Got an "Airvoice Strategy?" Share it!

[ethilo]

Hey all,
I'm just now switching from Verizon over to Airvoice and I'm trying to get clever.  I've been hunting around for the best way to have a cell phone plan and be able to capitalize off of the many free resources available out there.  I notice that I used probably just a little bit more than the $10 plan, and I want to find a way to make it work.  How do you utilize airvoice in a way that works for you?

My current idea is to do this:
port my phone number from verizon over to google voice, get a new phone # with airvoice.  I will "airplane mode" my phone while I'm at work or at home and keep the wireless network on so I have internet phone to send/receive calls/texts for free).  When I'm not at home and work, I will have the phone radio on and have google voice forward all calls/texts from the google voice phone # to my airvoice phone.

How do you deal with... (specific scenarios to consider):
1) That one person with an iphone plan that texts every sentence individually because it acts like an instant messenger program for iphone users?
2) Your basic setup for day to day use? (google voice? internet phone? VoIP? Land line?)
3) That unexpected long phone call that racks up minutes?
4) Do you ever have "the talk" where you tell someone to change the way they text you so they don't rack up your minutes?
5) Changes in your behavior depending on the time of day?

Anyone have any strategies they found that works well for them? Let me know, I'm looking for ideas ESPECIALLY with scenario #1 and #2 :D

[N]

I have airvoice, and I am on the 10$ plan.

I do turn off the data and I forward calls to my home phone (VOIP, Nettalk DUO) when I am at home and/or dont want to be bothered.
I dont use up all my time, actually. But nettalk duo also offers some apps on the phone that I think use wifi for phone calls, like maybe 30 min/month? and they also offer a text plan that is perhaps 30$ a year? sorry I cant recall the specifics.

Not that many people text me, but I told my family about my switch and they are being very good about it. they also call my home phone first now.

[Zamboni]

1)  Call friends and family more than you used to from google voice.  It will be good for your personal connection building, and it will be cheaper than fielding calls on your phone.
2)  When you get a call that you think will be more than a couple of minutes at home/work, say "I'm really happy you called!  Can I call you right back in a minute?  Then call back from google voice."  Everyone always says okay and probably assumes that you have to finish something or take a pie out of the oven or something and no one ever asks why, so you don't have to sound like the whacky thriftster that you are.
3)  Only say something about the texting if the person is really, really obnoxious about it.  They are only 2 cents each after all.
4)  However, be sure to unsubscribe from any marketing txt alerts that aren't paying for themselves with coupons.  Because random "$2 off wheat germ today only!" txts from the health food store are not worth 2 cents (unless you really, really dig wheat germ.) 

[oldtoyota]

My AirVoice contract says data won't be turned on unless I call them to make it happen. That said, I noticed that it seemed like data was on. I got a bit worried so I turned it to airplane mode just to make sure the phone was not accidentally doing something I don't want to pay for.

For the texts-from-others question, I explained to one person that I am on this reduced plan and it'd be great if they could compress texts. They took this pretty well, I thought.

For the spouse, I reminded him that I can't get the internet a few times. Also, I had to explain I can't receive MMS so to please email me photos instead.

I usually use texts to meet up with people or send a random hello. In sum, I do not get many texts.

I need to get Google Voice--or something--set up at home, because I miss talking with people.

[Daley]

Zamboni hits on some pretty good general advice (but replace Google Voice with VoIP service).

As to my own advice on answering those questions? That's what the superguide is for. ;)

I need to get Google Voice--or something--set up at home, because I miss talking with people.

Well, we got you off T-Mo. The next step is to bring back that home phone for you.

[oldtoyota]

Zamboni hits on some pretty good general advice (but replace Google Voice with VoIP service).

As to my own advice on answering those questions? That's what the superguide is for. ;)

I need to get Google Voice--or something--set up at home, because I miss talking with people.

Well, we got you off T-Mo. The next step is to bring back that home phone for you.

Yep. That is next on the list. DH needs to get off of T-mob too. I read the Superguide a bout VOIP and know I need to purchase some equipment. It's on my list to do that.

[frugteacher]

Almost all of my friends have an iPhone. If I'm at work or home, I have wifi. So I can text them normally and it's totally free.

When I'm not home, I use freedom pop. Amazing. Barely uses any data if you are just using it for texting. I also use Talkatone for texting non iPhone numbers.

I rarely make phone calls; when I do, I use Talkatone which uses my google voice number.

I normally don't come close to using the $10. It's nice that it rolls over. So if I take a long call on my Airvoice number, it isn't the biggest deal.

Also, use http://www.ultimatemobiledeals.com/ to buy your refill. It's only $9.70

[markstache]

Not so much advice as encouragement. Our household switched over to AV in May (me and wife). I was on $10 from day one, the wife maintained that she "needed' (feel free to collectively roll your eyes) the unlimited plan. As of Sept. we will both be on th $10 plan (to my wife's credit, she knows how to reflect on her behavior).. I've used the same VOIP techniques listed above, and they really help. My one piece of advice is to buy a headset with a mic if you are going to do a lot of VOIP calling. I have an AC vent over my desk, and on calls it drives people nuts (I can't even tell it is on, but apparently it makes a big difference to the mic on my monitor).