NEW YORK — With the advent of cell phones, Internet phoning and new technologies such as Skype, you can save a lot of money on long-distance (and local) calls. But it can also be confusing to navigate the myriad options and still get the best service for your buck. Consumer Reports offers some suggestions on how to save:

• TRY INTERNET PHONING. It’s not as complicated as it sounds. To get started, you need something called Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which relays phone calls via a high-speed Internet connection. Service costs about $20 a month or more and offers unlimited local and long distance calls -- which could save you about $400 a year if you already have high-speed Internet. You’ll also pay less in taxes. Check with your cable company to see if it offers a package with your cable or DSL, or try a company such as Vonage, which specializes in VoIP. Just remember, you must have an Internet connection and electricity for it to work -- so have a basic landline as a backup.

[ read more ]

Q. I turned in my converter box to Comcast three years ago. I just found out that I have been charged $3.79 every month for the past three years for a converter box that I no longer have. When I complained to Comcast, I was told it was my responsibility to call it to their attention. Robin from customer service informed me that they only had to credit me six months. Shouldn’t the company be responsible for removing these charges from my bill?

GERALDINE RYAN
Lawrenceville

A. The company agrees with you, Geraldine. Comcast’s Jody Doherty asked customer care agents to research your account. You are correct. The three years worth of $3.79 monthly payments were deducted in error. Ms. Doherty says Comcast will give you a full refund of all 36 or so payments, along with its apology.

[ read more ]

My husband does an amazing job filing old bills. So I had no doubt he could dig up more than three years’ worth of MCI bills if we ever wanted to actually calculate a refund on our 2006 federal income tax return for a now-defunct, long-distance phone tax.

My husband found those bills -- or most of them. We quickly concluded that we’re not going to make big money by trying to file yet another tax form.

I doubt whether you would, either. So maybe we don’t need to feel guilty if we opt for the easy out on this one.

[ read more ]

Maria Hernandez, the manager of Bodega Yakimex, re-stocks store shelves with long-distance phone cards last week in Yakima. The store stocks 70 different types of phone cards. All phone cards are not created equal, and some cards are not the good deal they seem.

Viscom International has targeted three areas for expansion this year.

Salt Lake City, Kansas City and Yakima.

That’s right, Yakima.

For the Atlanta-based company, the Valley is the perfect market for its sole product: a prepaid card to call Mexico.

The boom for domestic prepaid phone cards — which provide allotted minutes to call long distance — has passed with the rise of cell phones with free long distance.

[ read more ]

Kids going back to school are going to learn book smarts, but will they be „money smart“ as well? The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Finance and Literacy reports that in its most recent test of high school seniors’ money literacy, the average score was a barely passing 52.4 percent.

You can help your kids earn an „A“ in money matters by developing their financial skills early. Here are five tips to get you started:

Don’t reward good grades with money. Janet Bodnar, author of „Raising Money Smart Kids,“ says that „buying grades“ distracts children from the real reward — the sense of accomplishment they should feel. It’s OK to use it as a motivator in small amounts over limited periods of time, but it should never be the primary reward.

Use an allowance. An allowance is still one of the best ways to teach kinds about managing money. It helps them distinguish their needs and wants and demonstrates the power of saving. Work out a regular schedule and stick with it — and let your child know in advance when she will have an „annual allowance review.“

[ read more ]