Avoid Some Text-Messaging Fees By Texting Via E-Mail

Text-messaging has become the hot way for cell-phone savvy consumers, especially teens and young adults, to communicate quickly with each other. Entire texting "languages" made up of shortened forms of common words and phrases have sprung up to make texting quicker and easier on the thumbs.

One way to help alleviate some of the costs of texting is by sending your outgoing messages by e-mail from your computer instead of from the phone itself. While you won't be charged for outgoing messages, you will be charged to view any replies you receive on your phone.

You will also need to know what provider your contact uses to do this correctly. Here are the texting e-mail addresses for the major wireless carriers: