Does your teen have an iPhone/smartphone?

[ruadisneyfan2]

I'm just curious if my kids are the only ones that don't have one. All 4 of us have phones but are resisting getting smartphones. Dh suggested getting them for the kids (maybe for Christmas?)since they're more into that stuff than we are. My mom is also on our plan and I'm not looking forward to a $250/month cell phone bill for a shared data plan.

Which phone does your teen have & does he/she like it?

 

[chris31997]

We have iPhones and we got them for the map capability(moved to Japan). We love games and Facebook/Messaging Kiddos get the cheap phone. They are not driving, and if they "need" to get on to Facebook or message a friend they can borrow my phone. All DD really does is text her friends. And uses the phone so mom/dad can talk/find her

 

[disykat]

My teens got cell phones with texting at 16 and smart phones/wifi at 18. They get the phones and the usage plan as their birthday presents. Prior to that we had a shared cell (technically it was DH's that he didn't use) that they could take when they were out to be able to communicate with us.

I got texting when my older son did and just recently got a smart phone when my younger son did - so it's not like I was expecting them to be deprived of something I had. (Not that that's a bad thing for a kid!)

DH still doesn't use a phone, so he hasn't had one since we turned his number over to our younger son's new phone when he turned 16.

 

[shortbun]

We all have 'smart' phones. DS has a Samsung Galaxy3 and DH and I have 4S Iphones.
We all like our phones. We use our data plan like crazy.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

I said no, but then realized "technically" DS 17 does have an iphone. He has an old one of DS without a sim card, so essentially it's an ipod touch.
He doesnt' even remember/care to bring his dumb cell phone with him most days. Not a priority for him.

I don't have a smart phone either. DH has one that work provides.

 

[disneysteve]

DD chose not to. She already has an iPod touch and didn't see the sense in also having an iPhone. She has expressed interest in getting one next year when she heads off to college. DW and I both have the iPhone 5.

 

[Aliceacc]

My kids have been campaigning for an iphone, but it's not going to happen. My husband has one, and each of the kids has a cell phone and a tablet with internet access.

I am so NOT a phone person, so mine has minimal bells and whistles. I can call and text, that's all I need.

 

[DawnM]

No.

Mine don't even want them. They do have ipads though (well, technically they are mine, but they each have one designated for their use.)

They have flip phones and we may be upgrading to phones with a pop out keyboard for easier texting.

I figure, if they aren't asking, we aren't getting......or even thinking about getting.....

 

[HeatherC]

My three have smartphones. But I waited until our contract with Sprint was up and went with Virgin Mobile. You have to buy the phone, but we pay $35 a month for each phone. With tax it is like $38.

We each have 300 talk minutes and UNLIMITED texting and data.

For four of us I pay about $120 a month. Not too bad considering it would have jumped to $200 a month with Sprint and we would still be under a contract.


I will never do a contract againsince there are so many more choices now.

 

[descovy]

My oldest has an iphone... 8th grade. Sister will get an iphone this fall.

We do the free phone (currently the 4) and the smallest data plan.

Our school encourages the use of technology in class, and asks the kids to bring their own electronic devices (school provides the wifi) I would never allow my laptop to go. They don't have iPads either.

I also like that I can track their location with the phone.

I err on the side of frugal in many ways. My kids do not tend to have the latest and greatest of anything. But on this, I splurge. It works for us.

 

[StephMK]

DD19, DD13, DH & I have AT&T go phones with data capability but we only use the wifi options. DH & I buy a small data package for $5 for emergencies but otherwise, wifi only works for us. It's $25 a month for 250 minutes & unlimited texting. DS11 is about to get my old tracfone so he can call & text but he won't have data capability. That phone is too slow to connect be able to use the data.

DD19 is looking into buying a used iphone that she can use w/the go phone plan. She pays her own cell bill so she is deciding what to do.

 

[luvmy3]

Me, dh and dd just got smartphones this past year. My dses have basic qwerty phones. There is no way we are going to pay over $200 a month for cells when our landline, internet and FiOS TV doesnt even cost that much. We do Page Plus and its $72 a month for the 3 of us to have smartphones.
Of course my dd and my youngest ds want iPhones because everyone else has one. Normally that "everyone" really means a couple people but in this case they are right everyone around here have iPhones. My kids can get those when they get a job and can afford the phone and the monthly bill themselves.

 

[My5Mouseketeers]

Two of my teenagers (17 & 16) have iphones. We bought them the phones for Christmas or birthday and pay there own data plans. Other DS16 has a "dumb phone" because he would rather spend his money hanging out the GF then on data.

I can not imagine a day without my iphone. I use it for EVERYTHING. it is my portable computer.

 

[minnierocks]

Mine got data when they were willing to pay for it...they could choose to pay a year at a time from their summer job or pay it monthly, due on the first of every month. It is good for them to learn to pay something regularly and while we felt it was a necessity to have a phone, we did not think that data was...so we were not willing to pay for that.

 

[goofyredraider]

My 11yo has my old iPhone 4. We have a family plan with unlimited data/texting through AT&T (a plan no longer offered and are grandfathered in).

 

[laughinplace199]

Two years ago, I got my first smartphone (Droid) and we got DD a regular phone for talking and texting. DD was about to enter Jr High and needed a phone since she would often be off doing things without us and would need to call for a ride or to let me know if plans had changed.

A year later, she decided she would like to save for an iphone. I told her that was a great idea (knowing full well that it would take her forever to save enough ). Enter grandpa (my dad) who overheard the conversation about saving for a iphone. A few days later, Grandpa brought DD to the Verizon store and bought her an iphone (4S). I have shared data and don't use much since we have wifi at home, so DD switching from dumbphone to smartphone didn't affect the monthly bill.

Since DD had a new phone, DS (who was 11 at the time) inherited her dumbphone. He is now 12 and heading to Jr High, so he will have the dumbphone for now.

I just switched to an iphone 5 because my droid was acting crazy. So far, I love the iphone.

 

[3happydancers]

No one in our family has an iphone nor do we plan on getting one in the future. For us, simple tracfones work just fine. The cost is about $450.00 YEARLY, which fits our budget. DH and I have no need for all those extras and DD has her ipod which gives her unlimited texting. Any online activity can be done with our laptops. Let me add, we have a landline phone which only costs $30.00 monthly so when we are home the is our choice of phone. No need to use cell phones.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Our DS has an iPhone 5. He pays his own bill, in its entirety, every month. Runs him $65 plus taxes for unlimited texting, a whole lot of calling (which he never even comes close to using), and data. He very rarely has any overage charges. We are with Telus.

DH, my mom, and I all have smartphones as well (no landline at our house or mom's anymore...and we love that) but we don't use the "smart" capabilities. We have calling and texting but have opted out of the data options. I am on the computer all day long......I don't want to be surfing on my phone on my off time.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I have an iPhone 4. I would love to upgrade to an iPhone 5, but I'm not ready to part with my unlimited data.
DS (15) just got a galaxy S4 for his birthday. He previously had a dumb phone.
DH has a dumb phone and is more than content with it.
DD (9) no phone.

Edited to add: my DS absolute loves his Galaxy S4.
He also said I'm the only at that time 8th grader without a smartphone. After talking to a lot of parents with kids in his grade, he may have been right.

 

[traces7]

My 14 yr old DD doesn't have an iphone, but she wants one! She says "I'm the only one who doesn't have a smart phone." She says when she gets a job that's the first thing she'll get! Than she'll pay for it herself.
She has a Tracfone and and ipod touch. We all use Tracfones at our house, only costs us about $30 a month, that's about all I can afford right now!!!