The Case for a Phone Card
April 23, 2011
I rarely carry my cell phone. I rarely leave the house.
But when I do go on a long drive, I tend to forget.
I am not one of those under-25's described in Sherry Terkle's new book, Alone Together. They suffer withdrawal symptoms when separated from their cell phones.
If you ever find yourself in a hotel with no cell phone, you know what awaits you: a high bill for long distance.
You face the same threat when you use a pay phone. you can never be sure how much it will cost. When the bill arrives, you find out.
There is a solution, but you may have ignored it. Buy a cheap phone card. I recently paid $7 for 100 minutes.
I dial a toll-free number. I enter a code. It tells me how many minutes I have. I dial the number I want. I talk.
I told my wife about this card. She had a good idea. We will tell our adult children what the toll-free number is and also the access code. They can carry this information with them -- wallet and glove compartment.
Now, if I can just remember the numbers of the people I'm supposed to call.
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