MagicJack

Times are a little rough around here so we had to cut a few nonessential items from the monthly bills. Telephone, internet and cable TV were the first to go. Where I live out in the middle of nowhere, you get no TV stations by antenna. So I got rid of the Time Warner cable-internet-phone package and went back to basic Direct TV. The cable was costing me $130 a month, the Direct TV is only $30 and some change a month. No setup fees, we had everything from the last time we had satellite. So we save about $90 a month.

But what about Internet and a phone you ask. Well like millions of other Americans I have a cell phone. Unfortunately I live outside the service area of my service provider by like a half mile. So that left me without a home phone. My neighbor was nice enough to share a wireless connection with me, so I have internet. Still no home phone.

Today I went over to a friends house to see if he wanted to go look at a motorcycle with me. After a few minutes he asked if I got my home phone turned on yet. Well no, I said. He suggested buying a MagicJack. It allows you to use voice over internet and it's free. For $40 you buy the jack and it cost $20 a year to activate. But with your your purchase of the MagicJack you get the first year free.

So off to Best Buy I go, no time to look at a motorcycle. I bought my MagicJack for $40, brought it home, plugged it in and BAM. I have a home phone. It even gives you a local phone number so you can call in. I got a semi-local number, better than nothing kind of number, and it was almost all free. Just the original $40 for the hardware.

Now here is the draw back. You have to keep your computer running all the time and keep your internet connection open. Other than that, it sounds and works great. I live in Newark, Ohio and it gave me a South Zanesville, Ohio number. But for free I can live with that. No long distance fees, all calls in the USA are free. Anywhere, anytime. Even when I get my local phone turned back on I am going to keep my MagicJack.