope, Who went with us to the zoo, does this and she researched a bunch of cards for this area. She said that the Sam's card that is rechargeable is the cheapest at .03 a minute.
I just don't know if I can get Micheal to use this he already balks at using the cell.

**paelthom** · 01-11-2004, 10:09 AM

You can get the Walmart card for any amount of money you want. Mine is 5 cents a minute I think. I usually get a card for about 25.00 and it lasts me 6 months or more.

**mylittle4** · 01-11-2004, 10:21 AM

I use a card mainly because it limits me. My very best friend is long distance from me and if I am not careful we will talk for hours on end. The card I get is $8.00 for 120 minutes but I recharge it for 400 min. for $14.00. It is an AT&T card I buy from the local gas station and it has no extra surcharges on it.

**Michelle** · 01-11-2004, 10:31 AM

Originally posted by mustang80
I can't believe Verizon lowered the price on anything!

I think they were forced to when cable internet prices were lowered

**Lori Biever-Launder** · 01-11-2004, 10:32 PM

I have a long distance plan on my phone for emergencies, but it has NO monthly service charge. I use a Costco card (670 mins for $20.00). I only have a few people who are out of state, so this lasts almost a year. What a deal!

**pip** · 01-12-2004, 04:27 PM

We also use Sams phone card for 3 cents a minute.

**mrscornbread** · 01-12-2004, 05:31 PM

I have a cell phone so I use that for long distance, but I do use a calling card that I buy from Costco also, as the rates from other companies go down, you can all and buy additional minutes at the lowest proveable rate. That means that they have to be able to verify it. The card i have is with MCI and I have had it for a couple of years. I have the number memorized. I have my home phone blocked from anything other than local calls because the kids can run up the bill and not even be aware of the toll charges. I love it this way. Nicole my daughter just bought a new plan tho, not sure which company that has unlimited nationwide calling for 40.00 I think.