<p>Both of my kids are going to a private university about an hour from home.</p>
<p>My son has a trac phone and a lap top (apple)… He is trying to convince us of the value of a cell phone which will cost him $150 for the phone and then another $30-$40 per month. He has skype capabilities with his computer and is internet connected… He would call us, his sister on campus, friends… Does he really need this phone? Wouldn’t money be better spent else where. His father and I are happy to add minutes to his Trac phone… (which he has let lapse). I am also nervous about him losing a $150 phone or getting it stolen.</p>
<p>My daughter is less of a techie than my son. Husband is saying to get her an apple computer (laptop)… This will cost us (and her - she would pay from her money) a little over $1000. At Staples there are windows laptops for half the price. She is a writer, not a composer, and would basiclaly use the laptop for her papers and email… Does she really need an apple computer? She is saying they have some kind of sales the beginning of August, but she leaves for school the end of the month…</p>
<p>So please post your opinions and experience on these topics…</p>
<p>Our family is split. D1 always used a windows based laptop. She went through 2. S went off with a MacBook (his had to be replaced Jr year but that was due to theft). S is still using his MacBook a year out of school. Money wise it came out the same. My D used her computer for papers,email and internet. S was a graphic design major and needed the Apple. D2 just bought a Mac last year and will take it with her in the Fall. She insisted on a Apple product and we split the difference.
Phones- both older kids made due with a simple cell phone. My older D replaced her phone 2nd semester senior year with a IPhone. She hates technology and held off but found that many professors email you changes at the last minute and it helped to have internet on her phone.
As far as damage or theft get insurance. There are several old threads on student insurance plans. Ours was through CSI. It is not expensive. We never filled a claim since we only learned about it after the theft of the laptop. D also bought an insurance policy for her smart phone through Square Trade. (also never filled a claim)</p>