Mobile Roaming Tips For Keeps
With the present economy still just trying to pick up, people have to practice frugality and prudent financial management at all times. This should specially apply with the use of mobile phones particularly when traveling across states or countries.
It is quite obvious that the best way to save money is to not bring a phone at all, but if it is just not acceptable, here are some tips to cut on mobile roaming costs:
The general rules are:
1. Texting is always cheaper than calling from your mobile phone.
2. Receiving text on your local sim is free.
For a short trip abroad:
1. Activate the roaming service of your local network before you leave.
2. Use your regular number to receive text messages for free.
3. Be sure to have the roaming service deactivated once you get back or set the service to be deactivated on your return date.
4. Be sure to switch to a local network using your regular sim once you arrive at your destination.
5. Don't use your hotel room phone to make any calls.
6. For certain phone brands, you may have to turn off the voice mail feature as receiving and reading the mail incurs charges.
For longer trips:
1. Use your phone as a pager. Receive texts then return a call using a cheaper modality.
2. Get a local sim in the state/country you are in instead of sending a message thru your regular sim. These local sims even usually come with free credits.
3. Learn to text with shorter word forms or what is called the text language so that your message fits in as few pages using as few character spaces as possible.
7. You may just want to resort to chatting on the internet using free wi-fi that is usually available in coffee shops and restaurants.
8. Making calls using the internet is free. Choose from VoIP services.
9. Let your callers use call cards to call your hotel phone.
10. You may opt to get an international sim if you travel a lot.
11. Check with your home network for economical roaming packages.
Remember, prudence is considered a virtue. Make your vacation trips much more fun or your business trip more productive by cutting down on unnecessary costs.