Money: Call Now to Save New ways to save on your long-distance phone bill NEWSWEEK Jan. 13 issue — Long-distance rates went up almost 20 percent last year, with AT&T, MCI and Sprint all charging as much as 35 cents a minute for daytime calls.

ALL THREE OFFER cheaper rates in the 5- to 7-cents-a-minute range if you pay $5.95 to $8.95 a month, but you can do better, says Consumer Action, a California group that monitors rates. It found the best deals at Everdial (everdial.net), which offers 4.9 cents a minute without monthly fees, and Opex (opex.org), which charges 4.5 cents a minute, with a $2 fee that kicks in when your monthly bill falls below $20. You can select either as the preferred long-distance carrier and avoid cumbersome 10-10 dial-around numbers. Or if you’re already paying for a mobile phone with unlimited long distance, just use that for all your calls.        —Linda Stern