# Cheapest ways of communication?



## peppera-ann- (Feb 4, 2008)

..Besides the obvious emails!lol

Hubby is leaving back to the UK in 27 days ....was just wondering from yalls experience, What is the cheapest and easiest to print call records from?
Skype, MSN, Yahoo? etc?
I have never even done an online call. I bought a headset super cheap yesterday and am wanting one of his friends to call us and we call them to make sure its set up right....

So any advice is much appreciated!

Thanks yall!


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Hi again! Was just beginning to wonder what was happening with you!

Are you looking for the best ways to communicate, or the best ways to document the fact that you're communicating? If it's the latter, you'd be better served documenting your communications before you got married - the better to establish that this wasn't a marriage of convenience. I think once he's applied for the spouse visa, they sort of assume you'll be staying in touch.

But in any event, Skype ought to do it - and the price is certainly right (i.e. free, if you're both on Skype). One of you might want to consider getting a Skype phone number in the US or in the UK, since that will automatically give you the voicemail function. That could be useful, too, for staying in touch with friends and family in the US after you join him.

Keep us posted!
Cheers,
Bev


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## peppera-ann- (Feb 4, 2008)

Bevdeforges said:


> Hi again! Was just beginning to wonder what was happening with you!
> 
> Are you looking for the best ways to communicate, or the best ways to document the fact that you're communicating? If it's the latter, you'd be better served documenting your communications before you got married - the better to establish that this wasn't a marriage of convenience. I think once he's applied for the spouse visa, they sort of assume you'll be staying in touch.
> 
> ...


Hiya Bev!
well i thought that with him over there we will still need to document that we are communicating ..? If that isnt something we need then yes its just needing the cheapest way to talk...ugh...sad day when he leaves! But, I thought i read a thread that said its best when sending in your evidence, showing how you keep in touch when seperated?
Thanks loads for the info.
I got my passport last friday! and then he is leaving December 8th!We are saving like crazy and hopefully he will find a job asap when he gets home. I figure we will wait like 2-3 months once he has a job and then apply for spousal?
xoxoxoxo


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## Movin2UK (Oct 31, 2009)

peppera-ann- said:


> ..Besides the obvious emails!lol
> 
> Hubby is leaving back to the UK in 27 days ....was just wondering from yalls experience, What is the cheapest and easiest to print call records from?
> Skype, MSN, Yahoo? etc?
> ...


I just found out about Talkster. I thought it was kind of weird that it was free - you know "if it's too good to be true" kind of thing. But, I tried it tonight and it worked. I also did some googling and read some reviews. It is totally legit. Skype is ok for most of the time. But with this you can call anytime without having to schedule a "skype date" with your man. 

Basically you log on to Talkster website, enter your number and his number. It then assigns you a "local" number to call. I say local because it assigned me an Atlanta number and I live 4 hours south. You call the number; he sees the number on ID or gets a text; you wait on the line while he calls you back and then you are connected. No charge just uses your regular minutes on your phone. 

Best wishes! Skype and Talkster are nice but nothing like being with your love. Guess it's the next best thing, though.


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## peppera-ann- (Feb 4, 2008)

Movin2UK said:


> I just found out about Talkster. I thought it was kind of weird that it was free - you know "if it's too good to be true" kind of thing. But, I tried it tonight and it worked. I also did some googling and read some reviews. It is totally legit. Skype is ok for most of the time. But with this you can call anytime without having to schedule a "skype date" with your man.
> 
> Basically you log on to Talkster website, enter your number and his number. It then assigns you a "local" number to call. I say local because it assigned me an Atlanta number and I live 4 hours south. You call the number; he sees the number on ID or gets a text; you wait on the line while he calls you back and then you are connected. No charge just uses your regular minutes on your phone.
> 
> Best wishes! Skype and Talkster are nice but nothing like being with your love. Guess it's the next best thing, though.


hey thanks! really appreciate the info and aint you right about that ...being there will be tops!
Pepper xoxoxo


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## deeger (Sep 15, 2009)

peppera-ann- said:


> ..Besides the obvious emails!lol
> 
> Hubby is leaving back to the UK in 27 days ....was just wondering from yalls experience, What is the cheapest and easiest to print call records from?
> Skype, MSN, Yahoo? etc?
> ...


Any of them are Fine - We use both Skype, and Yahoo IM - all you need to do is recall chat history, copy and paste said conversation into a Word document. - As far as conferencing - go get a web-cam - you can get a decent one for around $35. (depending on where you live) - they have Mic's already built in, and it is Soooooo much better than just hearing his voice LOL - Hope this helps


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## martharon (Oct 21, 2009)

You can use skype it is much easier and cheap too if both of you are in skype.


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## deeger (Sep 15, 2009)

Just an update - use skpe!!! Just this weekend I retrieved our communications from it, and it logs not only your conversations (the entire history, but also ALL of your call times... just copied and pasted the entire thing to a word document! it was very simple!


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## peppera-ann- (Feb 4, 2008)

hi thanks yall! do yall know if the skype phone for the headset is worth it? my pc doesnt have a cam or mic built in...i am totaly slow when it comes to this...thanks yall


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## deeger (Sep 15, 2009)

Hey Peppera Ann - this is what I use... it's quality is excellent, and it is easily situated on any computer - and plugs in via USB port. Here is a link. 
Macally IceCam2 Webcam - ICECAMII - Buy.com


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## peppera-ann- (Feb 4, 2008)

deeger said:


> Hey Peppera Ann - this is what I use... it's quality is excellent, and it is easily situated on any computer - and plugs in via USB port. Here is a link.
> Macally IceCam2 Webcam - ICECAMII - Buy.com


Aw thanks so much sugar! really appreciate it! i read the reviews. do you have any problems hearing or them hearing you...just worried about the long distance of it! so many thanks for your input!


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## deeger (Sep 15, 2009)

Bevdeforges said:


> Hi again! Was just beginning to wonder what was happening with you!
> 
> Are you looking for the best ways to communicate, or the best ways to document the fact that you're communicating? If it's the latter, you'd be better served documenting your communications before you got married - the better to establish that this wasn't a marriage of convenience. I think once he's applied for the spouse visa, they sort of assume you'll be staying in touch.
> 
> ...



Bev is right! I forgot to mention that! Simon actually got a local number for my state, when I call him, it reroutes the incoming calls to his work or cell number - and he can call me using the same number - it ends up about 1cent/ minute (his cell phone is about .20cents/minute).


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## deeger (Sep 15, 2009)

peppera-ann- said:


> Aw thanks so much sugar! really appreciate it! i read the reviews. do you have any problems hearing or them hearing you...just worried about the long distance of it! so many thanks for your input!


Nope - None at all, and you can adjust your audio and video very easily. Simon is The Isle of Man (In the Irish Sea West of England), and I am in Idaho - so long distance doesn't seem to matter LOL  Calls are generally clear - the only problem we experience is "high traffic" call times - if your audio starts breaking up - switch to just audio. Sometimes you will have dropped calls - unavoidable with most any of these applications though. If you have any questions just ask


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

peppera-ann- said:


> Aw thanks so much sugar! really appreciate it! i read the reviews. do you have any problems hearing or them hearing you...just worried about the long distance of it! so many thanks for your input!


You can pick up an add-on webcam in just about any computer shop these days. Shouldn't cost you more than $10 or $20 tops. I actually prefer the headset (complete with padded earphones) when I'm doing Skype calls via computer.

Had a little cheapie phone thing to use with Skype when I was travelling, but had trouble getting my laptop computer to handle the Skype features. (A driver issue, I think, but it's specific to the way we buy our computers here in France.) Gave up on that and just got a small headset (go for a decent brand, like Plantronics) with an earpiece and mike - still, less than $20 - that I use when travelling.

What is most important with Skype calls (at least when you're on the computer) is the speed and reliability of your Internet connection). But having the voicemail feature and the ability to transfer calls to your mobile can be very useful, and well worth the annual fee for a SkypeIn phone number.
Cheers,
Bev


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