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Post by hypoman on Aug 2, 2012 6:48:45 GMT 7
great replies. its great to know where we can save a buck due to the hard times ahead...
cheap TXT from the PHILIPPINES:
while im in oz my wife can TXT me for 1peso per txt this is available through globe roaming (using GLOBE philippines sim card). you cant answer calls or make calls while its activated as it will chew up your credit. I think you need to maintain 100p ($2.50) on the card to keep it running...
only downside is you need to operate 2 phones. One for recieving txts and your aussie phone for making calls and returning the txts.. there are many dual sim phones available in asia to get around this. most dual sim phones were chinese before but i think nokia now has dual sim phones so if you prefer you can use the t9 option to txt on them...
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Post by Banjo on Aug 2, 2012 6:55:07 GMT 7
Just sent you an email hypoman.
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Post by Banker on Aug 2, 2012 6:55:24 GMT 7
I have always found Skype to be the best, 2.5cents a minute to most country's in the world. I have my account registered in its charged in US$ and no GST for Australia. There is a new one where calls are free a mate of mine in Perth has been at me to D/L it, I will see if I can find the name of it again.
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Post by Banker on Aug 2, 2012 7:16:15 GMT 7
The name of that new company is VIBER, I dont know anything about it, so do a google on it if you like.
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Post by peter on Aug 2, 2012 10:34:02 GMT 7
Viber is supposedly free but one needs an internet enabled cellphone so Im told.
Its free for chat. I saw people chatting away to the UK from Brisbane on Viber, and they said its no cost!
For hypoman,
There is a text chat service to Philippines called Chikka.
I am not sure how it works cell phone to cell phone, but it works easily computer to cell phone.
Its a real parasite system in that the out of country txt caller can call for free on the computer, and the txt receiver in Philippines can receive for free but once they reply its a peso.
Its a strange system. For every time they reply for one peso, the out of country can send five txts.
If they preload five pesos, they get ten txts, and the outside caller can send 50 txts. All that is done for 5 pesos.........eight cents!
Its a sort of yahoo chat for those with no computer but who have cell phones.
The start seems to come from the outside computer which opens the cell phone line.
One would think that the cell phone txter would get overwhelmed by incoming messages typed on the computer, and that happens, but some of those cell phones txters are pretty fast also.
So, its an extended chat session for the bondocs for eight cents.
But do not overdo it cause then they will ask for "load" and if they know you got that out of country loading ability, as you can do by TawagPinas through debit card, then may the Lord spare you cause once you send one top up.......which goes by amounts of P300, P500, and P1,000 with bonus free txts, not only will you never be forgotten, but you will be constantly remembered and reminded.
If interested, look up Chikka txt for details.
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Post by Banker on Aug 2, 2012 12:07:51 GMT 7
Philippines....texing capitol of the world. I tried to get a land line there for my business back in about 1983 & I was told 7 to 8 years wait & that was knowing the right people and paying plenty under the table. Then came the Cell phone and this gave the Filipino people some great freedom. In China Town in Manila I saw signs telling people not to txt while crossing the street. " The good old days"
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Post by Banjo on Aug 2, 2012 13:12:44 GMT 7
I loved the PI, something to marvel at every day. One of the memories I'll lose last is that of a guy being forcible flung down the steps of a bank into the street by a bank employee and a security guard. Picking himself up and dusting his clothes off with great dignity he called out to them....
"You realise this means I'll be taking my business elsewhere from now on..."
LOL!!!!!
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Post by newtodsp on Aug 2, 2012 16:11:51 GMT 7
It is annoying that benefits are not all listed in one place! I think some of it depends on which state you are living in.
I just recently got a discount on calls from Telstra, which is available on certain landline plans. In Victoria you are eligible for a free myki and free weekend travel, and I think 17.5% off your electricity bill. There is also an concession for electricity used for cooling, if your medical condition warrants keeping you cool.
There was some discussion on mobile phones, I like TPG's super value plan which gives you $550 worth of free calls for 17.99 per month.
In terms of local/national/international calls, I find pennytel just as reliable but cheaper than skype, especially if you are making short calls in Australia, $ .016 per minute, billed per second, you can't beat that! (if anyone has a better deal, would love to hear it!) and cheap call rates internationally also.
The GP healthcare plan gives you the dental benefits that have been discussed, but also 5 discounted visits to an allied health professional eg.dietician, exercise physiologist, per year. It roughly paid half of the cost of 5 visits for me.
Also, there is a medicare extended safety net(?) which essentially caps your medical expenses if you have accumulated around $600 out of pocket on medical expenses for that year.
In terms of free media - audiobooks, movies, tv series, ebooks, music once you familiarise yourself with torrents, you can download these all free to your heart's content, as long as you have enough bandwith. Amazing!
Love to hear from others who have found other benefits for us DSPensionsers.
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Post by peter on Aug 3, 2012 4:39:18 GMT 7
Pennytel;
Pennytel has good reports on it. Its rates are good but I found TawagPinas cheaper for voice calls to Philippines. To other countries I did not check.
Money Transfer; Pennytel is offering free money transfer to overseas bank accounts. Apparently its bank account to bank account. My present arrangement is $10 fee for a bank cash collect system. Pennytel might be better.
But the big attraction of Pennytel is that they credit the account of the sender with free phone calls to the country where the money is sent. And their exchange rates are excellent.
So, if its as good as it looks, that is a free money transfer system with bonus overseas phone calls to the country of destination.
Sounds too good to be true, but that is what it says, and the site is supported by user recommendations.
How Telstra and the other vampire telcos survive in Australia with VOIP charges like PennyTel, is something to wonder about.
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Post by standbymezzz on Aug 4, 2012 13:39:42 GMT 7
Dawin Buses are free when driver shown pension card.
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Post by aussie25 on Aug 5, 2012 19:01:09 GMT 7
Pennytel; Pennytel has good reports on it. Its rates are good but I found TawagPinas cheaper for voice calls to Philippines. To other countries I did not check. Money Transfer; Pennytel is offering free money transfer to overseas bank accounts. Apparently its bank account to bank account. My present arrangement is $10 fee for a bank cash collect system. Pennytel might be better. But the big attraction of Pennytel is that they credit the account of the sender with free phone calls to the country where the money is sent. And their exchange rates are excellent. So, if its as good as it looks, that is a free money transfer system with bonus overseas phone calls to the country of destination. Sounds too good to be true, but that is what it says, and the site is supported by user recommendations. How Telstra and the other vampire telcos survive in Australia with VOIP charges like PennyTel, is something to wonder about. I use PennyTel for voice calls to Philippines and have also tried there money transfer but found the exchange rate good but alot lower then www.forexworld.com.au It only cost's $8 to send and there exchange rate is pretty much just under the live exchange rate. You can either pick up the money in a local bank or have it deposited to an account it will only take up to 3 hours but I have often had it done within about 45 minutes or less. If your sending a lower amount I would suggest using LBC. There rates are the same as Forex World and the fees are: $100 & below: $3 $101 - $200: $6 $201- $5,000: $8 $5,001 - $7,000: $10 $7,001 & above: $10 + $5 per $1,000 LBC can also be picked up at an LBC brach or deposited to a Philippines bank account.
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