WWYD-teen cell phone upgrade

**Syn D** · 07-06-2011, 01:05 AM

Palooka, that might be like the A+ program they have down here, my son got 2 yrs free..

She can keep her # and go to a GO phone for $50 a month unlimited text, etc. with no contract..

**Saule** · 07-06-2011, 03:42 PM

Someone mentioned insurance - it is generally not worth it. I did get it once, still had to pay $75 for a replacement phone. Keep your last phone or two or three as a backup in case your current one bites the dust (or goes through the washing machine). I also picked one up on eBay for $20 or so, when I had gone through all the backup phones after another washing machine incident. Lasted long enough. No problem at all in going back to an older phone, they cheerfully activated it for us.

Depending on usage, the prepay phones may make a lot of sense. Probably not for families with teens, that texting takes over their lives. For me, I am seriously considering it, we do not use anywhere close to our plan minutes even with both of us sharing. Have not changed yet mainly because of inertia....

**McD** · 07-06-2011, 04:59 PM

Ditto on the insurance. We were dutifully paying 5.95 a month on both lines. The first time I made a claim, we had to pay $50. Two weeks later we got a letter stating they were upping the deductible to $100.

Have you checked out U.S. Cellular's Belief plan? Not a monthly contract and you earn points towards a free upgrade.

**Momto5RN** · 07-06-2011, 09:50 PM

I offer ti keep them on thru college with the basics anything over that - internet capabilities etc they pay for ,

ds # 1 23 lives with us collegegrad just got an iphone its on our plan but alone on a secondary plan because if its under my name he gets the 22% discount i get thru my job he pays me for it monthly no issues . why should be pay 20$ more if he doesnt have too and i am always stressing frugality it seems the opposite to not help him save a few $ while he pays off college loans.

dd 20- has an ATT iphone -by her choice she wanted her own phone she paid for etc but she forgot her SS# when we went to get it so it was in my name but she paid the bills - she recently moved out and we moved it to her name . i do have some trust issues with her when she gets mad she believes in getting even and although it has never happened i would be worried she wouldnt pay if she was mad at me - and at times i have questioned if there isnt a possible bipolar issue going on with her - so no way was she moving out with it in my name still.

#3 17 yo has basics and is in my name i will most likely keep it on our plan and pay for it ( basics )until he is done college

i dont think for 20$ a month i would tell her to get her own ( and qualifying for your own isnt as easy as it use to be ) if she has always paid it and there is not an issue regarding trust etc why would she move out and act like she didnt have to pay you .
to act like that is a possibility may mess up a relationship that is an otherwise good one .

and i am a bit anti those pay as you go phones - esp when it comes to kids- teens or extremely busy people etc and esp when i can add them onto my line for such a small amt . they forget to add on new minutes ( or i do between work and other things) there goes the whole reason i want them to have a cell- safety . not taking that chance - yes one time and lesson learned but that one time could be the one time they really need it .