Is Your Child's Mobile Phone Ready for College?

Sending your child off to college is hard enough, but sending him or her off along with the expensive  smartphone and the pricey service plan that you purchased for him or her is also difficult.

You have to trust that your son or daughter will be responsible enough to properly care for the device, and that he or she will also be using the phone in a manner that will ensure it will remain safe from thieves and in good working condition as well because the last thing you would want is to have to purchase another expensive smartphone for your college student.

There are several things that you can do to prepare your child for the road ahead as he or she heads off to school and to living on his or her own. These include making sure he or she is able to cook, clean, and generally take care of things on his or her own. But they also include making sure that the mobile device which will keep you both connected is ready for the life ahead as well. Below are some steps you can take to protect your investment before your child is ready to head off to the college campus for the first time.

Purchase a Plan that Includes Plenty of Minutes and Texts

College students are extremely sociable creatures. They spend a lot of time on their mobile phones, talking and texting with one another to figure out what their plans are and also to help one another while they are studying and going to class. Therefore, you want to be sure that you have a mobile phone service plan in place that covers all of the minutes, texts, and data that your son or daughter will go through each month. Not doing so will result in expensive fees tacked onto your already expensive bill, so doing the research ahead of time and comparing prices between service providers is a great first step before sending your child off to learn and live on his or her own.

Purchase Protective Gear for the Phone

College kids are also prone to being clumsy, especially as they are trying to carry books to and from class and while they are partying with friends. Therefore, invest in some protective gear for your son or daughter’s smartphone. Choose durable covers that will protect the phone from falls that would otherwise be quite damaging, and there are also screen protectors that you can place onto the glass of the smartphone to protect it from scratches that can eventually render the phone unusable.

Get Insurance in Case Anything Happens to the Device

Investing in cheap phone insurance is another way to give yourself the assurance of knowing that, no matter what happens while your child is away from home, if the device is lost, stolen, or damaged, your plan will have you covered. Choose the insurance coverage that you feel is necessary and know that the money will be well spent.

Laura Ginn is a technology blogger who knows how expensive gadgets and mobile phones can be these days. Therefore, she always recommends investing in an insurance plan that will keep your child’s phone covered in the event that something terrible happens to the device, such as falling into the bathtub accidentally.