Affordable & Custom Cell Phone Plans for Kids (and Parents Too)!

*This post is sponsored by Twigby. All thoughts and opinions are my own*

The big question today seems to be, “When is my child ready for their first cell phone?” Because families operate uniquely, it’s hard to say there is a magic age when your child should have their own phone. And for that matter, when you do decide it’s time, you’re going to have many options as to what kind of phone and plan to get.

I’m really interested in this topic because my son is getting to the age where we feel it would be beneficial for him to have the ability to easily contact us. We drop him off at sports practices and he stays at school for different activities from time to time. I want him to be able to call or text me, but I don’t feel at this time he is ready for a smartphone with data capabilities. I also want him to be able to contact us if there is any sort of emergency.

I was thrilled to find a great and very affordable option with Twigby. I had already been looking into getting my son a phone when Twigby contacted me to educate my readers on their phone plans since they align well with most child/parent needs. The timing was perfect because I had already heard of Twigby, but needed to do a little more research before making any decisions for my son and his first experience with a phone.

I am going to fill you in on what I’ve learned by researching Twigby, so you can in turn determine which plan would be right for your child! Now, I should tell you Twigby is not just for kids, but that’s where we are starting. Parents can easily save with Twigby too!

Twigby Kids Cell Phone Plans

Very Affordable Plans

I don’t know anyone that doesn’t like to say they feel like something they use is a good value for what they pay. No one likes to overpay for anything. Because I naturally love to save money, one of the main reasons I love Twigby is because of their value conscious plans!

 

Basic Plan – Basic phone – Unlimited Text, 200 minutes  No Data – Only $9 per month

This is a perfect entry level phone for a younger child like mine where we aren’t comfortable with him having access to the internet, nor do we think he needs it at this point. We just want him to be able to call or text us or his grandparents regarding scheduling or if he needs something. This plan allows a basic phone, which you can also purchase very affordably. Their basic phones are around $25. You can also choose a low priced Android phone and simply not choose data. This way, if you want to give them some access to the internet via your home WiFi, you can! Entry Android phones start around $40.

Smartphone  – Unlimited Text, 200 Minutes, 1 GB Data – $19 per month

This plan is perfect for the child you are okay with having access to the internet. It’s a fantastic value for the talk, text and data you get. I used 1 GB Data on a single cell phone plan for a few years and it was plenty of data. I would use WiFi whenever possible, but really never went over on my data. One of the great benefits of Twigby, is with their free Overage Protection, you don’t have to worry about being charged extra for going over the data limit. You can set up your phone to automatically turn off data once the limit is reached.

If you are looking for the ability to have a tracking mechanism to keep up with your kids, then you can install a tracking app on the smartphone. This option isn’t available with the basic phone and basic plan and has become something that parents are now interested in having for their kids.

Smartphone – Unlimited Text, 500 Minutes, 500 MB Data, $17 per month

If you want your child to have access to data, but not much, and know that they can connect to WiFi often, this plan might be good for you. While allowing more than double the minutes, the data is cut in half to 500 MB. If you’re worried about the overuse of data, don’t worry. The data is automatically turned off once the 500 MB are used with the Free Overage Protection you can select to turn on.

Create your Own Plan

If you want to fine tune any of these packages, you can set up your own unique plan! You’ll need to start with the Basic Phone Plan or a Smartphone Plan and then you can customize each option from there! You can even change your plan as needed straight from their website. One more reason I love Twigby, they want your plan to work for YOU!

Contracts & Activation Fees

Nope, there aren’t any! Another reason I love Twigby is that I don’t have to pay an activation fee or a cancellation fee if we change our mind. I really don’t think we would after doing all this research, but still it gives me financial peace of mind. With kids, it’s always good to have the option to try things out.

Dual Network Use

I used to have a phone that was a cost conscious phone and I loved everything about it, except when I moved, I didn’t get good reception anymore. I had to choose which network I was going to use when I set up my initial service and when I moved, the network that was best suited for me was different and so I ended up having to terminate my phone plan.

Twigby uses two of the largest nationwide networks for their service. By pulling from two different networks you’re getting more coverage than just having one network provider. If you look at their coverage map, you’ll see how great the coverage really is. If I had Twigby when I moved, I wouldn’t have had the problem I did.

Phones

Purchasing a new phone through Twigby is very affordable! The team at Twigby seems to do a good job at finding the right phones at the right price, and then pass the saving on to their customers. From basic, Android and even iPhones, Twigby will have a phone for you.

I mentioned earlier that basic phones started at $25 and their Android phones start at around $50. There are many great options depending on what type of phone you’re looking for. And remember – No contract or activation Fees. I like the sound of that!

One of the best ways to cut your costs even more when switching providers is to possibly use a phone you already own. With Twigby, you just have to see if it will be compatible in order to use it. My first cell phone was a borrowed phone from a friend and it helped me get used to it and see if I liked it. Plus, I saved a lot of  money that way.

Twigby Smartphone App Suggestions

Do you need some suggestions on apps that are good for you to have on your phone for the season you’re in or the lifestyle you aim to have? Twigby has an awesome section on their website of recommended apps for these 6 categories:

Frugal Lifestyle  — Senior Focused — For Parents & Kids — Track Friends & Family — International WiFi Call/Text — Healthy Living

I was first to check out Frugal Lifestyle because that’s my Passion! Plus, I’m very passionate about keeping my kids safe in our internet and social media world which is why I went immediately to the For Parents and Kids information. While we might give our kids a smartphone, we also need to teach them about the dangers of the internet. It can be so useful and so detrimental at the same time. I think teaching our kids is part of the equation, but also protecting them is also something we need to do. With some of the app suggestions from Twigby such as Mobicip Safe Browser and Secure Teen Parental Control parents can put some safety applications in place to keep our kids safe while using the internet.

30-day 100% satisfaction Guarantee

This actually means a lot to me. I looked at this from every angle and could not find a hole. If for any reason you sign up or switch to twigby and are not completely satisfied within 30 days after activating service, Twigby will refund the cost of your phone(s) (if purchased), your plan and any taxes/fees (excludes the cost of shipping if applicable). I think this alone speaks to how confident they are about the service they offer.

If you are a parent looking for your child’s first phone, Twigby is a great option. Plus, it’s affordable for those of us that are value-conscious, so what’s not to love? I now feel much better about the idea of getting my son his first phone. How about you?

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Twigby. I was compensated for sharing Twigby with you, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.