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I'd like some advice regarding an issue I'm dealing with this year as far as Christmas is concerned.
So my youngest daughter Daniella asked my wife and me for the newest iPhone that just got released and I'm not sure how to buy her one without spending most (if not all) of the money I've put aside for Christmas shopping this year.
The best gift you can give your daughter is teaching her that there is no reason in the world why someone needs the latest iPhone. If all of her friends are obsessed with what phone each other has perhaps she needs less superficial friends.
I can afford to buy the latest and greatest phone but I chose not to. I buy and sell electronics and randomly use a phone for a few weeks. Usually older Galaxy and older iPhones. For me all that matters is the phone can run the apps I use daily and it has decent storage space. The rest is all fluff.
You can buy a new (2016), unlocked iPhone SE for around $200 if you look around. It's a smaller phone unlike the big devices currently in vogue & I believe it's the equivalent of an iPhone 6s in a smaller format.
The iPhone 8 is the other new Apple phone that just came out -- 6-8 weeks before the X. It lists for $700. I just got one last month and like it fine. But that still doesn't meet your budget. I'd tend to agree with those who suggest a refurbished 7. If I'd promised my daughter an iPhone, I'd try real hard to produce one, even if it's not the newest model. Just explain why it can't be new this time.
I've got an iPhone 6 that's never been used without its case. It needs a new battery, but if you want it I'd sell it cheap.
I do agree with you. That was incredibly amiss on my part, but the mindset behind it was that during the course of those 3 years I'd save up and get enough money together to get her the cell phone, but sadly confounding variables I hadn't anticipated got in the way and I had to use up a lot of my savings to take care of the unexpected family situation that occurred.
I'm aware of the monthly payment plans and while I did pitch that as an idea my wife is against the whole pay-by-the-month idea and we argued over it.
To put it bluntly, if saving $950 is hard for your household then you absolutely should not be buying an ultra-premium product like an iPhone X (something I say as an Apple shareholder, not an Apple hater).
My suggestion would be to gift your daughter whatever amount you feel comfortable with towards a new phone. If she wants to buy a refurbished/older iPhone with that money then great. If she wants to add her own savings to the gift and buy the high-end model she's asking for then great. If she complains then explain why spending $950 on a phone isn't feasible, e.g. point out that it's X months worth of groceries. If she continues to complain then tell her she can get a job over the summer to pay for her own luxuries.
Op: go to at&t or Verizon. Both have payment plans for the iPhones. It's less expensive to do the month to month.
I had to invest in a laptop for my son as he was taking college courses when in high school. I get that technology is sometimes a necessary evil. Stand by your word thru a budget plan. My aunt got her iPhone thru the monthly plan.. $49 plus 50$ service. 99 a month seems doable. Ignore some posters giving you grief..There is a budget friendly solution and that is what you were seeking. Certainly not a sermon.
Oh the inhumanity! A Samsung? LOL! A lot of people PREFER Samsungs to iphones, but even if they didn't, she is being spoiled. If iphones had been out when I was her age my Dad would have never given a moment's thought to buying one. If he had a billion dollars a teenager would not be walking around with a $1K phone, or a $500 phone.
I do agree with you. That was incredibly amiss on my part, but the mindset behind it was that during the course of those 3 years I'd save up and get enough money together to get her the cell phone, but sadly confounding variables I hadn't anticipated got in the way and I had to use up a lot of my savings to take care of the unexpected family situation that occurred.
I'm aware of the monthly payment plans and while I did pitch that as an idea my wife is against the whole pay-by-the-month idea and we argued over it.
Promising her it probably wasnt the best idea, but you probably did not imagine apple would come out a phone that is the price of a good laptop - the 256GB version is well over $1100. INSANE. I work in tech and just bought the X because I do a lot of work on my phone and the optimized screen size allows me to see a lot while being a size my smaller hands still hold (I drop my husbands 8plus every time I pick it up). I am still waiting for the phone but all I can say is it better be great or it is going right back.
I pondered the decision for months, not because of budget, but because of the RIDICULOUS price.
Maybe check to see if Apple is selling unlocked refurbs as they are usually several hundred less, and they might even have the 8s. And what is wrong with a new Samsung Galaxy? Beautiful phone, better performance and much less expensive than the X. All of my sons supposedly hip millemial friends have them. I only stayed with iphone because i have the watch and ipad and wanted them all to work together. She probably wouldnt like it but the current SE (really cool looking little phone) is under $500. That is what I have now and I love that it is small enough that I can type one handed and fit it in any pocket, but I just cant crank email fast enough on it. But I am sure she would see it as the cheap iphone .
You sound like a wonderful father, trying to do the best you can for your daughter, and I know how hard it is especially for girls with this peer pressure around this kind of stuff. I like the idea of getting her an apple gift card in an amount you can afford with her getting a job to pay for the rest. I grew up a have not in a town of haves, so I know how she feels. But my parents never caved on these kinds of things, in fact they would deliberately buy me cheap versions of what I really wanted, then INSIST I use or wear them which was much worse - I would have rather had nothing. With that, I would not recommend getting a phone that isnt what she wants, u r just wasting your money. The refurb models would b ok as her friends cant tell the difference.
As painful as it was I became extremely motivated to become financially independent from my parents as soon as possible, and drove myself to take on difficult, sometimes risky, but high paying jobs. Try to see if you can use this as a way for her to develop skills to get creative on how to make $$$ (legal of course), as painful as she will find it, it is a real character builder. While I cursed them then, I know I wouldnt have the great career I have today without that.
Hey Dad, your responsibilities as a father don't include going into debt to satisfy your daughter. And, while it's understandable that she will be disappointed, it will benefit her down the road to learn that income only stretches so far, and one must live within one's means.
BUT, don't wait until Christmas morning to break the news. Invite her to breakfast, lunch or even dinner this week, just the two of you, and tell her then. You made a promise you cannot fulfill, and you regret it. Assure her you'd give her the moon and stars if you could, but it isn't possible. At 16, it isn't unreasonable for her to hear the reality of adult expenses.
How about a ‘refurbished’ iPhone (earlier model)? Much reduced in price. I would buy from Apple. I have purchased their refurbished items before and they are like NEW.
Yeah, that'd actually work well for me as long as it isn't too dated because if it's visibly outworn I know she'll still be disappointed. Do you know if they sell refurbished iPhone X's and if so, where can I buy one from? Would I have to do it online or can I just visit the nearest Apple store and get it refurbished from there? Thank you for the input!
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