Alternative to Collect Calls?!

Hi everyone: The problem of maintaining a relationsip with a Dominican male who does not have a phone can be a real pain. If someone has an alternative to all these exhorbitant "collect calls" calls, I would really appreciate hearing about it! I have tried asking him for the number of the pay phones he uses so I could call him back but, either the numbers are not listed on these phones or he doesn't understand what I am trying to tell him...sigh...help!!! We have started faxing each other which isn't so bad but, it's not like talking over the phone. At the rate we are talking to each other, I would be able to purchase a ticket for my flight to PR with the charges I pay on collect calls! Pls help! Helen

The solution is obvious: drop him. What's wrong with the guy around the corner from you?

Suggest he go to a CODETEL or TRICOM phone center, the cost is minimal

Tom

What about a prepaid phone card....

You probably don't really want to hear this, but please consider listening to the voice of experience, namely, me. I had married a Dominican and his family called "con cargas" meaning "collect" and, he almost bankrupted me. These people have no regard for what it costs us here in the US. They think that we're rich and, frankly, they don't care even when they know that we're not. My husband and his "el collecto call" family gave me phone bills of $200 to $400 a month more and I was forced to pay it because he wouldn't. He also decided not to work anymore. So there I was, if I didn't pay the bill I couldn't call home from work and make sure that my kids from my 1st marriage were home from school, etc. He got my phone turned off the day before my daughter's surgery and I was in Manhattan in the hospital with her and could not communicate with my son at home. The truth of it is that a letter is better or so is e-mail. Your phone bills should be waking you up to the fact that if this guy really is nuts about you he'd give a damn about the expense he's causing. Otherwise, just get ready to be bled dry by his family because it won't end with the phone. If they can take advantage of you with that expense they'll think that you've got alot of money and that man will take it from you and send it to them. He will save face with his family first and have them think that he's swimming in money, but you'll be drowning in misery. I got dumb-ass calls like "his friend cut his hand at work" and "send me sneakers" and "Dad needs teeth" and guess what? When I went down there I never met this zillion dollar phone call friend, everyone already had sneakers, they asked me if I really wanted to bring my clothes back home with me, and Dad still didn't have new teeth. I found my TV, though. It was in his parents' kitchen. My husband told me that it was breaking. It worked very well for a "broken" TV. They also had a VCR and never even took the time to get Mom a can opener. She was still opening cans on the floor with a large rock and a heavy knife. It doesn't stop with the phone. Have an honest phone discussion with this guy. If he can't cough up pesos for his own phone calls then run the other way and consider yourself lucky.--Very sincerely, Gio

You are right and sometimes the truth hurts.

I don't know where you are but in canada we have a "call me card". The person you give the card to can only call you, and the charges are not collect - still not cheap, but cheaper. I would think with a pre-paid card, he could call all his overseas friends, and you may get one call out of it. Calls made from codetel still come collect, and are no cheaper. Isn't it amazing how they forget all their English when you are telling them you can't afford something?

Helen

He "understands." There are hundreds of CODETEL and TRICOM offices all around the country where he can call you for less than ten cents a minute

>>>>>>. Calls made from codetel still come collect, and are no cheaper

Calls made rom CODETEL DO NOT come collect unless the person places them that way, You go into a booth, direct dial the number you wish, then pay the computerized charge of 8-9 cents a minute, if that. I have spent 30 minutes in a booth making "daily" calls and been charged about 3-4 bucks

Tom

I will have to check this out next time I am down there. If this is true it is sorry that you can call here for .10 but from my house is to there is .50, I am checking that card Tom mentioned earlier but that is still 2x more expensive. You would thing that we in the States would be able to have better rates.