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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

Ds has started his first ever Saturday job, can't decide if he should pay for his own phone credit

16 replies

ranting · 17/01/2009 22:02

he wants to save a tenner a week for a really much wanted Ibanez guitar, which will leave him with a fair amount (for a teen) to spend.

Because he does some dusting and hoovering for me on a Sunday (he's expected to keep his room tidy), I've said I'll continue to fund his guitar lessons (once a week) but, can't decide if he should pay for his phone credit.

Discussed it with dh and we're both a bit on the subject, given that he works really hard for his money. Any input welcome, do you make your teen pay for their own mobile top ups?

OP posts:

LucyEllensmummy · 17/01/2009 22:33

I guess it depends on how much he earns and how much you put on his phone for him. I think its good to instil a philosophy of paying his own way, but it almost takes away the motivation for him to have a saturday job if all the privaliges he had before have to be paid for by it. Is he frivulous with money normally or sensible? Will he save for the guitar do you think? Could you maybe make him pay for his phone credits and put the money you would have paid out away so that when he has enough money for the guitar he will be surprised by it? This will serve the purpose of making him take care of how much he puts on his phone (i bet it will be a lot less if he has to pay for it) but you haven't reduced the amount of money you give him because he has a saturday job - does tha make sense?

Im really impressed he does some housework - he sounds like a great lad.

mumeeee · 17/01/2009 22:55

When my DC's get jobs I stop giving them a monthly allowence and they are expected to pay thier own phone credits. I will occansionly put still put £5 on thier phones but that is a treat. I do still pay for things like Drama and dance.

ComeWhineWithMe · 17/01/2009 22:59

You could get him a blyk card my brother has one they are aimed at teenagers .
You can top as normal but once a month it gives you so many free minutes and loads of texts and if you top up by £5.00 they double your minutes each month.

Original poster

ranting · 17/01/2009 23:12

In answer to LEM (great to see you back btw), I think he's motivated enough by the thought of the guitar (should really have mythical shining lights around that guitar bit, such is his passion for it), that he will save for it and he's earning enough for him to put away for the guitar and still have enough for a cinema outing a week and a CD or, alternatively some clothes.

Plus he does a babysitting job, roughly once a month for a friend of mine so he would have extra on top of that, your idea appeals to me, as does yours, mumeee, of putting the odd 5 quid on his phone, which dh and I have also discussed.

I'm torn a bit because I do want him to start realising that he's going to have to budget and learn about managing money but, he's sooo pleased with earning his bit and has been quite keen to do his best at this job that I think 'ah bless'.

OP posts:

RiaParkinson · 17/01/2009 23:15

i dont do the phones thing but think maybe you should ask him to pay half now?

dd just got a job and am hoping we will go halves on a few bits

ds has always been good at 'halves' seems fair imo

Original poster

ranting · 17/01/2009 23:15

Ohh that sounds like a good idea CWWM, will look into that, I've already asked him to check his phone providers site for any top up offers but, I've never heard of that card before.

Thanks all, have to retire for the night (hark at me and my grannyish language) but will be back at some point in the next few days.

OP posts:

Original poster

ranting · 17/01/2009 23:17

Half is an option that I didn't think of, ta Ria.

OP posts:

RiaParkinson · 17/01/2009 23:18

it just eases the transition

you can pull out completely later

ComeWhineWithMe · 17/01/2009 23:19

I think you can get them on ebay too but he is young enough to go on the site and get one sent for free .You can top up at any paypoint too.

blyk

tatt · 18/01/2009 09:46

if my teens got a job to save for something they really wanted I'd let them keep the money on top of their allowance. But we give them a flat rate and anything more has to be worked for. We don't top up phones unless its a Christmas/ birthday gift.

smudgethepuppydog · 18/01/2009 11:41

I used to set a budget of what I was prepared to pay and anythingelse they wanted to put on was their responsibility.

Mind you, I've just switched DS to Vodafone as for £20 a month he gets unlimited texts and 300 call minutes.

catepilarr · 27/01/2009 15:58

if he didnt get a job, would you continue paying for his phone? i think you should find a different reason to stop paying rather than him earning a bit of extra money.

PenelopePitstops · 27/01/2009 16:17

why not just give him a set amount, say £5 or £10 each month that he uses for his phone, and then anything he wants on top of this he pays for himself. On the proviso that he always has credit to call or text you if he needs it.

does he mainly use it to text friends? or to keep in contact with you?

Jampot · 29/01/2009 09:49

he should pay for his own top up.

higgle · 13/02/2009 07:30

I do not fund phones at all for my two sons, they pay out of pocket money of £20pcm. They don't use them much anyway and I really would not want to encourage all this constant and irrelevant texting that seems so prevelant.

nappyaddict · 13/02/2009 07:36

Does he get pocket money or do you give him money as and when he needs it? If he gets pocket money aswell as his saturday job I don't think you should pay for his phone but if you give him money just when he needs it then perhaps you could still pay half?

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