A second phone number can feel like a luxury, similar to owning a tablet or second TV in the bedroom. Sure, you may not need any of it, but short of a blanket, a shirt, water, and rice, what else does anyone really need? Well, maybe a pair of pants too.

But hey, you’re on the internet reading about second phone numbers, so let’s not kid ourselves about the end-game here. We live in a strange, technologically advanced world that often feels like Futurama meets Black Mirror. With so much out of our control, sometimes it’s nice to reclaim some power along with a dash of convenience. So pull up a seat and let’s talk about adding a free phone number.

In this article, we cover:

Protect Your Privacy

Have you ever taken to the internet for some good old-fashioned buying and selling, but thought twice about the impact of reaching out to another party with your primary email address? Many people keep a second email address to kick off online communications because we fear the spam-ifications of inquiring about that hand-me-down leather couch.

The same logic applies to phone communications. Even if you navigate the email exchange unscathed, most Craigslist transactions eventually end up with a few text messages or phone calls exchanged. While you may be cautious with your primary email address, don’t negate all the security measures you’ve taken by then trading texts from your main phone number with that perfect stranger about what color hat you’re wearing at the Starbucks you’re meeting at.

It’s a privacy bridge too far that we all-to-often cross without thinking twice.

Instead, set up a second phone line for just these occasions.

Online buying and selling, job applications, apartments rental applications, and even dates are all situations we tend to leave ourselves vulnerable to privacy breaches when we use our primary contact information. Don’t compromise yourself chasing that sale, job, lease, or life partner. It’s when we are at our most desperate that even the most skeptical among us let our guard down.

Take Back Control of Your Personal Life

In addition to guarding your primary phone number with greater vigilance, that second line opens up greater control over who gets real access to you. When you have only one line and that unfamiliar number hits your caller ID, it can be a stressful moment.

On the first ring, your first instinct may be to assume it’s a spam robocall.

I’ll let it go to voicemail.

On the second ring, you start wondering if it’s that job you applied to earlier.

Maybe I should answer.

By the third ring, your imagination gets going. What if it’s a third party notifying you of a loved one going through a medical emergency?

Ah! I have to answer!

By delegating certain types of communications to your second line, you know with greater certainty that rings on your primary line are, in fact, worthy of your concern. Or perhaps your second line becomes your business number. Not only does it relieve you from lugging around a second handset for work, but it also helps you separate church from state. In an always-on world, driving a harder limit on work hours versus “you time” can be beneficial to your health and sanity.

It’s Easy to Get a Second Line Free

Getting a second mobile line isn’t the sorcery it once was with land lines. First off, the hardware aspect has been reduced to nil.

Want a second number? Download an app. Done.

Second, and maybe more interestingly, a second line can be an absolutely free service from a provider such as YouMail.

We’re talking fully featured lines too. You can place and receive calls, of course, as well as send and receive text messages via the provider’s native app. Alerts ensure you are aware of calls and texts in real time. When selecting your free number, you can choose an area code different than your primary number, in case you’d like to expand your business to another local market. You can even search for specific terms. For example, if you’re starting a plumbing service, see if “4-CLOGS” is available as part of your number.

YouMail offers other perks, such as a virtual receptionist to reroute incoming calls, deliver caller-specific voicemail greetings, send automatic SMS replies, and transcribe voicemail, just to name a few. Upgrading to a professional plan opens even more doors, allowing all these features on as many as 25 different phone numbers.

That second line adds a whole lot of flexibility and luxury for a variety of needs. And if you’re still looking for that pair of pants, we may know a guy you can call.

How to get a second line for free.

How to set up a virtual receptionist.


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