It is almost neccessary in our area. If you want hi speed internet, you need DSL. There is no cable in the boonies....it has been cheaper to have the home phone, DSL and a go phone or two than just to have a couple smart phones that REQUIRE a data package.
I have two teenagers at home. I used to be on a plan that was like that. $5/mo to add a line. They both had phones. a little over a year ago, we moved to an area that didn't have that service. Im stuck with Verizon. It is $30/mo per line for a dumb phone, & $40/mo per line for a smart phone. That $40/mo would be closer to $100/mo with 2, & all the damn fees/taxes everything else. As of yet, they don't have phones. One is a freshman, one is a junior. I'll admit it is a pita. Im definitely leaning towards biting the bullet. It's just not as insignificant financially as it used to be. One of the cons to living out in the boonies.
My son is 13 and we just got him one for his birthday...We did get him a smartphone but I'm thinking just a regular one would have been just fine
The way we thought about it and kinda made it easier to grasp was it only costs $12 a month for an extra non-smart phone. Times are different than when I was younger. It can be a great bargaining tool for grades or good behavior. I was against the whole smart phone for kids also. Next year my daughter will be in high school. After talking with other parents, teachers are encouraging kids to use their phones in class for research in high school. Like it or not, the technology isnt going away. They will have to use it in further education and even employement when they get older. Just like anything else, they need to be guided to make the right decisions and use them appropriately. Its still a personal choice you make for your family.
