Consumer Alert: Save money on your phone bill

• Use toll-free services and calling cards for long distance calls.  Many traditional phone companies charge between 5 cents and 10 cents per minute plus a monthly fee of around five or ten dollars.Calling cards usually charge about 3 cents to 4 cents per minute.
• Use a prepaid cell phone instead of a monthly plan.  Prepaid wireless carriers, such as Tracfone, offer no-contract options and predictable monthly phone bills.
• Eliminate pricey extras like caller i.d. call waiting and call forwarding.
• Try internet phone services.  Companies like Vonage, Skype and MagicJack use voice-over internet protocol, or voip, technology to offer potentially cheaper phone services.  One disadvantage of voip phone services is that users must have high speed internet and my have to download some computer software.  And if your internet goes out or electricity is interrupted your phone service goes out, too.

Workplace emails deceptive?
Your co-workers may be telling a few lies in their e-mails.  A pair of recent studies suggest that e-mail is the most deceptive form of workplace communication.  The study found people who lie actually feel its justified when using e-mail.  Researchers say co-workers don't communicate verbally or through pen-and-paper anymore-- making conversations less formal.  However, they did find the more familiar e-mailers are with each other the less deceptive their lies are.  The studies were conducted by Lehigh University, Rutgers, and DePaul University.