Question
My contract period for my mobile iPhone is just about to expire, and I’d like to hand it over to my newly-teenage son while I upgrade to a new model for myself.
But I don’t want to pay a hefty monthly fee or start a new contract for him. He won’t be using the phone very much and I think it would be a waste of money. Is there an alternative?
Answer
Yes there is a simple alternative that is also much more economical. Simply go on a cheap pre-paid phone and data plan to maintain network coverage, then download an app from the iTunes store that lets him send texts and make phone calls for free.
A good example is Viber, but there are others. It will mean that you will both need to download this app onto your phones so you can communicate with each other for free, but it has the added advantage of having group chats so he can text for free with his friends through this app if they all have it and you won’t need to pay anything extra. Viber can also be enabled on an iPod so your son can chat for free through your wi-fi network at home if you are not ready to hand over your old mobile phone.
It’s possible to spend $5 or $10 on a monthly pre-paid phone plan and have all the benefits of an unlimited phone plan with this simple system. Just be careful of downloading data when out and about, as this can eat into the pre-paid amount. When at home, the data can simply hook into your wi-fi so it won’t be an issue there.
Search the web for the best deals, and check out the free apps on offer to find the right one for you and your son.
Moneylogue 