Two methods for calculating Tricomi's confluent hypergeometric function are discussed. Both methods are based on recurrence relations. The first method converges like $$\exp ( - \alpha |\lambda |^{1/3} n^{2/3} )for some \alpha > 0$$ and the second like $$\exp ( - \beta |\lambda |^{1/2} n^{1/2} )for some \beta > 0.$$ Several examples are presented.