Wednesday, April 2, 2008




Managing Your Communication Budgets With Prepaid Calling Cards

With the advances in technology making the world a much smaller place, communication tools like prepaid calling cards offer consumers lower costs and ease of use in making long distance calls anywhere, and are great to have in handy, in case of emergencies.

These prepaid communication cards also have many plus factors over the standard telephone services, and you also would be glad to get the same rates or services at anytime of the day or the week.

Phone Cards Offer Convenience And Affordability

Managing your budgets can also be much easier and more fun with these communication devices. These tools allow you to budget how much you spend on your long distance calling. Instead of paying monthly bills for calls upfront, you only pay for the calls you make, and some cards even offer discounted rates to certain cities, countries, or time zones.

You're always sure never to wind up with getting bills that are really burdensome. Prepaid phone cards are sold at a wide variety of stores and locations, like gas stations, post offices groceries, hotel lobbies, bus and train stations and airports. You can also purchase these items over the Worldwide Web, where you can also compare different call cards and their rates to get the best deals available.

In using these cards, you simply dial a toll free number, type in your personal identification number (PIN), and dial the number. Generally, consumers will be informed of how much time they have remaining on the card. In addition to the other conveniences mentioned earlier, you'll never have to look for change when you need to use a payphone and you always know exactly what your charges will be.

What To Consider Before Buying One

When you plan to purchase a specific prepaid phone card, ensure that you are aware of the total per-minute charges and read the fine print on the card, to see if there are any other fees or charges associated with the card. Be wary of some providers that offer an unusually low cost per minute, as these most often have other charges that will increase your overall costs for calling domestic or overseas.

Before you buy the card, read the details on the back of the card, or on the corresponding poster in the stores. If you see signs or word like "Connection Fee", "Rates subject to change without notice" or "Rates are only valid for calling select areas", think twice before buying these items, as you'll be expecting to pay more than the advertised toll charges.

If you're buying these cards online, find out more about their rates and services through many online reviews and consumer referrals. If you don't want to risk your money by finding out for yourself if the prepaid phone card you bought gives you the best value for money, you can also ask people who have used it before, as they would be able to give you an honest assessment of how the cards worked, and if they were satisfied with the service rendered.