We rent a condo in Florida that has a landline telephone for local calls only but we buy calling cards at the local grocery store to make long distance calls to Canada. They are very reasonable from $5.00 up.

We also have a U.S. cell phone that we bought last year for $10.00 to call Canada enroute. On this cell phone we top up minutes and time online as needed.

In addition we have a Bell calling card but find the rates per minute high depending on the long distance plan you have with Bell. We avoid using it when possible.

Lastly, a Canadian cell phone will work but beware of roaming charges. Again it depends on the plan you have with your supplier. I understand you can buy a U.S. time card to have loaded onto your Canadian cell but please check with the supplier as I am not familiar with this.

Thank You Scotia appreciated !!

Jessie,
I do the same as Scotia w/ the store bought calling cards. Very cost effective. I often buy my cards here in Canada @ the Toronto airport but you are driving so you can get them anywhere.

Scotia, where did you buy that US cell phone for $10? I am looking for something like that but everything seems to have a "plan/contract" & that's not what I want. Just something where I can top up minutes, as needed. You said you bought yours in the US. Do you know, or does anybody here know, of a Canadian equivalent for use here in Canada?

OB1

My girlfriend bought the U.S. cell phone, a Samsung, for me when she was in the U.S. and gave it to me upon her return to Canada. Service is with Tracfone. http://www.tracfone.com/ I am not sure where in the U.S. she bought it, but it has to be activated in the U.S. which she did for me before returning to Canada.

Thanks, Scotia!

You're welcome!

If you have wifi available on your phone or computer using Skype will be very inexpensive.