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Erin
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Kristie 4 wrote:
Just another perspective that at least in our little corner of a downtown major Canadian city, the kids I know haven't felt any lack by the cell phone lack  |
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Kristie
This has been our experience too. Some of our children's friends have mobile phones, just very basic ones, no one has an iphone. Our own children don't have a phone at all (until they leave home) if they need to take one to town they borrow mine (though the boys have begged me not to buy a pink one next time  ) We just simply haven't had a need.
We also haven't done fb until they leave home. Simply they haven't really asked (well one child was interested but I didn't have the energy to police). Because none of their friends really are into this neither are they that keen.
What has been really interesting is now they are away at College and have phones and signed up for fb, they really don't use them. They would be lucky to bother with fb once a month and barely post anything. They have chosen the most basic phones and hardly answer. Sometimes I resort to ringing their friends to get them!
They don't feel they are missing out, friends tell them if there is anything on. Just our experience.
Question: Am I correct in assuming smart phones are the same as iphones?
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MarilynW
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Kristie 4 wrote:
Just another perspective I have two older teens, one that is not extremely social, and one who is very social and in very active acting troupes that put on heaps of performances for a big festival here each year. In her group only one kid has a smartphone- only 1/2 or a little more carry phones at all. They FB one another from home computers or laptops or ipods (most of them do have ipods- but there are still 3-4 that don't even use those), and phone one another and generally hang out a lot. Most of these kids come from super active two parent but only one parent working homes and the cell phones don't often fit their family plan, but more than that, I think the kids have developed a youth culture that isn't plugged in instantly a lot. The boys all make music, design video games etc. but they aren't on cell phones and social media a lot. None of these kids are 'outlawed' from cell phones in that their parents aren't against them.
Just another perspective that at least in our little corner of a downtown major Canadian city, the kids I know haven't felt any lack by the cell phone lack |
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Kristie - our situation has been very similar here.
The only change has been since my oldest has gone to college. She is not in an environment where the internet and smartphones are super important - and she has lots of friends who do not have smartphones. But suddenly her prepaid phone plan is not a good idea (working out way too expensive), and keeping in contact with her is tough as the wireless internet is not very available or reliable. I am in the process of looking for a better phone plan and thus the thinking about smartphones.
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Erin
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Kristie and Marilyn
Just wondering, are your kids country kids like mine? Just wondering if that is part of the equation.
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Erin
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MarilynW
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Erin wrote:
We also haven't done fb until they leave home. Simply they haven't really asked (well one child was interested but I didn't have the energy to police). Because none of their friends really are into this neither are they that keen.
What has been really interesting is now they are away at College and have phones and signed up for fb, they really don't use them. They would be lucky to bother with fb once a month and barely post anything. They have chosen the most basic phones and hardly answer. Sometimes I resort to ringing their friends to get them!
They don't feel they are missing out, friends tell them if there is anything on. Just our experience.
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Erin - this is our experience too. Our kids have never really wanted FB, and the one that has FB, really got it for college purposes. She has not posted since leaving for college. As for using up phone minutes - she only uses them speaking to us, and that is partly because we have never been big on texting and everyone wants voice time with her. I am the one who is going to have to get more into the texting thing, if I want to save on $. (if her internet was better we would skype)
I find that my closest friends/family may have smartphones and fb, but neither of these are hugely important to them, and I am never made to feel left out. We all love keeping in touch on the telephone/visiting in person - and so I am spoiled and have never really had to get into texting as an alternative to speaking to someone.
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MarilynW
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Erin wrote:
Kristie and Marilyn
Just wondering, are your kids country kids like mine? Just wondering if that is part of the equation. |
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No - I sometimes wish we were, and my kids always wish they had your acreage!!!
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leanne maree
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Erin A smart phone is just the generic of iPhones Samsung. Etc etc.
it's like in tablets. It's either iPad or android.
I think because dd is with school kids at the ballet studio, it appears the best way to stay in touch is with fb on there phone.
It's not my way, I'd prefer a phone all any day.
Leanne
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MarilynW
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After investigating plans - this one seems to be the best deal - unlimited talk, text and data - for under $40 Family Mobile Still have to read the fine print. Here is a review on it: Unlimited plans for college students
Not sure if anyone has heard of it? Use it?
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MarilynW
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guitarnan wrote:
We use Virgin Mobile - pay as you go. $35 per month for 400 minutes, unlimited texting and unlimited data (there's a high speed data allowance, and the rest is lower speed...but none of us has ever used up the allowance).
The flip side is that you have to buy the phone outright, and iPhones are super-expensive. My son and I have LGs (he bought his) and my daughter has an HTC (that she also bought). I calculated that we started saving money 4-5 months in, based on the cost of a data plan for an iPhone. |
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Resurrecting this old thread....
Nancy - dd has had the Virgin Mobile Paylo $30 text and talk plan for last 11 months. It worked well. But the smartphone consideration is in again - as she will be juggling several jobs, full class load, social life etc. She has to be available by email regularly for one of the jobs - and there is limited internet at her school (she has to walk to the library) - so we are trying to help her figure it out.
Would you please link the smartphone that your college son has? Is it working out for him. The Beyond Talk $35 plan is not much more than dd is paying - and she can manage it in her budget. The problem is the cost of the phone. The cheapest iphone is $400 and the Samsung is not much less. We can contribute something to help her out - but it seems an awful lot for a phone.
Any thoughts on refurbished iphones?
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Mackfam
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Not Nancy...but thought I'd chime in a couple of ideas about an iPhone option:
Don't discount older model iPhones. Yes - the newest models are insanely expensive, but the previous models are usually still out there and often you can find them for a steal.
You might call and check with a cell provider. Not sure which you'd prefer to use, but calling one of the providers that covers the iPhone I would ask if they have any specials on older model iPhones. For example, my dd purchased an older model for 50 cents (brand new iphone) just because they were trying to recycle them through. It might be a very affordable option. However, there will be the required cell provider contracts - which I believe are two years??
Another useful tactic is to pit one provider against the other - for example, you may have decided that you prefer to use Verizon as a provider. Call AT&T anyway, just ask what they can do for you - you're looking for an affordable package, not opposed to an older model, and a basic data package with unlimited text (I'm just guessing here...you'll know best what to ask for). *IF* they can offer you a better deal than Verizon, turn right around and call Verizon back - let them know that AT&T is willing to do "x," that you'd prefer to use Verizon as your provider if they can match the deal or make you a better offer, but you'll go with whichever provider fits your family budget best.
Anyway...we've applied this tactic every.single.time we've reconsidered our contract, and our provider has stepped up and met specials every time.
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CrunchyMom
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Yes, I would look for an older model iPhone. I have dh's old phone which was an older phone when he got it, so by iPhone standards, it is a dinosaur! I don't have Siri, but for the most part, it does everything a newer model does, albeit a little slower. I can check e-mail, use gps, etc...
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Thanks Jen. Maybe I will try calling the mainstream providers. But I think the monthly charges will be a lot more than Virgin. I know that when I called Verizon last year, their individual plan (even with my husband's corporate discount) - was close to $100/month. With a two year contract.
The thing with Virgin is that the monthly costs are lower, but then you pay full price for the phone. We have figured out that even paying full price, it is better right now to do a prepaid than a contract (it worked out cheaper even over 2 years)
Mainstream providers work out better if you have several on a family plan. But right now you can't beat our family plan - dh, twin ds (share a phone) and I each pay less than $7/month with tracfone. None of us need smartphones. If dh wanted one his work would provide so he would not be in a family plan anyway.
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MarilynW
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CrunchyMom wrote:
| Yes, I would look for an older model iPhone. I have dh's old phone which was an older phone when he got it, so by iPhone standards, it is a dinosaur! I don't have Siri, but for the most part, it does everything a newer model does, albeit a little slower. I can check e-mail, use gps, etc... |
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If we stay with Virgin we are tied to what phones they have. And the oldest they have is the iphone 4s - which is $400. Unless they sell refurbished which they do not have right now...
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Betsy
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Through a recommendation on 4Real in one of the smart phone thread my dh and I ended up getting a prepaid iphone through verizon.
There is no contract, we have it set up to auto pay through our cc, but you can just remember to pay too. We have found the data to be sufficient and service good.
Another option that doesn't have a contract is a Catholic Company you can look at Sienna Communications
We chose the above option at the time because we wanted and iPhone and Sienna didn't offer service for iPhones. I just looked and they might ofter an older model iPhone now.
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CrunchyMom
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MarilynW wrote:
CrunchyMom wrote:
| Yes, I would look for an older model iPhone. I have dh's old phone which was an older phone when he got it, so by iPhone standards, it is a dinosaur! I don't have Siri, but for the most part, it does everything a newer model does, albeit a little slower. I can check e-mail, use gps, etc... |
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If we stay with Virgin we are tied to what phones they have. And the oldest they have is the iphone 4s - which is $400. Unless they sell refurbished which they do not have right now... |
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I think that when we priced out things years ago and were considering Virgin, we decided that it wasn't really "cheaper"--it was just that you had to pay upfront for the phone versus spreading the cost over the length of the contract.
Can you buy a used Virgin iPhone of ebay or craigslist? Does it work that way?
The prepaid Betsy describes sounds like a good option.
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Mackfam
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$400 for a 4s is highway robbery!!
Betsy's plan sounds really reasonable!!
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Angie Mc
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One of the best family decisions we ever made was to get on a family plan together.
Years ago when I was pulled into it, I didn't think I needed such a nice smart phone, and maybe I still don't, but, I'm glad I have something so nice. Just for me. Something pretty and special and useful. But even more importantly, the way our family works together through our phones is so relationship building...so fun...so helpful...priceless, really.
We all just upgraded again this week and couldn't be happier. Just chiming in because sometimes the best things come unexpectedly after a leap because not everything can be foreseen and tallied.
Good luck!
Love,
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MarilynW
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Angie Mc wrote:
One of the best family decisions we ever made was to get on a family plan together.
Years ago when I was pulled into it, I didn't think I needed such a nice smart phone, and maybe I still don't, but, I'm glad I have something so nice. Just for me. Something pretty and special and useful. But even more importantly, the way our family works together through our phones is so relationship building...so fun...so helpful...priceless, really.
We all just upgraded again this week and couldn't be happier. Just chiming in because sometimes the best things come unexpectedly after a leap because not everything can be foreseen and tallied.
Good luck!
Love, |
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I so agree Angie - I think we would have a lot of fun as a family. But right now the priority is affording to eat So I can live with my 15 year old Nokia - actually my kids' friends think it is quite a novelty!! And though I cannot do fun stuff on a phone with my kids like group text and share photos instantly - they all pick up the phone and call me everyday - priceless!!
Hopefully I will have a smartphone by the time I have grandchildren - and then I can be one hip and cool grandma!!
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guitarnan
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My husband ended up getting an iPhone last summer because his new job provided him with a smartphone that was pretty much nonfunctional most of the time, for a variety of reasons. The plan was quite expensive (around $100 per month) but we didn't have a huge choice about it.
This summer I added an older iPhone 5c for $25 for the phone and an additional $40/month or so for the second phone. I basically did it for international calling purposes, now that Dancing Daughter is occasionally competing in other countries. VM has no international calling/texting/data capability; I checked.
The kids still have the Virgin Mobile phones mentioned last year. They would both love to have newer phones but we are not interested in paying for new VM phones, nor will we save money right now by adding them to our current Verizon plan. So...that's where we are.
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MarilynW
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Betsy wrote:
Through a recommendation on 4Real in one of the smart phone thread my dh and I ended up getting a prepaid iphone through verizon.
There is no contract, we have it set up to auto pay through our cc, but you can just remember to pay too. We have found the data to be sufficient and service good.
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Betsy - this looks promising. Do you have the $45 plan? I am trying to figure out what 500MB of data means and if it will be enough. Dd would use the data mainly for email and for some researching for articles she is writing. Maybe to Skpye home too?
The thing is that the Virgin plan is $35 for unlimited text and data and 500 talk minutes.
My brother has offered dd an old iphone 4 of his which was used on the Verizon network - so it may be able to be used on Verizon prepaid.
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Just sharing for anyone looking for plans - I just found out about Straight Talk. DD's roommate has a Samsung Galaxy on Straight Talk and really likes it. It is $45/month for unlimited talk, text and data - and you can take your own phone I think. Straight Talk uses towers belonging to ATT, Verizon and Sprint.
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Smart phones and teens
