I use a calling card. Lots of numbers to type in, but hey it's cheap

Lots of different ones on here: http://www.ozprepaidcards.com.au/Search_Result.asp

debs uses them..

dials some bloody number in, then uk number.. and we can rattle for ages.. might as well, cos lazy buggers in uk, too tight to do the same !!!

You tend to start remembering all the numbers after the thousandth time

I think they are brilliant, only wish they lasted longer than 3 months before they decide to take all your credit off you So SB, remember to top it up before it expires

yep... and first few times you get those PIPPY noises after so many mins on the fone... my old fella used to hang up !! argghhh

Calls to Australia
1p/min landlines 0844 861 7373 then dial No
6p/min mobiles 0871 754 8181 then dial No

Unlimited call time

After we'd had our account with Daybreak we got a phone call from Go Talk who apparently own Daybreak to ask if we wanted one of their phones. We still have our other phones but if we use the Go Talk one we just dial whatever number and the phone does the rest. Well clever. It works for ringing the mobiles to and interstate. It decides where you're ringing and if it's local it goes through our phone company and anything else goes though Go Talk. It doesn't take your credit away either but I have it so whenever it gets down to $5, $20 comes out of our bank, on to the phone account automatically.

I'm impressed anyway

I do the chasing ... we email photos and such but daily updates on minutae like Chook Health gets a bit much so I tend to let the In Box fester for a month or so before replying.

Actually, thinking about it, I email photos ... bastards

or 0844 205 05 05 (UK to OZ) at 0.5p per minute

I reckon if the tight arses in the UK can't be bothered to call you then don't bother calling them. It's a case of 'out of sight, out of mind'

It just goes to show what so called 'friends' really think of you if they wont spend 0.5p per minute

Cheers for that, I will pass it on to my rellies

I speak to my parents a few times a year. In truth, we don't like phone conversations but I might speak to my brother a bit.

We do however, send and share emails a fair bit. Funny stories of rural life - Mum lives on an island off Scotland, Dad does his own thing.

My Mum calls me once a week and I her. Other than that I've pretty much given up on everyone else and over the last couple of years things have slowly drifted. To be honest, I think both you and they come to realise that you dont have an awful lot in common anymore after a while.

And, although it sounds bad, that suits me just fine. Too busy here having a good life.

YEP WE ARE ALWAYS THE ONES TO CONTACT THE UK, UNLESS THEY WANT SUMMIT. PISSES ME RIGHT OFF

I remember calling my sister after being here 5 weeks - I was so excited about being here and experiencing all this new stuff. She answered the phone and said 'oh I am right in the middle of my fav programme on TV!' can you call again another time?'

Suffice to say I have called her about 3 times in 3 years - and only for the sake of 'she is my sister' how stupid is that?

MY INTENTIONS:

O I was thinking about calling my parents each week... (they are retiring to Italy)
O I was going to call my brother every fortnight
O My fav SIL I will prob call every other week..
O The zillion other family members it will be the odd email when I feel like it

Friends I was planning to use Facebook and MSN to keep in touch with and the odd email. They can see photos/video clips from Facebook too..

From my experience, (I have moved around the UK a fair bit) friends come/friends go... and then some pain in the @rse family members who you'd wish would bugger off, don't ever seem to get the hint!!

Re call charges: I was intending on using something online for calls.. can't remember what OH has set up (wasnt Skype but similar) but we called Perth the other week whilst setting up our bank accounts and it only cost us a local call (ie, like we were in Perth calling Perth..)

Em x

WE DONT EVEN GET THAT !!

oops shouting.. lol

We even bought the oldies a PC each.. so that they could email us.. old fella said was to expensive to run.
Bought him a large screen tv.. it blew up apparently, 1 yr after us arriving here, he wasnt pleased, as i hadnt gone for extended warranty, and had to replace with similar sized tv.. cos he was used to it.. so cost him arm n leg !!

I give UP !