Ever want to talk to a friend that was on a trip far, far away or reach out to a family member that lived “over the mountain and through the woods” but found the long distance costs too high?

You’re not alone. Even with the ubiquity of cell phones, it can still cost a lot to make long distance or international phone calls (especially if you’re over your cell phone minutes).

There is, however, a way to make long distance calls for free, and even make international calls for free. It’s done through a service called Skype (which is owned by eBay in case you were wondering).

Skype is a free software program that can run on a Mac or a Windows computer that enables you to talk to someone else that has the program anywhere in the world (providing they have an internet connection).  It all takes place over the Internet for free.

Use Skype to not only talk but to enjoy video conferences as well. I had a family member travel to Asia and we could see and talk to each other using Skype. It was great and easy to use.

You simply download and install Skype for free and then add your friend or family member to your contact list and you’re set.  Simply double-click on your contact’s name and their computer will start “ringing” just like a phone.  Your friend has the option to answer or pickup the call or not.

You and the person on the other end will need at least a microphone and speakers to be able to talk to each other.  Using a webcam, you can see and talk to each other.

Skype also lets you make long distance calls from your computer to a real phone number for a small fee, and most often, much less than regular long distance fees.  You can even buy a Skype-enabled phone to plug into your computer.