How in the living fuck can I buy a phone for my kid?

[SphincterSaysWhat]

I would like to buy an iPhone 14 (or whatever) for my child (Vodafone). I don't mind paying something up front and then a contract.

This is something usually left to DH but he's being a prick and so are Vodafone, apparently. So now it's my turn. Not only am I all other department, now I'm tech - which is a shame, as I'm a total luddite.

DH looked into affordablephones.co.uk and some other website but their reviews are terrible.

Can I not just call someone and pay for, and order, a fucking phone?

How is this so hard? What does everyone else do?

I would also recommend Back Market
Bought second hand iPhone 11 and kept my sim only deal

I've had a few from ebay over the years.

I agree with pp's saying buy a refurbished / second hand iphone. I brought mine from Handtec. Apple iPhone 13 Refurbished SIM Free – Handtec. I chose a phone in pristine condition and made sure it had face recognition. I then ordered a GiffGaff sim and have been very happy with them.

The iPhone 15 will be out in September, it might be worth waiting if you want the latest one

It sounds like money isn’t too much of an issue OP, so the easiest thing to do here is to phone Vodafone and ask for an iPhone 14 to add to your existing account. It’s really not difficult!

Haha oh OP I totally understand your fury.

As you say in your posts, he’s YOUR child, not A child, therefore if I was you I would walk away and he can sort it himself.

I can't make out if OP wants the new latest phone or a refurb from the posts

I do exactly this, too.

I seem to remember finding Vodafone really difficult last time I needed a new phone. Like really stressful. I can't even remember how I did it in the end.

Not helpful. Sorry.

Vodafone are by far and away the worst company I’ve ever dealt with. Sky Mobile are quite good. Top notch iPhone with a contract for three years is about £45 a month.

Size doesn't necessarily mean its the latest one, they all have a big version.

Your DH is making things miles too complicated.

For any other product, checking other websites etc… is really worth it. Fur can Apple product? Forget it. Whatever you will find will be similar price. That’s part if their strategy.

Plus, if he is leaving you buying the phone, then do it YOUR way. He can’t say you are now responsible and micromanage what you are doing and still have stuff doing the way he thinks is best. Not unless he wants to make you feel the pain he is feeling… unnecessarily.

Btw I dint know how old your dc is but I agree, an iPhone 14 is not a good idea. Likely to get broken or stolen.
The issue here is that he is now expecting it ….

Fwiw, I told me dcs that either they were getting what I decided was best (cue fur a very very simple phone). Or they were buying it. (I pay the monthly sim)
It has worked well. They got what they wanted. They’ve been careful and learnt to be savvy. Win win as far I am concerned.

Yep I'm with iD for a whopping £3 per month.

If you want a new one just buy it from Apple direct.

Then buy a sim only deal from the network of choice.

Insert the latter into the former. It's really not complicated.

they don't need an iphone 14 and they do not need YOU to be paying £50pm ffs.

Samsung Galaxy whatever, smarty £8pm, job done.

I don’t really understand how this is so difficult.
Mine are all through sky. They arrive the next day.

Vodaphone is an unusual name for a child.

Vodafone even!

For the current iPhone, its best to just get from Apple or John Lewis, possibly Amazon but I am a bit wary of delivery from there for valuable things, you don't want to get a small book instead. Or Vodaphone if you want the vodaphone contract as part of it. For an older version iPhone then it is OK to shop round a bit more for a bargain.

We stopped our phone contracts years ago. Total utter rip off, with most you pay far more than the handset is worth during the life of the contract.

For both ours and dcs phones we just...buy them. Both the dc have Samsung S22s which I believe were about £450 each, new, on Amazon. Big ticket items so were their main Xmas gifts last year. Then PAYG sim for £6 a month with all the minutes, texts and data they need.

We don't even bother with phone insurance. Dc (15 and 13) have been made fully aware that if it's lost or broken it will be replaced with the shittest, cheapest Argos £20 smartphone I can find. They therefore take care of them like their life depends on it 😂

I found it pretty long-winded. You have to go on a contract which takes them ages to go through but you can go in a day later and pay the stupid thing off. Why I couldn't do it then and there in the first place I don't know.

Why don’t you just go to the apple shop buy the phone, then organise sim only contract?

It's probably gone down now but DD's iPhone14 cost a thousand pounds in November. It was her Birthday and Christmas present. Her contract with Vodafone (sim only) is £23 a month.

It’s just not possible OP, I mean no one has ever managed to get mobile phone ever, I know not one person with one.

Your DH is correct!

🙄

Look on ebay. Seriously, people sell thier upgrades on there, you can get some real bargains!