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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Son's phone has broken

30 replies

fruitstick · 13/02/2023 18:31

DS has come home today and his phone is not working. I think it's just the screen that has broken (it's been cracked for a while).

It's his birthday next week.

Our options are

  • he uses his pocket money savings to get screen replaced
  • he uses his savings and birthday money to get new phone
  • I pay for it (I'm skint)
  • I upgrade my phone (which I can do on early upgrade) and give him mine.
  • upgrade mine, sell mine and buy him a cheaper one.

Obviously he wants an immediate solution as he can't use his phone at the moment.

OP posts:
follyfoot37 · 13/02/2023 18:33

and your aibu is?

WeAreAllLionesses · 13/02/2023 18:34

Upgrades / contracts are expensive ways of having a phone - buy a phone outright then buy a sim only deal, it's so much cheaper. Advice for both you and him.

DramaLlama20 · 13/02/2023 18:34

Option 1. How old is he? Get insurance next time.

Whammyyammy · 13/02/2023 18:35

If he wants an "immediate" option, then he uses his own money, or goes without.

Needs to learn the value of money and feet stomping for immediate resolutions

Dacadactyl · 13/02/2023 18:41

Whammyyammy · 13/02/2023 18:35

If he wants an "immediate" option, then he uses his own money, or goes without.

Needs to learn the value of money and feet stomping for immediate resolutions

This.

Or alternatively tell him you'll put some money towards a new phone for him for his bday and he can cough up the rest.

redskydelight · 13/02/2023 18:44

How old is he? How old is the phone? Why has it broken (because it's old and through general use or because he was being careless)?

liveforsummer · 13/02/2023 18:45

I wouldn't expect a child to pay for the phone repair unless they had been careless or had done it deliberately. I know contracts can be an expensive way to purchase a phone but it's also a way to spread the cost. I take out 3 year contracts and give the phone to dd at the end then get a new deal and it's incredibly cheap monthly

CountryMusicHottie · 13/02/2023 18:46

I’d give him some options that you’re happy with and let him choose what he wants to do.

Out of your options, I’d probably do the early upgrade and give him your old one if you’re both happy with that.

stripedsox · 13/02/2023 18:53

Not saying this is what happened in your son's case, but...when my two youngest were still in school in their last year, they told me that some kids used to deliberately smash their phones on the pretext of getting a new upgrade. They knew a couple of kids who said they kicked up such merry hell, that the parents went after school the following day to purchase. The kids concerned showed off their new phones the next day at school.

liveforsummer · 13/02/2023 18:57

stripedsox · 13/02/2023 18:53

Not saying this is what happened in your son's case, but...when my two youngest were still in school in their last year, they told me that some kids used to deliberately smash their phones on the pretext of getting a new upgrade. They knew a couple of kids who said they kicked up such merry hell, that the parents went after school the following day to purchase. The kids concerned showed off their new phones the next day at school.

I'd guess they were kids who know their parents could afford it. Dd is so careful as she knows no new phone is forthcoming but I've replaced the screen on a couple of occasions

Blanketpolicy · 13/02/2023 18:57

For me it would depend on his age and how well he takes care of his phones. Ds(18) had his first phone at 11 and even though he is active and out a lot has never lost or broken one (he has even broken bones but not his phone!) so we don't mind him having a decent phone for Christmas etc. We don't usually go for expensive birthday presents.

If he had been careless we would probably let him to pay and have the inconvience to get it fixed from his own money.

ColdHandsHotHead · 13/02/2023 19:00

How did it break? Spontaneously, or was there a human involved?

Buttercookiee · 13/02/2023 19:03

Always but my phones from smartfonestore, flatly refuse to have anything other than a sim only contract

Their phones are amazing quality, even the worst condition category they have is brilliant.

Original poster
fruitstick · 13/02/2023 19:13

He will be 14. The screen was cracked and now it has stopped working.

OP posts:
liveforsummer · 13/02/2023 19:15

fruitstick · 13/02/2023 19:13

He will be 14. The screen was cracked and now it has stopped working.

It might just be that the screen needs replacing but it doesn't sound like it was deliberate or carelessness so I'd def not make him pay

RainBow725 · 13/02/2023 19:19

Is it an iPhone? Mine died last week and it was only a few weeks old. It was down to a bug in iOS 16.2. A hard reset and software upgrade sorted it.

itsgettingweird · 13/02/2023 19:25

I would go for new phone using any of the options above and get a screen protector!

QueenMabs · 13/02/2023 19:41

What phone is it?

Original poster
fruitstick · 13/02/2023 21:58

It's an iPhone XS. So not a super new one.

OP posts:
mnahmnah · 13/02/2023 22:08

To replace the screen will be at least £60. Get him an Alcatel for £40 from Argos. Not the end of the world if that gets broken or lost. Works like any other smartphone. Tough if he wants an iPhone!

QueenMabs · 13/02/2023 22:15

Not worth repairing now it's defunct. It's broken because of the screen so the time to fix it would have been at the point the screen cracked.

What's the budget for a new one?

liveforsummer · 14/02/2023 06:55

DD's I phone was cracked for ages. It got worse and worse til you cold see the inner workings and eventually was unusable as the cracks pressed down on the touch screen and ended up locking the phone by entering the wrong passcode to its self and the screen ended up dead. £40 for a screen replaced and it's been fine ever since - that was about 9 months ago and it's still going strong so was definitely with not spending out for a new one and I'd rather a repaired iPhone than an Alcatel.

Adrelaxzz · 14/02/2023 07:03

We have had similar scenarios many times with or 4 kids. Can't afford to buy new ones and actually think it is a good lesson on knowing you don't magically get new things. We usually have an old phone that is a bit shit but works for messaging and phoning and give them that. They can then save up for a smart phone from their job or from their allowance. Their fault or not they need to learn that you have to save to get new stuff.

liveforsummer · 14/02/2023 07:08

Their fault or not they need to learn that you have to save to get new stuff.

At a random point in the year maybe but with a birthday next week then giving a phone over something else they might like more but not need quite as much for example gives a similar lesson

FatSealSmugSoup · 14/02/2023 07:11

I bought a brand new iPhone 8 from eBay the other week and it was £130 which I thought was a cracking (badoom tish) deal. It’s perfect and it won’t break my heart if it gets broken and he can replace with his own money.

Happy to send you the seller if you PM me - as tbh I was pleasantly surprised new and sealed box plus you can get nectar points on eBay (30x if you buy 12-1 today).

I think iPhone 8 is the lowest spec you can go without it being obsolete. I use Tesco payg for the kids.