Long distance calls are a higher price than a local call within your city, town or local calling area. The price of these calls adds up quickly on your phone bill and may cause a financial crunch if you were unaware that the number is long distance. It is not difficult to determine if the call is long distance. Toll free calls out of your local calling area are free and are often available for large businesses and even individuals. Dialing toll free is a viable option if you recognize the area code as toll free.

Look at the telephone number. If you must dial a "1" before the phone number, this is the first indication that the number may incur a charge on your bill. Sometimes there is a local toll charge for dialing the number even if the area code is the same as yours.

Memorize the exchanges that indicate a toll free number. In the past, "800" was the only area code that indicated no long distances charges applied. These days other toll free area codes exist because of the large numbers of companies that offer free calls for consumers. They are "866," "877," "855" and "888."

Look at the "Contact Us," information on the product packaging, on the flier or catalog. Often businesses list their local number and a toll free number for consumers out of the calling area.

Tip

If you cannot locate a toll-free number for the company, ask if the company has a toll-free number the next time you call them. If the company has one, add it to your records. This information saves you money in the future on long distance charges.