The Smart Way to Add a Kid to Your Family Cell Phone Plan

Getting your child their first cell phone plan is almost as auspicious as getting them off your plan (in 18 … or 30+ years). For kids, that first cell phone plan feels like freedom. But as parents, we need to calibrate the cost of freedom with how much data they actually need.

In some instances, simply adding a line to your family’s current unlimited plan is the smart way to go. But taking the easy route often costs more because of two reasons:

• You may be adding features that they don’t need, like international roaming or satellite texting
• The amount of data on the plan far exceeds what you want your child to have.

Life isn’t cheap or easy for busy parents. To help you figure out the best way to add your child to a family cell phone plan, read on. I’ve done the math, so you can take this task off your to-to list.

Even if it doesn’t feel like it sometimes, you know your child better than anyone else. Even so, data guidelines from professionals can be used as a jumpoff point, especially if you have young kids.

Here’s what the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the National Institute of Health (NIH), recommend:

• Children aged 2 to 5 years old get no more than one hour of screen time daily. That correlates to 50MB — 7GB of data, based on what your child is doing online.
• Babies and toddlers under 2 years old should get less-to-no screen time at all.

As kids get older, data needs increase. As they’ll be happy to tell you, older kids and teens require more data for homework, music, WhatsApp, or YouTube videos. If you have a new driver in the family (breathe, mom and dad), they may also be using mobile data to access Google or Apple Maps.

With all this in mind, AAP’s recommendations for older kids and teenagers stress quality over quantity, instead of referencing data amounts or screentime. Use the rule of thumb of “everything in moderation” and shared viewing time, based on your child’s unique circumstances and needs. 

This is where parental know-how kicks in. You’re paying the bill, after all. Since phone plans for kids vary significantly in cost and mobile data amounts, keep in mind that kids who use Wi-Fi at school and at home need less cell phone data than those who text constantly, are on social media, and stream videos off Wi-Fi.  

Read more: Best Family Cell Phone Plans

If you currently have an unlimited plan with multi-line discounts, you may choose to add a line for each child, as they come of age. Most “Big Three” plans accommodate up to 12 lines, although you may not realize significant per-line savings until you hit line four. You can also keep an eye out for promotions. T-Mobile, for example, sometimes throws in a third line for free.

Some unlimited plans, like AT&T’s Unlimited Your Way, let you mix and match data tiers on lines within the same account. This can save you money, plus teach your child how to budget their data usage.

No matter which plan you choose, parents and caregivers can keep an eye on their child’s mobile data use directly on their device, in the settings menu. You may also be able to use your provider’s parental controls and monitoring app, if they have one. This will help you avoid overage charges.

Some unlimited plans include sweeten-the-pot perks, like free streaming services. The average household spends over $50 a month on streaming, so this perk can reduce those costs, plus fuel a family-friendly, weekly movie night.

Prepaid carriers, including mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) like Cricket Wireless, offer inexpensive multi-line, and one-line plans. The Reviews.org Consumer Media Spending Survey found that switching from a “Big Three” carrier to an MVNO saves the average person $200 annually, so this may be a good budgeting move for the entire family.

MVNO one-line plans typically cost less than adding a line to an existing plan. You’ll get major network connectivity, although MVNOs are more prone to data slowdowns.

These figures illustrate the cost of getting your child their own one-line MVNO plan, versus the cost of adding a line to your family current cell phone plan:

Younger kids may like the idea of having their very own plan, because it sounds independent and grown-up. A one-line plan can also be used to teach them responsibility. A dad I know “splits” the cost of his 12-year old’s plan with his son, who pays his share out of allowance and chore money.

A dedicated plan also saves you the hassle of removing them from your plan later on (this is not fun, trust me). You’ll be able to choose a data cap,  and can terminate the plan at any time, for any reason.

Some prepaid carriers offer few-to-no parental controls, so check the plan you choose, before you opt in. If you want a cheap MVNO plan but need additional security, you can download the AT&T Secure Families app, no matter which cell phone provider you go with. For $7.99 a month, this app gives you features like location tracking, online activity checks, and location alerts. 

Raising children in today’s world is complicated, expensive, joyful, maddening, and amazing. The one thing it isn’t, is easy. If your little one has reached the point where they need a cell phone, congratulations. You’ve made it this far! I speak from experience when I say that the best is yet to come. Enjoy every minute. If you budget well, those minutes won’t cost you your retirement.

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