Tip of the Week

I am giving you this tip having learned the hard way.  Anyone with an iPhone and children need to read this.

I downloaded a cool little app for the kids called Tiny Monsters.  Its a fun little app where you get to hatch Monster Eggs and take care of them in their respective habitats.  Even I have played this one but it has the option to buy diamonds with real money and this is not just chump change (do you see where I'm going with this?). These are diamonds that cost more than wedding ring.

So, I'm around the campfire one night at a friends place and he's telling me a story about his child who has just racked up a whopping bill by buying something while playing on his iPhone.  Well as soon as I get home that night I head to the computer and  check my visa bill. Yup, my little angels have bought themselves enough diamonds to have their own diamond mine.

Ok, so Apple was very accommodating and refunded the money.  Phew! But I have my phone set up so that any purchase needs a password before it goes through so why did this happen?  Well, little did I know that this security measure does not include "in-app purchases". A totally new term for me. My phone settings have now been changed to restrict any "in-app purchases". So this is how it's done on the iPhone 4.

1. Click on Settings
2. Click on General
3. Click on Restrictions - you'll be asked to set up a code to get into your restrictions.  Choose something easy that you'll remember
4. Scroll down to that new term "in-app purchases" and set it to OFF.

Ta da!  Now your little angels can play till there hearts content and Mummy won't get a bill that gives her a heart attack!