Drop your Text Plans, Save $$$ and still text!

It’s no secret that the SMS game is one of the biggest rackets out there (next to printer ink, most likely). But, for some reason, the masses are so narrow-minded that they keep putting down $20/month per phone line for unlimited SMS/MMS. There are alternatives that are just as efficient, and can save you money!!

 

My household saves $30/month ($15*2 lines) for subscribing to the $5/mo SMS plan, which allows 200 in/out messages per month – just in case we get some rogue texts from friends or family. That’s $360/year for us.

 

Here’s what we use to get around wasting our hard-earned money on the boondoggle that the carriers are running (They’re STEALING your money).

 

 

BEST OPTION

 

• WhatsApp

• Pros
• Free for first year (Android), then $2/year - $1 for iPhone, no annual fee 
• Total SMS/MMS replacement 
• Attach pics, voice messages, video, map location, music files, contact information
• Create/join Groups to chat/share media (a la Blackberry Messenger) 
• Pop-up notifications 
• Just like Blackberry Messenger, just available to everyone (
• Cons 
• Convincing friends/family to adopt a new messaging app can be difficult.

 

 

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS (we also use these in combination with WhatsApp)

 

• Gtalk
• Pros: 
•  Free IM ap
• It’s available cross-platform, including PC
• Native on Android / embedded in Gmail via Browser.
• Cons:
• Need Gmail account (this should be considered a “pro”)
• No Multimedia

 

 

• Google Voice (currently our most-used SMS vehicle)
• Pros:
• Free SMS texting via PC/smartphone
• PC to PC voice calls
• Incoming calls can be simultaneously routed to your other numbers
• Transferring calls from one phone line to another
• Conference Calls
• Call screening/Blocking unwanted callers
• Visual Voicemail
• Call recording
• Cons:
• No Multimedia
• No continuous “conversation” – each day starts a new “conversation”

 

 

 

• HeyTell

• Pros:
• Walkie-Talkie-style communication for voice messages
• Free, (premium has additional features but not necessary
• Cons:
• Messages are sometimes delayed

 

BOTTOM LINE:

 

Download WhatsApp and convince your friends/family to. Now. Show them the savings. As an Android user, I’d rather pay $4/year for WhatsApp instead of paying $360 for two unlimited SMS plans. iPhone users have it even better, having to pay only $1…EVER. Imagine if you could end up dropping an SMS plan completely! While it’s not a huge windfall, $240/year per phone line is a nice little chunk of change to treat you and your family with.