Handling the money issue with kids using mobile phones

Talking about money with your kids can be difficult. If your kids are using their mobile phones too much, though, and it’s costing you a bundle to keep them connected, you can address a few issues upfront so that they don’t become problems later:

- Limit the amount of money that your kids can spend on phone services every month. Think of this amount as a mobile phone allowance. If they spend more than the agreed-on amount, the extra money is taken out of their personal allowances. The choice is then theirs: Go to the movies or download a mobile game.

It may take some time to get your message across, but after they have to pass up a couple of movies or new thingamajigs, they’ll get the point. Just negotiate with rewards that your children value in order to achieve clear agreement.

Here’s an example: A friend of ours has a son who manages like a hawk his monthly $10 for extra mobile phone services. He goes online with his computer to preview ringtones, games, and wallpapers; checks with his friends on the highest-quality and coolest ringtones or just-released mobile games; and makes his monthly decision of either one cool, highend ringtone for $8 or a basic ringtone and game for $10. Needless to say, he is having fun on his mobile phone, and his parents have kept to their word on managing and monitoring the negotiated mobile phone allowance — everyone’s happy.

- Buy pay-as-you-go or prepaid service for your kids. This method determines the monthly amount your kids can use on their phones, and any conflict or negotiation is handled upfront, before they use the phone, rather than after they have spent the money.

Check with your wireless carrier to see whether it offers a program that includes prepaid voice services, text messaging, and mobile Internet access all in one package.