I have a few voicemails on my phone that I've never listened to, and am about to delete. If a friend leaves a voicemail, I usually just call them back - unless something important is going down, in which case I will force myself to press play.
I just really dislike voicemail! I used to have it disabled, but now that I have kids I have to leave it on in case the school/preschool calls.
Do you listen to all of your voicemails?
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
I dislike voicemail too. The only ones I check are from the ILs or doctor's offices. (they're usually the only ones to leave voicemails anyway)
honeydew / 7504 posts
For a month after I renewed my contract with Verizon, I had free visual voicemail, and it was heaven. No wonder they give you a free trial - it ALMOST makes me want to pay the monthly fee for it!
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
Yup since I only get them if it's something important. I rarely get any telemarketing voicemails so I check them all.
pomelo / 5791 posts
I never listen to them if it's from a number I know, and I just call back.
If it's a contractor (for housework) or doctor or something, I will listen to it.
grapefruit / 4089 posts
I have a voicemail to text service, so I just read the text message that gets sent to my phone.
squash / 13208 posts
@ValentineMommy: OMG that is my pet peeve!!!
ring ring
me: hello
you: I saw you called = whats up
Me: I told you in the voicemail what was up - did you listen to it?????
drives me crazy!
cantaloupe / 6059 posts
@Synchronicity: That would be awesome! I need that.
I hate listening to voicemails, but I force myself to.
admin / wonderful grape / 20724 posts
@Mamaof2: When someone doesn't pick up, I usually just text them a quick message instead of leaving a voicemail!
Just say no to voicemail!!
pomelo / 5791 posts
@Mamaof2: Lol! I think the majority of my friends don't leave vm anyway. It's usually my mom or dad and their used to repeating themselves by now 
honeydew / 7444 posts
I hate voice mail...i especially hate it when DH leaves me a voice message.
nectarine / 2765 posts
I. Hate. Voicemail. I currently have 14 I haven't listened to. People who know me know not to rely on them.
grapefruit / 4089 posts
I don't understand why people have voicemail if they don't listen to them anyway... It just makes people think that it's a viable way to get a message to them, when they might really never hear it.
nectarine / 2053 posts
yes, because I HATE IT when people don't listen to their voicemail. I work at a doctor's office and am constantly calling patient's and leaving them messages only to have them call back wanting to know why I called... IF YOU WOULD JUST LISTEN TO YOUR VOICEMAIL. haha sorry. It's a pet peeve of mine, obviously.
admin / wonderful grape / 20724 posts
@whenoceansrise: Oh I always listen to important voicemails like doctor's offices, school administrators, etc.! That's the sole reason I even have voicemail turned on on my phone.
Just referring to calls from my close friends... usually if a message is 15 seconds or so, it's just them saying, "call me back" anyway.
pineapple / 12793 posts
Hate voicemail.
DH loves voicemail. We had a huge fight a few years back because he'd leave me all these "hey, just checking in" VMs and my stupid phone service didn't let me delete things until I listened through to the end. So I'd get a VM from my doctor and have to spend ten minutes listening to DH say "hi!"
DO NOT LEAVE ME VOICEMAILS! 
admin / wonderful grape / 20724 posts
@oliviaoblivia: 10 minute voicemails!! Arghh... I can't even imagine!
clementine / 920 posts
I always listen to my voice mails. Most friends text but if someone calls and leaves a message I will listen to see what they were calling about. I honestly don't see how it is such an inconvenience.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
WTF - why do you people hate voice mail?? It's just a message. It takes all of a minute to listen to it. Geeze.
I always always listen to my voicemail. Totally agree with @whenoceansrise: and @Mamaof2: that it is ANNOYING when people don't listen to it! If I'm going to take the time to leave you a voicemail, the least you can do is take the time to listen to it! Jerk.
ETA: I'll often leave a voicemail if I miss someone just so they know whether to call me back or not, like "Hey, no need to call me back, I just wanted to let you know _______."
admin / wonderful grape / 20724 posts
@Adira: Voicemail usage is rapidly declining in general! This article mentions buttdials and rambling messages: can't tell you how many of those I've listened to in my lifetime.
I actually have the opposite perspective to you. I think it's rude (or at least, not respectful to other people's time) when people leave voicemails that they could've texted or emailed!
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@mrbee: I don't have a texting plan, so I'm certainly not going to text people. And I find it rude when people assume everyone has a texting plan and send me texts that I then have to pay for!
Maybe I'm just living in a bubble, but I very rarely get butt-dialed. The people that call me and leave me voicemails are usually doctors, dentists, contractors, or daycare! These are people who aren't going to text me (at least, I would hope not). And I love love love when my best friend calls and leaves me a rambling voicemail! Those are so fun to listen to!
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21628 posts
I listen to my voicemails, or at least to the first few seconds of it. I prefer not to leave voicemails because I am self conscious about my voice.
admin / wonderful grape / 20724 posts
@Adira: Sure but if you leave someone a voicemail, they have to pay for that too... with their time!
Anyway I have friends who dislike text messages too, and I just email with them.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@mrbee: I would think listening to a voicemail is almost as quick as reading a text or reading an e-mail, unless the person is talking really slow or something. It's not THAT much more time-consuming than the other methods you prefer!
admin / wonderful grape / 20724 posts
@Adira: If everyone felt that way though, voicemail usage wouldn't be dropping off a cliff! Anywhere from 8-14% a year... it's a pretty crazy drop.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@mrbee: haha, I'm not claiming I'm not in the minority here. Just that the rest of you are nuts. 
pomelo / 5298 posts
I don't like to leave messages or listen to them. I don't really care for talking on the phone.
nectarine / 2272 posts
I force myself to but it is infuriating. If one of my friends, or any family member besides my grandmother left me a voice message, I would literally think someone had died.
pomegranate / 3244 posts
Oh man, I'm in the minority here with @whenoceansrise: and @Adira: I mean, honestly, is it THAT annoying to listen to a message? Maybe it's just because I'm way more relaxed that most people about things (extreme type B personality, here), but taking an extra 2 minutes to listed to a message is not that big of a deal. Hell, sometimes I won't answer my phone in hopes that people will leave me a voicemail instead. As a matter of fact, the MOST STRESSFUL thing for me is when I have a missed call from an unrecognized # and they don't leave a voicemail, ugh! Who are you and why did you call me and do I need to call you back??? AHH!!
I realize I'm in the minority, and that I should stop leaving my friends voicemails given the amount of hate everyone has for them...sheesh!
hostess / wonderful apple seed / 16729 posts
I do...eventually. There are ones I delete without listening like ones from my mom. It's the same message. Hey, it's mom. Call me back when you get the chance. All of my siblings complain about her messages. I wish she told us why she was calling.
nectarine / 2053 posts
I've never met anyone who was entirely too busy to listen to a voicemail. I also think it's crazy that people think it's a waste of time. My mom saved voicemail messages that my step-dad sent her, he died 3 years ago and she STILL listens to and cherishes those voicemail messages as they are the only way she gets to hear his voice.
grapefruit / 4584 posts
Hate it, don't listen to it, but won't disable it for the reasons you mentioned. My DH has his disabled and I think that's a little rude though (I know, total double standard!)
My doctor's offices all text rather than call at this point - they must have gotten sick if people not listening
pineapple / 12053 posts
i don't mind voicemails, except when DH leaves me a silly message. often i'm driving though and i leave a message for a friend because i can't text!
nectarine / 2217 posts
not a fan, so I don't subscribe to it on my phone ;). I would feel obligated to listen to them if I did have it activated though for sure
watermelon / 14206 posts
I always listen to them. I just put my phone on speaker and go on about my business while I listen to them.
grapefruit / 4355 posts
@Mamaof2: YES! I hate it when people don't listen to voicemails! Huge pet peeve for me!
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