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Preteens

Parenting a preteen can be a minefield. Find support here.

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Original poster

DD has gone over her phone allowance by £30

17 replies

Primrose123 · 12/07/2013 16:30

DD, who is 12, has my old smartphone. We have a plan which is good value, about £12 a month for 200 texts and 200 minutes.

For the first time in two years, she has gone over her texting limit by about thirty pounds. She checked her balance this morning and had a huge shock. She was very apologetic and immediately offered to pay the extra, and we have accepted this.

I have checked the bill online and it seems she has been texting one friend as a sort of conversation, so they were texting each other every minute or so, quite a few times over the past few days. (This friend happens to be a boy, is this the start of a new thing?!!!)

The phone has been taken away until the new free texts start. She hasn't made a fuss and is very sorry. I am wondering about telling her that this time only, we will pay half of the extra costs for her, but will not do so if this happens again. I did consider not taking any money off her, but think that she needs to learn that things have to be paid for.

Am I being too soft? Too strict? I want to be fair, but I am pleased with her attitude. If she was stroppy about it, I would take the phone away for longer and take the money!

OP posts:

CajaDeLaMemoria · 12/07/2013 16:32

What type of smartphone is it?

If you have wi-fi in the house, there are instant messaging services for most smartphones. That'd be free while she was home, so much better for that type of quick-fire conversation, as long as she can be trusted not to use data outside of the house.

As for paying - it sounds like she's really sorry, and she was honest with you as soon as she realised. She's also given up her phone without complaining. I'd offer to pay half because of those things.

mynameisslimshady · 12/07/2013 16:35

My ds just went over his by £25, I've upped his plan from next month, I thought it would be easier and cheaper in the long run and its only going to get worse. I did make him earn the extra money wash the car, hoover, tidy the garden etc) rather than pay it outright. 200 texts isn't that much to a child that age over the course of a month, I could have done that in a couple of hours at that age

Original poster

Primrose123 · 12/07/2013 16:47

It's an old phone Caja, I had it for a while, and it was old then! I think that's why it was a good offer, as it was an old model HTC.

She does have kik on her phone Slim, and has unlimited data, so that's no problem, but not all her friends have kik, and some are not allowed.

We have considered getting a new SIM card, we've seen one with unlimited texts for about £10, but I need to look into that a bit more. I don't want her to think that she just gets a new plan because she 'needs' extra texts!

OP posts:

mynameisslimshady · 12/07/2013 16:52

You could get the new plan and not tell her about it so it covers you if she goes over but she still tries to keep it to her old plan.

MrsDoomsPatterson · 12/07/2013 16:57

I think she'll have learnt her lesson! My son has done the same and he just pays me, that's the deal - but I do make a fuss and he is always very sorry. It's only happened twice.

BackforGood · 12/07/2013 19:04

It sounds like she was mortified, but I don't think you are getting good value for money from that contract.
I pay £7.50 a month for 5000 texts, 250mins, and some (don't know how much internet. My HTC phone was sent for free as part of the contract.
ds has a SIM only deal for £7.50 a month which is 5000 texts and 300mins, so it's not that a got some sort of extraordinary deal.

RhondaJean · 12/07/2013 19:07

Yes £12 a month for 200 texts isn't good value, especially if you are out of contract on the phone and can go to sim only. My dd for example has 100 minutes 100 gb Internet and unlimited texts for £17 a month and a Samsung s2 as well. I'd definitely look around.

200 isn't a lot to go over either, really, I'd not be too hard on her...

BackforGood · 12/07/2013 19:10

Thing being, if her friends are on 5000 (or unlimited) then that's how they carry on conversations, and if you are on a really limited deal like your dd, it's hard to keep track of how quickly you are eating in to your total.

Springcleanish · 12/07/2013 19:14

Tesco mobile, it's fantastic, we're all converts, you can cap the phone so you can't go over your monthly payment. We pay £10 a month for my son's phone, and the peace of mind is great. If he get's near his limit I get a text to my mobile and can decide whether I want to add extra or he can buy a top up card. Because I'm with tesco too we get family perks, an extra bundle of texts, data or calls, you choose which you want.

Tiredemma · 12/07/2013 19:15

As already said.

Tesco mobile.

its capped.

Springcleanish · 12/07/2013 19:18

He gets 5000 texts, 100 mins and 500mb data. , plus whichever family perk he chooses.

coffeeistheanswer · 12/07/2013 19:21

200 texts isn't that much for a teenager.

I can easily send five times that many and I'm 30

GwendolineMaryLacey · 12/07/2013 19:27

I didn't think you could even get plans with so few texts these days. Teenagers seem to need millions of texts.

LalyRawr · 12/07/2013 19:34

Tesco mobile.

All their plans come with either 3000 or 5000 texts. And you can cap the bill so she is physically incapable of going over.

By the by, I once run up a phone bill of £300 Capping bills is a lifeline for me!

Original poster

Primrose123 · 12/07/2013 22:01

Thanks everyone, I'd better look at the tesco offers!

OP posts:

Chanatan · 12/07/2013 22:22

Giffgaff,for £10 a month she would get 500 minutes,unlimited texts and 1gb of internet,also its PAYG so she would never go over her allowance,just log in to the website and top up once a month or buy a voucher and top up by that.We are all on it and now service 4 family members mobiles for the price that dh was paying a month for his(and giffgaff to giffgaff texts and calls are free)

Notmyidea · 13/07/2013 21:05

I agree, she needs a better value phone plan. As for paying you back, though, I think she should pay the full amount so she keeps her sensible, mature attitude. You can be nice about it, take a token amount from her pocket money for the next six months or something, but if you bail her out over this she may expect it in the future.

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