Cell Phone/Text Messaging Tip

[Frugal_Cheap_Pants]

Every cell plan is different, but on our plan we can receive text messages but it costs us about a dime per message to SEND them.

You can send free text messages from the cellular providers websites. I have U.S. Cellular so I go to their site and send reminders to my DH through the day. This works great when I don't have time to talk, or if I know he isn't available to take calls.

This also works when you have friends/family whose cell numbers are long distance for you. This way you can leave a message, get your point across and if they want they can return your call, and you don't have to place a long distance call.

[abowers]

I've sent messages through the website before too. I have Verizon and I used to have a $5 unlimited text messaging to other Verizon users, as most of my friends did. But when I started work again I didn't send nearly as many as I did over the summer. So I ditched the plan and I use the website. That way I'm not paying for the text message, and neither are my friends.

I also used the website when I had Verizon and my friend has Sprint -- I went to the Sprint website to text message her. You can also enter your email address as the call back number so you don't receive replies to your cell.

Likewise, you can send text messages from any email account. It would vary on the cell phone carrier but you would send a brief email to the area code + cell phone number (10 digits) i.e. 5851234567@vtext.com (This would be sent directly to a verizon cell phone).

Remember though, that text messages usually have a character limit of around 160.

[MrSwapper]

I'll have to look at our plan... it's so much easier to text w/ our new phones, but I don't want to end up like a coworker whose daughter earned herself a $400 bill :P

[bharman]

Keep in mind when sending text messages from a cell phone carrier website, the person receiving your message still has to pay for it (Cingular is $.10). If they have unlimited text messaging, it won't cost anything extra.

[januarymarch]

Originally Posted by MrSwapper

I'll have to look at our plan... it's so much easier to text w/ our new phones, but I don't want to end up like a coworker whose daughter earned herself a $400 bill :P

Amazing that someone could do that. For $5, I can text all I want. I call so little now, I downgraded to a cheaper plan and still don't use all my minutes.

Instead of my bill going up, it has gone way down.

[januarymarch]

Also since I start texting messaging I've found out about a ton of services that you can use with it. My new favorite is 4info where you text a question to them and you get back the answer in seconds. So neat.

My husband uses it to find out about sports scores (he's an addict) and manly things. I use it to get weather reports (i'm a weather junky), horoscopes, price comparisons. My son said he used it to get a pickup line at a bar. And it worked! It basically turns your phone into an internet browser -- free and vital info on the fly.

[LoriP]

how can i text message from cingulars' web site free? itried but cannot find where to send from?

Originally Posted by bharman

Keep in mind when sending text messages from a cell phone carrier website, the person receiving your message still has to pay for it (Cingular is $.10). If they have unlimited text messaging, it won't cost anything extra.

[ren]

Actually, just use your email -- [phone number]@cingularme.com

[SavingUP]

Pay close attention to the bill reminder messages on your cell phone bills. For instance, the company I work for recently implemented charges for incoming text messages. Incoming used to be free and the customer was only charged for outgoing (.10). While you have control over how many text messages YOU send, you never have control over the text messages that others send you. We had a lot of shocked customers who bypassed the bill message stating that soon they would be charged for those incoming texts. It makes for a pretty big bill when you get that bill showing your teenager used 4000 text messages last month.

[amykelley]

THANKS FOR THEW email address thing. I never knew that...

[ezme]

There are applications around for mobile phones now that send messages over GPRS rather than SMS. The cheapest prices i could find were on FishText.com, which priced international text messages mainly for under €0.02.

[momof1in150]

If you know someone that has a blackberry and you have one then you can blackberry instant message for free. I do this with a couple of friends and it is great.

[BigRed]

I think another plan to consider is prepaid phones, i have one and its great. It charges only 5 cents for texting, half price compared to most services that charge 10 cents. But the really great thing is there is no monthly charges, activation fees, service charges or any of that. The phones themselves are reasonably priced and it is a flat rate of 10 cents per minute.

[irmanator]

Originally Posted by BigRed

I think another plan to consider is prepaid phones, i have one and its great. It charges only 5 cents for texting, half price compared to most services that charge 10 cents. But the really great thing is there is no monthly charges, activation fees, service charges or any of that. The phones themselves are reasonably priced and it is a flat rate of 10 cents per minute.

Another good thing about prepaid is that the phones are cheaper if yours breaks. I am on verizon, my oldest is on my plan and her phone broke so we spent quality time at the verizon tech place. while waiting to be called up, I looked at the phones. The same phone i bought as a prepaid for my younger son for 19.95 at walmart was ONLY 49.95 WITH 2 yr contract. The plan I have my kids on is 10 mo for unlimited verizon to verizon txt and 250 to everyone else. Plus I am not obligated to stay with it for 2 years. I am seriously considering switching my own phone when my contract ends.

I should also say you can't buy a prepaid phone to replace a contract phone. There is something progammed into it that wont accept it as a contract replacement.