How can I best use Google Voice?

I really don't care about using Google Voice to assist with my land line, unless I can use it to do long distance even cheaper than our current long distance card. I use GV to make *free* long distance calls (domestic) on my land line. I just have GV connect the call and then use the phone as normal. I have it set up so that my GV number rings both my cell and my home phone. That way people can reach me no matter where I am (no cell reception at home, obviously can't use the land line when out). I can answer the land line and not use any cell minutes, but give out the same number to everybody and can still be reached on my cell phone if necessary. I have my cell phone's voicemail forwarded to GV; I get emailed transcripts of any voicemails and I can store the recordings indefinitely. I don't have to mess with the cell phone itself to access any voicemails, and can pretty easily use GV to return the calls if I want. I use my GV account for (free) texting. I frankly hate texting and have it blocked on my cell, but my family uses it and sometimes it's easier to reach them that way. I'm sure there's more, but that's enough for me.

Sure, GV can help you. Listen to voicemail and read text messages on the computer (free). Make outgoing calls from Gmail (free). Make long distance calls with Google Voice (free). If I understand correctly, you'll only have to pay for incoming calls that you pick up on your mobile phone. Calls to your home phone are free. Voicemail is free. Calls from Gmail are free. GV sounds like it's something that can help you.

I use GV to make *free* long distance calls (domestic) on my land line. I just have GV connect the call and then use the phone as normal. Could you explain how you do this? That's how Google Voice works -- or did, until yesterday. Until yesterday, Google Voice didn't have VOIP capability. So you had to use a preexisting telephone connection with it -- either a landline or a cellphone. You can do this either from the computer or from your phone. The mechanism is the same. If you call from your computer, you directly dial the number you want to call. If you call from your phone, you start by calling YOUR Google Voice number. That number should be local (unless you requested a number in a different area code/region for whatever reason -- which you might have done). So the call you are making from your phone to your Google Voice number is a local call. You then connect with Google Voice, and use the telephone prompts to make a call. When you punch in the number you want to call -- which is maybe long distance -- your call is still a local call. All of the long-distance telephony takes place on Google's end, not yours. If you call from your computer, it's the same thing except when you dial from the computer, instead of it connecting to the number you're calling from the computer (which would be VOIP), it rings your phone -- cell, land, whatever -- and when you pick up, Google Voice then connects the call to the number you were calling. So every call you make with Google Voice from a landline is a local call. Obviously, if you do this with a cellphone, though, you end up using your cell minutes. Which is why the new Google-Voice-in-Gmail thing -- basically, Google providing VOIP -- is so awesome. You can now make phone calls with your Google Voice number without using ANY telephony at all, instead using just your internet connection. (Yes, yes, your internet connection may be telephony if you have U-Verse or DSL or whatnot. You get my point.)

If you get a SIP phone (say, the 80 dollar Siemens gigaset), you can direct calls to that through Google Voice and get free unlimited long distance. Only cost is the price of the SIP phone (and internet service). You can get a free incoming SIP number through Sipgate.

Also, you can use skype, if you have a smart phone. It's $30 a year, but requires you have access to a wifi hotspot to make calls.

I set up GV on a lark and 2 days later my BlackBerry died. This is great, because I can log into Gmail and see if anyone has left me a message, and I can listen to it on my computer rather than trying to find a phone to then call my voicemail. All of this is free. It would be perfect for your situation. While I'm waiting for my contract with Sprint to run out, I've been using GV to make calls. It works just like Skype, and so far the few calls I've had to make have worked flawlessly.

I use GV to make *free* long distance calls (domestic) on my land line. I just have GV connect the call and then use the phone as normal. Could you explain how you do this?

whoa, so i just press * and follow the prompts. thanks!

Something else really handy is that you can set Google Voice up to handle all your voicemail--even if someone calls your cell phone number directly, not your Google Voice number. So you can listen to all your emails online (or just read the transcriptions, which are usually close enough to get the point.) No need to use any minutes listening to voicemail again.