to not use minutes you can call your own number from a landline, wait until it stops ringing and the voicemessage comes on ("hi, this is ___,..") and press the pound key. type in your password and press the pound key again, then press 4 for personal options, 3 for personal greetings, 1 for changing personal greetings, then choose from the options it gives you. i have verizon so it may be different for you, but listen to the prompts