Choosing a Long Distance Provider

Written by David McDonough


Continued from page 1

Calling Cards Calling cards are a convenient way to place a call when not at home. However, a calling card provided by long distance carriers such as AT&T and MCI, may come with a surcharge for each use. Some calling cards have a rate of 20 to 40 cents per minute. You may avoid a surcharge and gain a lower rate by obtaining a card from a smaller provider or reseller of telephone service.

Prepaid calling cards Another way to avoid a surcharge is to buy a prepaid calling card. Be aware, prepaid calling cards are not problem free. Many consumers cards are not problem free. Many consumers have recently discovered some prepaid calling cards haverepparttar following problems:

Higher per-minute rates than other telephone cards.

Some companies have gone out of business leaving their customers with unused minutes and without being reimbursed.

Access numbers or personal identification numbers do not work.

Toll-free access numbers are always busy preventing use ofrepparttar 101527 card.

Hidden connection charges have been added to cards.

Poor connections prevent use. When considering purchasing a prepaid calling card, askrepparttar 101528 following questions: What isrepparttar 101529 actual cost per minute ofrepparttar 101530 card?

Is there a sign up or activation fee?

Where can I call from?

Who do I contact if there is a problem withrepparttar 101531 card?

How reputable isrepparttar 101532 company?

How many minutes isrepparttar 101533 calling card worth?

Is there an expiration date?

A personal 1-800 number Setting up a personal 1-800 number may be a good idea for parents with a child in college. While a calling card can be used to call anyone,repparttar 101534 1-800 number can only be used to call home. Ask your carrier about receiving a 1-800 number. Often they will set uprepparttar 101535 number at a reasonable rate with no monthly or installation fees.

Avoid rounding charges Some companies charge for a five-minute long distance call when you really only spoke for four minutes and two seconds. This is becauserepparttar 101536 company bills in 60-second increments. Therefore, you will often pay for more time than you actually use. AT&T, MCI Worldcom and Sprint bill in 60-second increments. Other carriers may provide different options.

Pay attention to pay phones It is important to be cautious when using a pay phone. Long-distance companies connected to pay phones may charge higher rates and additional fees. Using a calling card to access a different long-distance company’s service may berepparttar 101537 best alternative. However, you should be aware that some companies may go to great lengths to make it difficult for you to bypass their service and use a different carrier. For example, letterless keypads have been placed on some pay phones, therefore making it difficult to dial through to another carrier (i.e. 1-800-CALL-ATT etc.).

Research and compare Long distance rates and discount plans change on a continual basis. Consumers should frequently call long-distance companies and ask about domestic rates, billing increments and applicable discount plans. What may have beenrepparttar 101538 best plan for you six months ago, may no longer apply.

Webmaster and owner of TheLowestRates.Com, LLC - Your cheap residential long distance telephone, internet service and travel source.


Relationship Advice That Matters Part One

Written by Yvette Dubel


Continued from page 1

It wasrepparttar refusal to face this that ultimately held her back, and kept her going from therapist to therapist and relationship to relationship. Notable progress was made however, when we realized where she could begin, using a specific process to change one thing at a time. One important first step we dealt with self-talk, correctingrepparttar 101526 dialogues she had with herself aboutrepparttar 101527 events ofrepparttar 101528 day, as well how she allowed others to speak reat her.

In my own personal experience, back when I felt fragmented and compartmentalized, I began working diligently on that issue over a decade ago and it is an ongoing process. One morning I was reminding myself ofrepparttar 101529 “to do” list I had failed to write down inrepparttar 101530 organizer andrepparttar 101531 appointments I hadn’t written intorepparttar 101532 day planner.

Now one response to that would be to berate myself for not writing it inrepparttar 101533 organizer, as I had engaged in a long-term dysfunctional relationship with procrastination and disorganization.

There was a time when I would have willed myself into a nasty mood because of what I was saying to myself. Without even realizing it I might have colored my day, week or year. I have made some progress with procrastination by determining what wererepparttar 101534 priorities for me.

I took a moment to remind myself of that whenrepparttar 101535 mental post-it incident occurred. So my response was to make that my first priority after I got my cup of coffee and sent an email. When I began working onrepparttar 101536 “to do” list, this article practically wrote itself as I allowed myselfrepparttar 101537 freedom to journal a bit as I wroterepparttar 101538 list of items I needed to complete into my sketchbook.

Interestingly, writing this article was atrepparttar 101539 top ofrepparttar 101540 list. I decided that this made up for any other inefficiency in my customized system. I trust in this process because it has allowed me to merge my creative and analytical sides harmoniously in a way that contributes to my happiness and sense of self in a way that is gratifying. It is consistent with my goals and so it does come together to work as a system.

I have claimed my power to make it OK if I make a list of books to read, songs or artists to look for, ideas, rough drafts, and even drawings or collages inrepparttar 101541 same place because it served no one to make me wrong for doing it. Sometimes I do have to transfer information into other locations, but at least I am not procrastinating on my ideas and insights (which arerepparttar 101542 seeds of my potential for success) I take immediate action, even asrepparttar 101543 next step to take emerges.

My reason for sharing these anecdotes is to illustraterepparttar 101544 point ofrepparttar 101545 notion mentioned earlier in regards to getting on withrepparttar 101546 business of truly living. It is my intention that I have provided more relevant insight intorepparttar 101547 journey torepparttar 101548 self as an essential part of achievement. Especially where this is chosen over nursing wounds of past disappointments and failures. What ever happen, it isrepparttar 101549 past and nothing can change it. The important thing is NOW because that whererepparttar 101550 seat of power lies in terms of linear time. It isrepparttar 101551 present that will create your future. So, what are you doing?

Yvette Dubel is the founder of Enhancement Consulting : http://www.enhancementconsulting.net and creator of the e-consultation product Enhancement Consulting Simple Plan System© . Enhancement Consulting publishes “Elements of Your Simple Plan for Success” Complete the form and get your special Thank You Gifts.


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