Whew

[susandennis]

Today is my manager's last day before motherhood. She looks so tired. I think she's ready. It was a wild day but a good one. A whole lot of things finally got resolved today and while I was really busy, at least I feel like I got something done.

My baseball team today lost their 4th game in a row to Texas - a team who is in the toilet standings-wise. I guess the Mariners figure that I need to spend my time watching the new season of tv shows instead of wasting it with the World Series. They are such considerate boys... GRRRRRRRR

Somehow I need to find out about phone cards in the UK. My sister and her family are now living in Exeter for the year and my Mom wants to give her teenage granddaughters prepaid phone cards that they can use in England to call their friends in the U.S. Now the only person on the face of the earth who knows less me about calling long distance and phone cards is my Mom. I probably make 2 long distance calls a year. I don't even have long distance capability on my house land line - I had it taken off several years ago when it started costing me more than $10 just to have the capability. Plus, when you don't have the capability, fewer and fewer people call you during dinner wanting to be your long distance carrier.

But, I digress. All I know about phone cards is that you can buy them anywhere and everywhere and according to the consumer reporters on TV some are giant ripoffs. I have no clue about how they work or how one uses one or what constitues a rip off. And that's before we even throw in the UK to US factor. Fortunately, Mom is not expecting answers tomorrow.

I just got a call from the appraiser... Coming tomorrow. Should be interesting. I may be the last person on the face of the earth to refinance.

Comments

[estis.livejournal.com]

Well I can't help you on international calls but on domestic calls it's obvious to me that they are all ripoffs. I had one card for 1.9 cents per minute...a 6 minute call to Ohio from PA took 75 minutes off of my time. Connection fees, surcharges and other hidden fees seem to come in play here. Perhaps your nieces should look into the lost art of letter writing...their friends might enjoy the foreign stamps.

[susandennis]

The whole letter/stamps thing would be fine if the charge was 'find the best way to have them contact their friends' but Mom is very clear - she wants to give them a way to telephone their friends. So my job is to find out the best way to do that. Good to know about hidden charges.

[joyofmacs.livejournal.com]

i want to buy some phone cards for my sister but have heard of many rip offs.

When I mailed a package to neil in Canada I noticed that the US Postal service is selling phone cards. Maybe not the best rate but I bet they are honest.

Or should I say I HOPE they are honest.

Now that you will be alone at work you can cheer yourself with songs from Les Miserables... "On my own...."

Meantime I am singing the prisoner song at work. I am so blah today.

[rho]

I have an account with planet talk which I use to ring the US. I prepay money into the account, and then when I'm calling internationally, I dial a freephone number and then the number I want, so I'm not paying anything to the regular phone company, rather the money is coming from the prepaid account. It also has the advantage of costing 3p per minute rather than 24p per minute, which is the standard BT rate. And if I'm not making much sense here, just look at the website.

[susandennis]

Rachel! That is a FABULOUS solution!!! Perfect. Very straightforward and easy to understand. Thank you so very much! Wow. My Mom shall think I'm brilliant (and, of course, she shall be correct). Thank you.