Text Paks on the Phone
November 2, 2009
By Carol Politi
We offer a variety of ways to purchase Text Paks – including the option to purchase these on the handset itself. Because we assume that a child is the user of the handset, it is only possible to make one time (i.e., non-recurring) Text Pak purchases from a kajeet handset.
There are three options for one-time Text Pak purchases available on the handset:
1. 200 texts for $4.99
2. 1,000 texts for $9.99
3. Unlimited texts for $19.99.
This ability to fund these one-time Text Paks from the wallet allows you to provide an allowance in your son or daughter’s kajeet wallet and let them decide how they want to spend it – talking, texting, playing games, etc. (Note that your calls will always go through – even if they run out of their allowance – if you fund your Parent Wallet).
The handset purchase options are especially ideal if your son or daughter may not be purchasing a Pak every month. For example, if they know they will text more over a holiday when they are not with their friends or if they want the ability to spend their phone allowance on texts one month and games the next.
Are you or your child using the handset purchase option? Please let us know what other tools you would like to see on the handset.
Green Tip of the Week
September 11, 2009
by Carol Politi
“Recycle Your Shirts
Got a shirt you just don’t wear? Before you toss it in the trash, pass it on to a friend or a local thrift store. If it is worn out, cut it up and use it as rags around the house.”
Tips by Jenn Savedge, Author of The Green Teen
As we post these tips on the handset, I’m finding myself thinking that my mom did these things naturally when I was growing up. Reusing clothes, bags, etc. and donating lightly used items were all a second nature to her.
I also noted in a recent trip to Toronto that everyone was carrying grocery bags to the store – and that I was not even offered a bag when I checked out. People that had only a few items simply carried the items. There are great trends here that if replicated could vastly reduce the waste we generate!
Please comment & let us know what your family does to reuse or otherwise prevent things from ending up in landfills.
Bonus for Each kajeet Referral
August 10, 2009
By Carol Politi
The back to school retail season has definitely started. I have already hit Target & Amazon to stock up on the back to school lists for my two kids. The stores are busy!
If you know of friends with tweens or young teens looking for a phone for back to school, please tell them about kajeet. kajeet is the only phone just for kids with service starting at $4.99 – perfect for that safety phone in the backpack. And for older kids the unlimited texting plan with 150 minutes for $19.99 can provide real savings. Our phones are available on kajeet.com and Amazon.com.
If you are an existing customer, make sure to tell the people you refer to kajeet to put in referral code 102962 & your kajeet cell phone number when they activate. You will get $10 in credit to your kajeet account. There is no limit to how many referrals you can make – 10 referrals will get your $100 in the phone wallet! (Remember – you can put that in the parent wallet and use it just when you need it).
Great Deals This Weekend!
July 14, 2009
by Carol Politi
Yes, it is mid-July. Just after graduation and just before the big back to school selling season.
This means it is an opportunity for those that like deals! We have two handsets on sale right now:
- kajeet Samsung m300 (certified refurbished) is now available for $19.99. This is $20 off the regular price of $39.99!
- kajeet Motorola C290 is now available for $16.99. This is $8 off the regular price of $24.99!
Tell your friends and colleagues that might be thinking about a phone for their kids for back to school that this is a great time to buy kajeet. The sale will be ongoing through the end of this weekend (i.e., through Sunday the 19th!).
Weekend Sale!
July 10, 2009
by Carol Politi
The kajeet Motorola C290 is on sale this weekend. The phone will be $19.99 until Monday (regular price is $24.99). Please tell your friends that might be thinking about kajeet for back to school that this is a good time to buy!
The C290 is a black flip phone with a speaker & kajeet parental controls. It is part of the kajeet certified refurbished program. Every time we sell a refurbished phone it means we don’t have to produce a new one – much better on both your pocketbook and the environment!
Testing New Plans!
July 2, 2009
By Carol Politi
We have been listening to our customer’s feedback on our rate plans and as a result are testing customer interest in two new plans. These are not available generally on our website while we are testing; however, we are happy to make them available to any current kajeet customer that might be interested. Here are the details:
1. Unlimited Talk N’ Text! We have heard from many parents of older teens that their kids need unlimited talk and text, and have heard from parents that are interested in taking advantage of our service themselves that they would be interested in this offer.
2. 30 Minute Plan – for only $6.99/month! We have also heard that many customers want a basic starter plan that includes about a minute a day – just enough to call on the way home from the bus stop for those kids walking solo for the first time. We have packaged this into a $6.99/month plan.
Please feedback and let us know what you think! As usual, if these plans turn out to be popular with our customers we will work to find a way to incorporate them into our standard rate plan options.
If you already have a kajeet phone (or if you are purchasing a phone through one of our mom sales team consultants), just call kajeet customer care after you activate and they will be happy to put you on one of these plans.
(Plans are being tested through September 30th and customers that select one of these plans can remain on the plan they selected even if we do not make it a standard rate plan option).
Unlimited Text Messaging
March 6, 2009
by Carol Politi
kajeet LG Rumor
The kajeet LG Rumor QWERTY keyboard phone has been extremely popular and it seems that it is expanding our customer base to include an even higher number of kids that love to text.
To respond to the needs of these more heavily texting teens (and their parents), we have launched a value package that includes unlimited texting combined with voice minutes. The offer on our website is $29.99 for unlimited text messaging and 300 talk minutes!
We are testing these unlimited value packages through the end of June to determine how parents and kids like them. If this offer is popular it (or some variation of it) may show up in our permanent rate plans. (Of course, if you purchase the offer you can remain on the plan even after the test period ends.)
Since this is a test offer, it shows up in the cart for new customers as they purchase the phone, however, it does not show up in the rate plan options for current kajeet customers. If you are a current kajeet customer that would like to take advantage of an unlimited value package please call kajeet customer care (1-866-452-5338) and they will be happy to help you!
While unlimited text may be a great value, many parents still want to limit texting so their kids get a good night sleep and are not distracted during certain times of the day. Note that kajeet parental controls still apply. If you would like to set a calendar block for your kid’s phone, log in to kajeet.com and go to “Configurator” and then “TimeManager”. You can also set an “Always Allowed” number so that certain numbers do get through during these calendar blocks.
Please let us know what you think of this type of unlimited value package option and whether you would like to see it become a permanent part of our rate plans.
Consumer Reports: Consider Prepaid
February 16, 2009
by Carol Politi
Consumer Reports just did an analysis of the Best and Worst Cell Phone Deals. Their takeaway: “A Two Cell Phone Family Could Save $220 Per month By Going Prepaid”. They also noted that prepaid allows you to cut your expenses by decreasing usage and changing plans when you happen to need your phone less or if you want to decrease expenses any one month. Of course, I’m not unbiased – at kajeet we have always been advocates of no contract plans – especially for kids whose usage tends to be moderate.
The message is getting out – more than 45% of new mobile subscribers this year are predicted to be prepaid (Strategy Analytics). However, there is still a perception by many that the extra family plan line costs only $10 per month. The reality is that second lines cost an average of $35/month (iGr Research did a detailed analysis of this when they studied kid phone use). Why? The $10 is just the carrier service fee. It turns out that carriers actually give you fewer minutes with a family plan than they give you with an individual plan. Let’s say you have been paying $59 for your individual plan. In many contract plans you would receive 900 minutes. Move to a contract family plan and you are paying 69.99 for 700 minutes – that’s $10 more for 200 less minutes. If you really needed those minutes you would have to move up – but the next plan you can get is actually the 1400 minute plan that costs $89.99!
So families add a cell phone but actually get fewer minutes for a higher price. And contract plans encourage “supersizing” as they have overages charges that are expensive and costly. So families end up not using all their minutes every month. On top of this you incur taxes, line fees, and charges…
No wonder many people are moving to prepaid. On a prepaid plan, when the budgeted allowance is used up, the phone no longer works. This is great for budgeting and why almost 40% of parents buy prepaid phones for their kid’s first phone.
Good for budgeting, but a significant downside when you are talking about a safety phone for kids. That is why the kajeet service offers two “wallets”. One – the kid wallet – can be used to set a budget with your kids. The second – the parent wallet – can be used to pay for calls and texts to and from parent numbers so that these always go through.
Also – with kajeet there are no expensive overages and no extra fees assessed – what you see on the price plan is what you see on the bill. And if you do purchase a pak and run out of minutes, you simply pay the standard 10 cents per minute.
A bit of a sales pitch today! I am happy to see Consumer Reports assess cell phone contract plans and become a prepaid advocate. What is holding you back from considering a prepaid plan?
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