Best phone plans for kids, teens and tweens
By Joe Hanlon
Getting your kids on a prepaid plan is key, especially when you're footing the bill
Is it time for your trusty old mobile phone to become your kid's first mobile phone? They are growing up so fast. Here are a few tips for spotting a suitable plan to get them connected.
First, take a look at prepaid phone plans before considering plans with a monthly bill.
Prepaid phone plans cut off specific services when your kids hit those limits, so you are protected from a huge bill after a YouTube movie marathon (or three).
You'll also want your kids to be able to contact you whenever they need to, so a plan with unlimited calls and SMS messages is the way to go. Even if they blow all the data in the first day, at least you know they can still phone home.
All prepaid phone plans are free from contracts, so start low and work up to the right one. You'll have a better understanding of your kids' usage patterns after a couple of months.
Kids
OVO Mobile $9.95 (30-day recharge) - $200 calls, unlimited SMS, 1GB data
At current rates, this credit equates to about 80 two-minute phone calls, which may be sufficient. I like this plan because it is the cheapest with unlimited SMS, so your kids can always stay in touch. Plus, OVO offers free access to a service called Family Zone, which helps parents control how and when kids can use their phones.
Tweens
Yomojo Mobile $19.90 (30-day recharge) - unlimited calls and SMS, 2GB data
At $19.90 Yomojo offers one of the cheapest plans for tweens. Another option is Kogan Mobile's 30 day recharge with unlimited calls and SMS and 1GB data for $16.95, but getting double the data for an extra $3 is a better deal in my opinion.
Teens
Lebara Mobile $29.90 - unlimited calls and SMS, 5GB data OR OVO Mobile $34.95 - unlimited calls and SMS, 8GB data
Plans for teenagers are similar to plans for adults, but with a big appetite for data. This one is a tie for me. 5GB is probably enough data for most, but 8GB for $35 is also a bargain. The Lebara 5GB plan is also currently on sale for $14.90 until the end of March.
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