Moving your cell phone plan to a family plan is an amazing way to save money and I can’t find anything about it on the internet! I’m not sure if that means it is obvious and everyone is doing it, or if everyone has been brainwashed into thinking they need their own cell phone plan.
When I went off to college I got off my parents cell phone plan and got a Nextel (Beep Beep). It was the service to have then in Florida and I was still celebrating my independence from my parents. I celebrated my new found freedom in many ways at the University of Florida, but learned quickly that hangovers were not worth it and certainly did not help you pass classes. While that only took me a semester to learn, I clung to my $60 a month Nextel for several years before realizing 1) My friends were all leaving Nextel and most importantly 2) I could be on my parents family plan for $10 a month!
Yeah, I have pretty great parents for letting me do that(especially for letting me back on the plan after I left). BUT, even if you don’t have that opportunity, you could start a family plan with a roommate or a close friend(please choose someone you can trust and who is responsible with money, you DO NOT want to get stuck with a crazy bill). In fact, the only limit is the limit to the number of additional phones your carrier says can be on your plan. Individually, plans may cost $60 a piece, but if you and a roommate could split a $80 plan 2 ways, you could save $20 a month. If you have two roommates, you could split the bill 3 ways and save $30 each month.
Ask around your family to see if any of them will allow you or your plan. If you don’t have family or cant rely on them then consider a close friend, but don’t sour a relationship over something like a cell phone plan!
Multiple phones on a single account is like handing out multiple credit cards that all lead to one account. It is easier to go over the limit if one person steps out of the norm. Be sure you have the size cell phone plan you need.
Photo used under Creative Commons from daryl_mitchell
