Cards are easier to carry in the wallet than phones. Another bonus!

Cell phones are a wondrous thing -- unless you have to travel somewhere where they don't work, and you'd like to stay in touch. Your kids may be going on foreign study programs; you may be taking a little time off for the holidays and heading to the Caribbean or Europe -- and are you sure your phone will work there?

You know what does work? Prepaid Phone Cardsand good old-fashioned phones. You can still get prepaid phone cards, you know; there are sites that sell Prepaid Phone Cards, and all you have to do is order a prepaid phone card or three and then you're set even if your cell phone doesn't work.

You could get a couple of Calling Cards and give them to your kids for when they travel -- the site that link goes to has reloadable calling cards, so you can always add to the time they have on their card if they run low calling you to let you know they're safe and ask for money.

Plus, in the end, it may be cheaper to use a prepaid card than a cell phone-- some sites give you bonuses on your first purchase (as much as 20%) at one -- they have cards with no connection fees, and the rates are as low as 3 or 4 cents per minute, which is way less than the roaming or overlimit fees on many cell phone plans.

I learned all this by going to the site these links go to; that site has tons of cards available and they're easy enough to get and easy enough to maintain (plus that's one of the sites that gives the bonuses.) So if you're going to be traveling, sure, take your cell phone -- but make a smart move and get a prepaid card, too.