Your in-law with an extra phone may not be an outlaw

Don’t be so quick to judge someone who has more than one phone. Here are 10 situations when a law-abiding citizen may want a separate phone number to ditch if it starts blowing up.

1. Online daters: It’s not prudent to share your main phone number with someone you just met on a dating app. Give them a separate number so you can talk and text during those early courting days with peace of mind. You can always share your main number once you’re convinced it’s a love match.

 

2. Sellers of used items: It can be fun to sell stuff that no longer brings you joy. What’s not so fun is being bombarded with calls from those just trying to get a bargain. Manage these calls by advertising a unique number if you sell items on Craigslist, Facebook marketplace or anywhere really.

 

3. Job seekers: When looking for a new job, you feel obligated to pick up every unrecognized call because it might be from a potential employer. Reduce your stress by getting a separate phone number to list on your resume. Answer those calls promptly, professionally and with a smile (yes, it does show even when you’re not on a video call).

 

4. Travelers: Stop worrying about what’s in or out of your mobile phone provider’s network when you travel. Apps like Talkatone give you a free U.S. or Canadian phone number that lets you talk or text with most U.S. or Canadian phone numbers free of charge through an internet connection, which can be your hotel’s Wi-Fi. Just be sure you give friends and family the new phone number and not your regular mobile number.

 

5. Home business owners: Not sure if your side hustle will bring in enough money to support the monthly expense of a business phone line? Free calling apps are a great way to add a line that you use only for business purposes. Greet callers with your business name and a professional message—it’s so much better than your standard hello.

 

6. Students or teachers: Remote learning has its challenges. Try getting a dedicated number just for school-related calls so you can separate them from all the rest of your calls. Teachers will appreciate getting one contact number, rather than having to keep track of numbers for moms, dads, or whoever is helping their student that day.

 

7. Volunteers: Eager to help a cause that’s dear to your heart? That often involves making phone calls asking for votes, donations or support of an event. It can get awkward if the person doesn’t pick up and returns your call the next day when you don’t have your materials in front of you. Get a number that you use only for your volunteer efforts so when you see a call come in on that line, you’re fully prepared to make your ask.

 

8. Parents of young children begging for a smartphone: You can have that number ring on an old smartphone that doesn’t get cell service. Think of it as a trainer phone for kids who might lose a smartphone or are too young to connect to the internet without supervision. Parents can always forward that number to a smartphone when the child is mature enough to handle one.

 

9. Sweepstakes enterers: Everyone loves to win, but most raffles are a way for a business or organization to build a contact list. Outsmart the fundraisers and salespeople by putting in a second number you only use for sweepstakes. Just remember to return the calls if you win.

 

10. Members of organizations: Ever share your main phone number with a homeowner’s association, softball league or a religious congregation and then are shocked to see it pop up in a public directory? It can happen, so get a number to share with your groups. Afterall, you want the coach to have a number to contact you if practice is canceled. However, you might not appreciate a neighbor sharing your number with a cousin selling Tupperware.

Free up your main phone number for family and friends and funnel the rest to another number. With today’s technology, it’s easier and cheaper than you may think to add another phone line. Do it through a calling app like Talkatone, where you can talk and text over a Wi-Fi or internet connection. And, if your number blows up and you want to toss it, Talkatone makes it easy. Simply change your number and keep your message and call history. Learn more about Talkatone.