Give your kid a phone...cheaply! #PhoneGeek

My kids are growing up and getting into more and more activities.  A cell phone has become an item my wife and I *need* the kids to have.  Not for social use, mind you, but as a tool for necessary family communication.  And for taking photos.  And maybe a few games.

Notorious penny-pincher that I am, I've settled on a rather excellent combination of phone capabilities and value.  Our first "kid phone" includes:

• Android 6.0; 2GB RAM; 48GB storage; HD display (1280x720)
• Location service + remote lock/wipe so I can pinpoint phone and secure it if needed
• Limited monthly talk (200 minutes), texts (500) and data (500MB) to force responsible phone use
• Ability to increase/decrease monthly limits as needed

The kicker?  I paid a one-time price of $71 with no monthly cellular service charges (free cellular service!)  That's $71 and done.  I can harp at my kids for hours on the need to be "phone-responsible" but the truth is that I'm only out $71 if the phone is ever lost/broken/stolen.

Read on to see what I've put together...