Tips Reference

Save Money by Calling During Off-Peak Hours

Posted on 21. Apr, 2009 by Mark Coleman in Savings

When someone said timing was everything, he probably also thought of making long distance calls. Right now, calling during off-peak hours is one of the best ways to save money on phone bills. When you make a long distance call within this specified time period, the phone rates are much cheaper than if you made the call during daytime or peak hours.

Using your long distance phone service

Not all phone service companies offer the same discounted feature as off-peak hours. There are some that maintain the same rate 24/7 while there are those that have tiered rates classified as daytime rates, evening rates and even weekend rates. Check with your long distance company for the kind of discounts they offer. If yours offers a flat rate regardless, waking up at 2 a.m. to make an off-peak long distance call won’t make any difference.

Should I request for off-peak hours discount?

That depends on whether you make the bulk of your long distance calls during off-peak hours. If you do, you can save a lot of money with this service. However, if most of your long distance usage is made during daytime or business hours, it’s better to find a phone company that offers a fixed low rate. You can also check a phone company that offers variable pricing to see if calls made during your regular hours are cheaper.

Does it matter where I’m calling from?

Some long distance companies offer nationwide coverage of their service, so it doesn’t matter where you are located in the U.S., they can help you. There are also those who operate regionally. Again, off-peak hours vary for these companies and some of them may not even carry the service. Ask for the cost and compare rates to get the best deal.

If you make long distance calls to a particular location, regional phone companies might be able to offer you lower rates. But if you make regular phone calls to several locations within the U.S., go for a provider that covers all those areas. Sometimes you can get a better deal by simply knowing the prevailing long distance rates than you would if you stuck with the off-peak hours.

What about international calls?

Typically, calling during off-peak hours for an overseas location will save you money but again, you might want to check on the prevailing rates and compare. Different phone companies offer different international rates and may even offer better rates for regions they specialize in, such as the Middle East, Asia and Europe. Don’t just stick with the off-peak hours if there are other offers that will give you more value.