How to Send an Instant Message With Skype

If you haven’t caught the cell phone text messaging bug yet, Skype offers you the opportunity to send an instant message over cyberspace. With Skype you can send your written message to anyone with a cell phone or Skype account. Sending an instant message via Skype costs less than most cell phone providers charge. Imagine sending a message to employees' mobile phones announcing a business meeting starting in a few minutes. If you find a great recipe for dinner on your computer at work, you can send the grocery list to your cell phone with a quick copy, paste and send. Skype makes sending an instant message quick, easy and nearly free.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Skype account
• Computer with Internet access

Load Funds Onto Your Skype Account

1. Sign into the Skype Web site with your user name and password.
2. Click the "Add Credit" button on the menu bar.
3. Select your payment method: PayPal, Click & Pay, Euro Mastercard, Visa, bank transfer, Moneybrokers transfer or JBC transfer (for European customers).
4. Choose the amount of Skype credit. Selecting the $10 button will add $10 to your Skype account. Selecting the $10 Skype credit button is similar to sending a gift of Skype credit to another user.
5. Follow the instructions based on the payment method you chose. You will be redirected to the appropriate site with quick and easy to follow instructions for each payment method.

Send Instant Messages

6. Open your Skype application. Windows users click the "Start" button, then the Programs menu, then "Skype." Mac users click "Applications," then "Skype."
7. Log in if you are prompted.
8. Search for contacts if you don’t already have some. To do this, click "Contacts" on the menu along the application header. Select "Search for Skype Users." Enter the name of the user or person you want to find. Once you locate them, click "Add to Contacts."
9. Alternatively, add a contact by clicking "Contacts" on the textual menu along the top and selecting "Add a Contact." This allows you to add names and telephone numbers from your mobile phone address book to your Skype account.
10. Click the "Contacts" tab (labeled with an icon of a person).
11. Right-click on the contact you’d like to send an instant message to. Then select "Send SMS Message."
12. Type your message in the text box, then click "Send." To send a message to multiple users, click the large button on the right side of your Skype menu that says "Add Recipients to this SMS."
13. Add emoticons by clicking the "Add Emoticons" button above the text field.