How to Finally Get Off Your Parents’ Phone Plan
Whether you’re just about to finish high school or you’ve been out of college for a while, being on your parent’s phone plan can be a pain in the you-know-what. From your data usage to how many texts you send in a month, that bill they receive can make your life a lot more visible to them than you care to share at this point.
Not to mention the fact that they may be tracking your location day and night.
Sure, that discount you get on their Family Plan can be a bit enticing, especially if you check around with the “mainstream” cell service providers and/or you haven’t built up enough credit history yet. Luckily, instead of relegating yourself to listening to your parents’ views on your phone habits and hounding you to pay your part of the bill every month just so you can save a few bucks, there are a few things you can do to finally get off your parents’ phone plan.
Have a Plan
Simply running out and getting a new phone sounds like a plan, but your parents could be under contract to keep a certain amount of active lines in order to receive their current pricing structure. If they are, there may be an early termination fee and if you really want out, you may have to offer to pay that yourself. This fee is often the remaining cost of any phones purchased through the carrier and, depending on which carrier they have, additional termination fees as well. Additionally, switching carriers may mean that you have to pay to keep your current phone number.
Research to find out how much it will cost to break any current contract and then spend some time researching different carriers and what it will cost you to make the switch. If you only use your phone now and then, a prepaid plan might be the most cost-effective option. Conversely, if you text constantly or spend a lot of time on calls, you probably need to go with a provider that offers unlimited minutes and data.
Check for Possible Discounts
Some service providers offer certain discounts that can save you some money. This can include discounts through your employer or for simply setting up your account for automatic payments. If cost is a big reason why you’ve stayed so long on your parents’ plan, one of these types of discounts could be your ticket out.
A Permanent “Discount”
As you’ll likely learn, some providers advertise great prices or promotions to switch over but by the time everything is said and done and the taxes and other fees are added up, it’s a lot more than you thought it would be.
Luckily, aside from prepay/pay-as-you-go, there are a few providers out there where you can get unlimited data, talk, text, and hotspot usage at extremely affordable prices. And no, not all of them are on the worst networks possible.
In fact, Visible is a Verizon-powered network that can give you everything you need to make that move. This not only includes single-line plans starting at $25 a month, that low price also gives you the all-important unlimited data, talk, and hotspot with 5G and/or 4G LTE.
If that isn’t enough to pique your interest, Visible also provides calling and texting to Canada and Mexico, WiFi calling, scam protection, and best of all, taxes and fees are included and there’s no annual contract. If you have an eligible phone, you can take it with you or either way, you can opt to buy a new one through them as well.
Visit Visible today and find out how you can finally get off your parents’ phone plan.