Sandwich generation, quit putting everyone on your family plan

Welcome to the sandwich generation.

You're juggling dependent kids and aging parents at the same time, and it's brutal. On top of that, you're probably managing their wireless lives too, helping everyone stay connected without blowing your family budget.

The easy move is to throw everyone onto your existing unlimited family plan.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what the big carriers are counting on.

Family plans aren't always the best deal.

Big carriers love "add a line" discounts because they make it feel like you're getting an incredible deal.

For some people, you are.

Around $35 for premium unlimited data, hotspot, and maybe a little Netflix cherry on top is actually solid value.

But only if that person actually uses it.

Grandma doesn't need a race car.

For power users, premium unlimited is worth it.

For your barely-off-Wi-Fi parents and younger kids, it's like buying a race car to sit in a school drop-off lane.

You're paying for supercharged data that mostly sits there looking pretty.

And in this economy, those extra dollars add up way faster than anyone on that plan can burn through gigs.

Mix and match instead.

Instead of putting everyone on one expensive postpaid family plan, consider giving each person the plan that actually fits how they use their phone.

A site like Goji makes comparing those options a whole lot easier.

For example:

• Mint Kids: 6GB for $15/month.
• Mint 55+: 6GB for $15/month.
• Mint promotion: Right now, every Mint plan is $15/month, including unlimited.
• Ultra Mobile: Their current promotion brings the 12-month 4GB plan down to about $9/month.

One family doesn't have to mean one phone plan.

The math is pretty convincing.

Let's say you have:

• One teenager
• Grandma
• Grandpa

At roughly $15 per line, you're paying about $45/month.

Keep those same three people on a premium family plan?

You're probably closer to $105/month.

That's:

• $60 every month
• $720 every year

Quietly disappearing from your checking account.

$720 buys a lot more than data.

That's a weekend getaway.

A few months of groceries.

A holiday budget.

Or yes...those Alo joggers you've been talking yourself out of because everyone else's needs seem to come first.

The point is simple:

Not everyone needs the same phone plan.

Once you stop treating your family like they all use their phones the same way, your phone bill starts making a lot more sense.