how can I stop someone from wasting my time on the telephone without being rude?

I have a relative who has subscribed to a phone service with unlimited calls within the U.S.
Now she calls me every Sunday evening to talk about exactly nothing. To avoid her calls
or not returning messages or take the phone of the hook, all leave me feeling guilty.
I don't want the guilt and I don't want the calls. And really I don't want to hurt her either.
Any suggestions?

Anonymous2010-02-14T00:06:53Z

Favorite Answer

just start not necissarily making up excuses just make sure you know of something you can do or say you have to do shortly after she calls so she doesnt feel like you dont want to talk to her and you dont feel guilty when i want to get off of the phone with someone who wastes my time i always find something i either need to do or clean and tell them hey ive got to finish up dishes can we talk at another time? and that way i am not lying but i still get off the phone even if i dont do the dishes it was something that needed to be done and i did not lie.

?2010-02-14T00:10:57Z

see if you can get her to cut the calls down to 1 or 2 times a month.trust me,they will get out the phone book and call another person.my mom does it all the time.good-luck

itsDreaah2010-02-13T23:55:10Z

Ummm well i guess you can set the voice greeting thing (or whatever you call it)
to something like "Im busy right now, if i dont answer or return the call, PLEASE DONT CALL AGAIN. or bother me"
Yea that could actually work.
Or maybe you can just talk to her for like a few minutes and tell her that you have to go and do something important.



http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100213233615AArpED8

Gail Riona2010-02-14T00:20:22Z

Start calling her at random times to talk about absolutely nothing,
eventually she might get sick of it and not call you back.
Though she might just miss you.

Anonymous2010-02-14T00:08:41Z

she'll stop eventually