Contract phone at age of 18

Joe99

I'm 18 in January and I am just wondering does anyone think I will get a contract phone in my own name in January, of course I will not have any credit history but I am currently on the electoral role, will this help? Has anyone had any experience applying for a contract phone straightaway when they turn 18, for example on their 18th birthday or a few days after their 18th birthday without any credit history but on the electroal role? Thanks

phona

You should be able to get one. You've got to start somewhere after all.

Get yourself a proper grown-up bank current account; a student one if you're going to university. That'll start reporting to the credit reference agencies.

Since you asked for personal experience, I already had a contract in mum's name when I turned 18 so I was 19 and had a CC by the time I got my own.
However my sister has never had a CC/loan/mortgage and always manages to get new iPhones without trouble..

DCFC79

No need for a contract phone, buy 1 outright and get a sim only plan.

Superscrooge

Joe99 wrote: »

Has anyone had any experience applying for a contract phone straightaway when they turn 18,

I don't think mobile phones had been invented when I was 18 :rotfl:

Dan83

I remember my 1st contract phone I got just after my 18th birthday, it was a silver Motorola flip phone with a colour screen, all fancy stuff in them days. I went to my then girlfriends and stayed the night, left the phone on the window cill next to a frozen bottle of Coke, when we woke up in the morning my phone was floating around in a puddle.

27col

Superscrooge wrote: »

I don't think mobile phones had been invented when I was 18 :rotfl:

When I was 18, phones had hardly been invented.:)

NectarCollector

Joe99 wrote: »

I'm 18 in January and I am just wondering does anyone think I will get a contract phone in my own name in January, of course I will not have any credit history but I am currently on the electoral role, will this help? Has anyone had any experience applying for a contract phone straightaway when they turn 18, for example on their 18th birthday or a few days after their 18th birthday without any credit history but on the electroal role? Thanks

long story short, gf had a contract phone, paid £30/month. I discovered that she wasn't using it enough to justify £30/month, found that if she went on a monthly sim only contract, she could get away on a £12.50 monthly contract. (saving her £210 / year for not being locked into another years contract renewal)

Remember that £30/month will usually be over 2 years, which is £720.

Consider how much the phone handset would cost if you brought it outright, then consider how much phone calls, data, or texts will cost you each month and see what options there are.

Joe99

DCFC79 wrote: »

No need for a contract phone, buy 1 outright and get a sim only plan.

Personally, I would not like to pay between £500-£600 for the latest phone in one lump fee therefore I wouldn't mind paying £40 a month for a contract phone every month then upgrades every 2 years.

Joe99

NectarCollector wrote: »

long story short, gf had a contract phone, paid £30/month. I discovered that she wasn't using it enough to justify £30/month, found that if she went on a monthly sim only contract, she could get away on a £12.50 monthly contract. (saving her £210 / year for not being locked into another years contract renewal)

Remember that £30/month will usually be over 2 years, which is £720.

Consider how much the phone handset would cost if you brought it outright, then consider how much phone calls, data, or texts will cost you each month and see what options there are.

I would want the latest released phone, for example the iPhone 7 which releases this year that will cost between £500-£600, I am not willing to pay that amount of money upfront. I would much prefer to pay about £40 a month on a contract plus it would also build up my credit rating too

Joe99

phona wrote: »

You should be able to get one. You've got to start somewhere after all.

Get yourself a proper grown-up bank current account; a student one if you're going to university. That'll start reporting to the credit reference agencies.

Since you asked for personal experience, I already had a contract in mum's name when I turned 18 so I was 19 and had a CC by the time I got my own.
However my sister has never had a CC/loan/mortgage and always manages to get new iPhones without trouble..

That sounds alright then, I should be able to, next year my bank account will be converted to an adult account anyway and plus I am also on the electoral role which should help?

I believe going directly with the network helps rather than through third parties such as Carphone Warehouse, O2 seems a good direct network to accept people. My brother has a bad credit history but got accepted directly with them in an O2 shop a few weeks ago.

DCFC79

Joe99 wrote: »

I would want the latest released phone, for example the iPhone 7 which releases this year that will cost between £500-£600, I am not willing to pay that amount of money upfront. I would much prefer to pay about £40 a month on a contract plus it would also build up my credit rating too

Build up your score that no1 except you can see.

You don't need an iphone 7, theres other phones out there that are perfectly fine as a phone and are cheaper (after all this is a money saving website)