"I have a question. I text with a pre-paid Tracfone. I always get a reply saying thanks for my entry, but I always wonder if it counts, because I’m not being charged the $1 entry fee. Does anyone know? Am I just wasting my texts? Thanks.

Edgar replies: Jen, if you normally get charged for incoming text messages, you are most likely charged for their thank you message. The easiest way to tell is to check your balance before sending the text message, and then again after you get the thank you."

Premium Text Messaging rates don't seem to apply to Tracfone (I have one as well). Every text message is 0.3 units regardless of the type of text message - Twitter's '40404' is classified as a Premium Text Messaging service and I get deducted the same number of units as a regular text. I suspect AT&T (Tracfone's primary carrier) eats the entire cost of premium texts on Tracfone. I suppose if people start abusing this functionality, Tracfone/AT&T would make premium texting vanish real fast. It does have the advantage of sending $10 to the Red Cross for relief efforts in Japan for about 35 cents (roughly the cost of a single text message on Tracfone).