No Debt Plan

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I’ve been aware of Skype for quite some time. It’s a very interesting idea — making phone calls from your computer to land line phones and cell phones.

However, I never truly paid it any mind. It requires a Skype phone, and you have to sign up for service. I’m in the target demographic — 20-30 somethings — but I have a cell phone. Why would I pay for another phone and another service?

Wait, did you just say $2.95/month unlimited calling in the US and Canada? Woah. Now I’m paying attention.

Again, let me restate I doubt I would use the service. But it sounds like a darn good deal.

Compare to…

• Vonage $24.99 per month
• Typical phone service $15-20 per month plus long distance charges
• Cell phone (roughly 10 cents per minute)

…then $2.95 per month (roughly $36 per year) and you get unlimited calls within the US and Canada. If you do a lot of desk work or call from your home phone a lot, that seems like a stellar deal.

Maybe I’m missing something. You tell me. Skype — too good to be true or simply awesome deal?

Update: Comments from the Readers

Some readers have pointed out that Skype to Skype calls are absolutely free if both users have Skype and a microphone for a computer. So if everyone was using Skype, you wouldn’t even have to pay the $3/month charge. However, $3/month for unlimited calling to non-Skype users is still a great deal.