New IPhone plan for teens

I

INVSTOR

This is all new to me so I'd love some advice please.

My daughters is in yr 10. Birthday this week. Her 5 yr old IPod just died. She's into instagram, Vine and facebook. (She says she's not into games anymore) She enjoys making short video's. Currently she uses my IPad a lot. I don't mind sharing a bit but I would like to be able to use it myself occasionally! Over the next 3 months she needs to wait about 20mins on her own after school for me to pick her up. (Possibly have higher internet usage for this period)
Can anyone offer advice on minimum phone requirement. We are thinking 16GB as a minimum which means can only get 5C as cheapest.
Would any of these 5c 16GB $46 Virgin or Vodaphone plans be appropriate?
....it's tempting to jump up to $50/month plan for 32GB, but does having a larger capacity mean you will use it more, meaning you'll exceed limits quickly....?
Any advice appreciated!
http://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones/iPhone-Plans
 
I'd go but an iPhone 4s then get the $15/nth iinet plan. We have it for K and he only uses the data bit rarely as he's usually at home on the wifi.

His main time using data is like you after school whilst waiting to be picked up.
 
Teenagers will fill their phones with music (and apps to a much smaller extent) no matter how little or much memory you give them. But a phone can hold far more music than they would have time to listen to. iTunes allows you to keep a lot of stuff on a PC or Mac that you don't need to store on a phone.

I like iPhones, but also consider androids. Many of them have removable storage so you don't have to pay a lot more for an extra memory phone.

You might need to consider an app like Curbi for limiting game playing time.

I'd also consider the option of buying a phone outright and going with a plan like Aldi for $35pm. Even if the cost is comparable over two years, you are more likely to keep the phone longer and not be tempted into a new phone every two years.
 
16GB too little for video and kids put all sort of stuff on their phone
like taking tons of photos

go for 32GB, got my kids 16GB iPhone and I end up using it and buy them a bigger one as they video and take lot of useless photos, 16G wont last long esp after the iOS and apps you probably have 8G spare.

go for plan that cut out after they used up allow quota...so you never get bill shock or go pre-paid
 
new iPhone will be released in September historically, which means prices of old phones will drop, so if you can possibly do an IOU, you may save $200.

Apple products are more expensive for the same quality generally.

I have an iPhone 4, 32gb. I used to love it, but its way outdated (as are the current iPhone I might add). Small screen is the big killer.

I have loaned a Nokia Lumia 920 which is old now, but much better than iPhone in price, size, speed...but its downfall is a terrible music player by comparison (it plays stuff, but no smart playlists, no star rating), lack of apps and games for a user of iOS or Android.

I would ask yourself (and daughter) a number of questions before comitting. If she doesnt care much about games, and she just wants facebook/interenet/music - then any android/windows phone will suffice and it will do it cheaper.

I would consider;
Price
Purpose of use
iTunes commitment (how much has she already bought, is it transferable? do you have the skills to transfer?)
screen size

edit: the Lumia 925 has a great camera and around $250 outright, which means you can then pick a suitable plan - check out TPG or Telechoice from the research I have done (I have been TPG for years, but it doesnt work at my parents house, but if you are city bound, TPG has great deals)
 
The important thing is to not go on Vodafone so she actually has a chance of contacting you if need be.

Buy it outright, and get Telstra pre-paid. It avoids any nasty surprise bills and you actually get a lot for your money prepaid. Better data speeds and coverage too. I do it myself based on below quick calc.

Normal phone inclusive plan:
24months x 60 = $1440
Sell phone at end of contract for $250
Total outlay is $1190

Prepaid:
Phone outright and 24 x $30 (get a similar amount to $60 month plan): $1320
Only $120 cheaper, but she cant exceed usage allowed. Also get cheap movie tickets on Telstra Thanks and such.
 
Why does a teenager need such an expensive phone? I'm in my late 20s and have never spent more than ~$30/month and have been able to get very good phones within this price. I would buy either a cheap non-plan phone or just get something for the phone like an iTunes card or other accessories and she can buy the phone when she starts working.
 
cimbom said:
Why does a teenager need such an expensive phone? I'm in my late 20s and have never spent more than ~$30/month and have been able to get very good phones within this price.
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Exactly, I am early 40's, run a business and several ip's and travel overseas quite a bit and manage just fine with a $40 LG phone bought from coles, unlock code from ebay for $2 and spend about $15/mth with aldi prepaid.

Load my own music on (drag and drop) none of this stupid upload to a cloud and download guff or buying songs etc from itunes

Wife does the same.

To the OP
https://www.coles.com.au/our-range/our-products/mobile-phones-and-tablets/prepaid-mobile
 
cimbom said:
Why does a teenager need such an expensive phone? I'm in my late 20s and have never spent more than ~$30/month and have been able to get very good phones within this price. I would buy either a cheap non-plan phone or just get something for the phone like an iTunes card or other accessories and she can buy the phone when she starts working.
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Yes, I know what you mean! She's had quite a few disappointments lately so we are spoiling her a bit. Eg. Getting 2nd highest marks for chemistry (85%) which she struggled with heaps, then she changed schools, so her marks won't count and she has to do exam again. She actually was asking for an Iphone for her birthday next year but I want to do something a bit special for her. She was also given an iPhone from an inlaw that had 3 months left of a $30/month plan which we had to pay for and as usual it was a total dud, can't use instagram with it, so a big disappointment....and also just discovered in baby book that she was given money from the relative. She got excited about it and wanted to buy a phone but found out the relative borrowed??/took it back and leant it to another relative. She is very appreciative, hard-working and not spoilt which is why I decided to treat her.
 
INVSTOR said:
Yes, I know what you mean! She's had quite a few disappointments lately Eg. Getting 2nd highest marks for chemistry (85%) which she struggled with heaps, then she changed schools, so her marks won't count and she has to do exam again.
Click to expand...

It must be terrible for her, all that suffering and hardship :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN2WzQzxuoA

so we are spoiling her a bit.
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Yeah, a mate does the same with his kids and now they are 23 and 25 and he still cant get rid of them and why would they go? Free accom in Sydney, free uni, free foxtell (which he never uses), free phone and internet and the list goes on.
Spoke to him on Friday and the kids are asking him for a credit card now, silly bugger will be in an early grave at this rate and to think it was 5 years ago he dreamed of retiring and renting out the two rooms of his house to actual paying tenants.:(
 
Get her somthing nice. Life is too short to whinge and whine about spoiling a child with a gift. Maybe she will remember it in the future and visit you in the nursing home more.
 
DEC said:
It must be terrible for her, all that suffering and hardship :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN2WzQzxuoA


Yeah, a mate does the same with his kids and now they are 23 and 25 and he still cant get rid of them and why would they go? Free accom in Sydney, free uni, free foxtell (which he never uses), free phone and internet and the list goes on.
Spoke to him on Friday and the kids are asking him for a credit card now, silly bugger will be in an early grave at this rate and to think it was 5 years ago he dreamed of retiring and renting out the two rooms of his house to actual paying tenants.:(
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Your mate spoil without disciplined :)

people usually blame money but it usually the discipline aspect that cause most people down fall...he failed as a parent in discipline his children.

disciplined kids is hard work, it is an area not many people can deal with it effectively

an undisciplined kid with money or not makes little differences, with money they do stuff on bigger scale.

Money is just a subject it technically cant influence or make you do bad things.
your undisciplined minds that lead you to abuse its spending power and make unwise use of it.
 
DEC said:
It must be terrible for her, all that suffering and hardship :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN2WzQzxuoA


Yeah, a mate does the same with his kids and now they are 23 and 25 and he still cant get rid of them and why would they go? Free accom in Sydney, free uni, free foxtell (which he never uses), free phone and internet and the list goes on.
Spoke to him on Friday and the kids are asking him for a credit card now, silly bugger will be in an early grave at this rate and to think it was 5 years ago he dreamed of retiring and renting out the two rooms of his house to actual paying tenants.:(
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Maybe that makes him happy? I wouldn't mind if my kids were living at home at that age, I would charge them rent though. I have made my daughter buy her own clothes since she was 11 and she has also saved about $1500 from birthday money so I think she is disciplined.
 
...and my kids don't want to scab off me anyway. They want to make their way through Uni being famous u-tubers or make money from Vine or followers or something..
 
Kids today are spoilt with techno,farout waiting at the bus stop for 20mins and ya gotta buy a iphone?Poor thing "sigh"

I dislike mobiles and wifi,maybe the new asbestos of the future?

I don't use them much,holding near the ear is fry,same as wifi.

I'll stick to my old 10yr old nokia for incomings IF i have too.

$1 per month via tpg plus usage(nil much).I use home phone somewhat and work phone at a minimum.

Is your daughter going to go to this extremes ie:i call it iphone addiction-wet behind the ears,whatever it takes but lost not found with more GB than a toilet roll:

http://www.9news.com.au/world/2014/08/04/12/58/german-teen-drains-pond-to-recover-iphone

Don't fall for the jone's and lookup eg:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_radiation_and_health

Cheers Spades.
 
INVSTOR said:
...and my kids don't want to scab off me anyway. They want to make their way through Uni being famous u-tubers or make money from Vine or followers or something..
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LOL's at going to UNI so they can become famous u-tubers or something :D
And what UNI course was that they did?

Mate sounds like a recipe for failure and future scabbing off of you to me.;)
 
INVSTOR said:
Maybe that makes him happy?
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No, what would have made him happy was if they left home and got a job so he could rent out the bottom half of his house and he and his wife (who has cancer) could enjoy some time together.

Instead he continues to work long hours to pay for his UNI educated children's frivolous lifestyle.
 
I don't see any disappointments there - junior had 5 schools in 4 years due to work and still comes in the top 3 of her class and makes lasting friends everywhere she goes.

And at 11 years old the only phone she has is a $15 jobbie from Big W that she never uses. Bought it for taking photos on a school camp, and then found out they couldn't take phones anyhow. I was prepared to put $20 credit a month on, but she doesn't want to as it sits in her drawer. There are computers at home for downloads and movie making of which she does plenty.

I understand your reasoning at wanting to get her a phone - but over the top (IMO) for a 10 yr old. Get her a good series of books to read whilst waiting.
 
DEC said:
LOL's at going to UNI so they can become famous u-tubers or something :D
And what UNI course was that they did?

Mate sounds like a recipe for failure and future scabbing off of you to me.;)
Click to expand...
That was a joke. - and I was referring to young people who earn an income from a large amount of followers from their videos as a part-time job, not a career
lizzie said:
I don't see any disappointments there - junior had 5 schools in 4 years due to work and still comes in the top 3 of her class and makes lasting friends everywhere she goes.

And at 11 years old the only phone she has is a $15 jobbie from Big W that she never uses. Bought it for taking photos on a school camp, and then found out they couldn't take phones anyhow. I was prepared to put $20 credit a month on, but she doesn't want to as it sits in her drawer. There are computers at home for downloads and movie making of which she does plenty.

I understand your reasoning at wanting to get her a phone - but over the top (IMO) for a 10 yr old. Get her a good series of books to read whilst waiting.
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Your daughter is lucky to have met some nice people with all the changes. it is harder in high school I think! there has been a lot of pressure on her as her old school starts yr 11 in term 4 of yr 10 so it's been a very crammed year. The idea is for her to be able to make video's and stuff with it as she doesn't have her own device to do that. Some girls from her old school were visiting the boy next door on the weekend and they were all discussing how many times they have had sex. I'm grateful she hasn't clicked with a lot of people in her past schools and grateful she wants to spend some of her leisure time on an iPod dEvice.
 
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