Set limit contract advice for a child

travelchick

Hi

I have seen lots of offers on contract phones with some great deals, what I would like to know is there any that I can set a limit with the opperator to make sure my 13 year old daughter doesnt go over the agreed limit?

At the moment she is paying about £10 a month and doesnt waste it and makes it last BUT her social network is growing rapidly lol

I have seen so many deals with unimited texting which is great BUT I want something with the confiedence of not getting a £100 phonebill when she gets that all important 1st boyfriend lol

Thank you

x

Quentin

Beware relying on any limits you manage to get imposed - they won't be binding on the network so that should for any reason the bar not come down, and she runs up a massive bill it will still be yours/hers responsibility to pay it, even though she exceeded the limit.

PAYG is safest till she can afford to pay her own contract bills!

DarkConvict

Tell me if i am wrong, but i see alot of people suggest the T-Mobile Solo Fixed, as the allowences are capped.

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-phones/sim-card/pay-monthly/

Other than that. PAYG is the way to go.

As Quentin says, most contracts will allow you to exceed and thus you will get billed ontop the monthly charges. So unless you 'really' trust them don't get a contract like that.

Also, do check you have a signal in the areas you plan to use them, before signing a contract.

stejobeth

We had the same problem. My daughters PAYG phone broke and she wanted a cookie. After looking around it was a lot cheaper to put her on contract. I went to them all and asked the same question. None of them were able to stop her going over her limit.

Try looking at networks that her friends are on because they tend to do extra mins to the same network.

My daughter is 13 too and she knows when her mins are renewed each month, the number she can ring to check how many she has left is in her contacts. We have told her that if she goes over the phone will be taken off her and she will have to pay the difference. The thought of parting with her own money is enough to have her checking on a regular basis

anonymousie

stejobeth wrote: »

My daughter is 13 too and she knows when her mins are renewed each month, the number she can ring to check how many she has left is in her contacts. We have told her that if she goes over the phone will be taken off her and she will have to pay the difference. The thought of parting with her own money is enough to have her checking on a regular basis

Okaaay, but does she also know not to run up internet charges, not to call premium lines/reply to txts etc and also, more than anything, what to do the moment she finds her phone is lost/missing (ie tell you, get everything blocked, not spends all day "looking" because she "thinks" she knew where it was). If not make sure she does, and make sure it is insured, both for theft and consequential loss.

This forum is full of sad postings from grown ups (who should know better) along the lines of "my bill is huge I'can't pay it" with tales of "I just used it when I was abroad, only a little but might have forgotton to turn the internet off" or my phone was stolen and I didn't find out for 24hrs, there are hundreds of pounds of charged to sex lines, do I have to pay them.

My 16yr old is very sensible and amazingly well behaved. Her phone is dying , but I'm afraid I wont even get her a contract (though most of her mates do).

Snakeeyes21

3 allow you to set a limit of £0, so you cant go over your inclusive bits.
for £15pm you can get unlimited texts, 75 mins and unlimited internet. You also get free msn, skype and ebay.

travelchick

thank you for that I shall go and have a look now, is it a particular offer i need to look out for or do i just call them after ive found something?

Thank you snake

x

DarkConvict

To summarise,

If going for T-Mobile, get the T-Mobile Solo Fixed.

If going via 3, then check when ordering and ensure the limit of £0 is set. And check it to make sure.

Or pick any PAYG tariff.

Snakeeyes21

travelchick wrote: »

thank you for that I shall go and have a look now, is it a particular offer i need to look out for or do i just call them after ive found something?

Thank you snake

x

its the £15 internet texter plan. Just order it as you normally would, go via quidco etc, then once it turns up just phone them and ask them to lower your credit limit to £0

space_rider

All my daughters have had contract phones from around 11. They have only ever gone over once each. I have taken them to the bank to withdraw their savings to pay the bill, that was enough of a deterrant!

woozywendy

have a look at Tesco, they have deals where for example you pay £10 and it can be worth £40 if phoning the 5 friends and family numbers you choose. You can set a limit as well, so if they use it all up before the next payment is due, you have to top it up yourself, they do not let you run up a bill, It is a 30 day contract.