Cheap long distance: New Skype plans offer more savings

For people with friends and family living or traveling far away, Skype has always been a go-to service for making long distance calls for free, or at very competitive rates. Now, thanks to new calling plans, Skype users can save even more by creating a customized calling plan to cell phones or landlines in more than 170 countries.

The new Skype subscription plans don't change the fact that Skype-to-Skype calls are free, nor do they do away with the pay-as-you-go approach. But it does offer a discount to users who want to purchase monthly Skype service.

The new plans come in 1-month, 3-month and 12-month subscription packages, and start at 60 minutes all the way up to unlimited calling. Plans auto renew at the end of the subscription period, and purchasing a 3-month subscription will save you 5%, while a 12-month subscription nets a 15% discount.

With the new plans, Skype users can keep in touch with friends, family and business associates no matter where they are, and thanks to the short subscription periods, it is easy to change what country you want to purchase a subscription for. Or you can just spring for the unlimited world calling.