Setting Up an iTunes Account Without a Credit Card
UPDATE: The iTunes Store now allows users to set up an account using only an allowance, and has made it easier to set up an account with a gift certificate -- plus, Joel in the comments tipped us off to a way to do it without credit or gift card. See my illustrated step-by-steps for instructions on:
As I've written before here, I'm a big fan of iTunes. I like giving songs to my kids as rewards, and for a while I've had in mind that iTunes allowances would be a useful idea for them. Pretty good way to learn how to budget money, and less dangerous than cash in your pocket.
My problem was always the need to set up an iTunes account to send that allowance to, and the need to attach a credit card to that account. When my daughter got her new computer, it seemed like an especially good time to create an account for her. But although, at 18, I think she's ready to manage her own music and balance her own allowance, she's surely not ready for unrestricted access to my credit card.
It took some searching around the iTunes support documents to find the solution, but there is one, and I share it with you now. You'll need a gift card or certificate to do it, so if you don't have one, buy one at a store or print one out from your own account. Be sure to log out of your account after.
Now, click the "Redeem" link in the iTunes store, enter the number on the gift card or certificate, and click "Redeem." Since you're not signed into an account, a sign-in screen will come up -- but it will have a "Create an Account" button off to one side. Click on that.
Enter the information you want to use to set up your child's account. You'll need an e-mail address, different than the one you used for your own account. What I did for my daughter, to give her a feeling of independence, was create a free Gmail account for her. I then went into the "Setting" for her Gmail account, clicked on "Forwarding and POP/IMAP," and set it to forward a copy of all her e-mails to my e-mail address. This way I get to see all her iTunes receipts, along with any other troublesome e-mail she receives. If your child won't be using the e-mail account, you can also set it to delete incoming messages after forwarding them.
Back at iTunes, enter the e-mail address and other information, and hit "Continue." You'll now be at the screen that previously asked for credit-card information -- but this time, it will just ask for name and address, and have credit-card icons at the bottom under "optional." Don't take the option.
Your child will now have a functioning iTunes account funded by whatever you choose to put in it (although you may have to redeem the gift card again to have it show up in the account). If your child goes over the deposited amount, a screen will come up asking for credit-card information. Assuming he or she doesn't have that, the transaction will have to be canceled.
It's been working great so far for us. My daughter blew through all of her birthday gift cards, and now understands that it will be a while before she gets to buy anything else. I'm going to set her up with an allowance in May, but if she spends the whole amount on May 1, that's it until June. I think it will be a good lesson for her. And probably a lot less expensive for me than answering her pleas on a daily basis.
If you have any questions about any of this, ask them in the comments and I'll try to clarify. If you've found another way to accomplish this, please share that as well.
Photo courtesy of Apple
Comments
You are SOOO smart. I am a big believer in rewards– Who would work for free? I’ve taught kids to walk using Cheerios and swim using coins on the other side of the pool, so using music for one who loves it sounds great. I love getting ideas from more “with it” moms! Janie
What if you dont want to buy a gift card
since im only 13 i need to do it today befre i go on my holiday tomorow:(
Thank you so much for this information. I was starting to get frustrated…
what if you dont want to get a gift card? i want to set up an account so that i can use genius on itunes but my mom wont let me use her credit card and i cant buy a gift card…
Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any way to do it without a gift card. But you can buy gift cards at the store with cash; I think they make them as low as $10 or $15. I’ve seen them at Target and supermarkets, and I know a lot of other stores have them, too.
If you want to do it without a Gift Card, go into the store without an account, and search for free applications. Try download any one of them, and when it asks you to sign up for an account it gives you the payment option “None”.
that doesnt work i just tried that a million times
If I walked into Wal-Mart and was required to give an imprint of my credit card and was charged a $1 authorization hold to verify that my credit card is active before I could pick up a flyer or go shopping I wouldn’t put up with this. Apple, being the monopoly they are, seems to be able to get away with this and people are okay with it. Basically it comes down to me spending more money because my 14 year old wants a free app.
Or you could just get your kid their own credit card, the kind specially designed for teens/college students with a low cap.
im only 12 and i dont have a thingy or wat evr i got my ipod yesterday and im learing stuff about it so i could knw wat or how 2 use it for x-mas… so now wat do u advice???? 0_o
Sorry, Gaby, you really do need a gift certificate to start your account. You can buy them for as little as $10 at Target. Then use my step-by-step to set it up.
I have done it before without buying anything before. I remember i was signing up and it said optional on credit card
I Have got it. When you go to itunes store go to the bottom to Top Free Apps. (If u dont have an ipod touch it doesnt matter.) Then click on one of the free apps and try to download it and it will say sign in or create account. Create a account and when u get to the credit card part , there will be a bubble saying NONE.
THANX JOEL!!!
i just set up my account without paying!
Or you could open the account with a credit card and then later delete the credit card details from the account.
Joel, awsome dude! You saved my iPod from being cracked in half!
Thanks so much!!! Your a lifesaver!!!
I’m 13 and I don’t have my own credit card and my parents won’t let me put there details down, so your a big help!!!
OMG, something’s wrong if your snooping on your 18 year old daughters emails! She should be ready to have her own credit card at that age.. she is an Adult..
thanks , so hlepful
Thank You So Much~!!!~
So after the account is created, how do I add money to my child’s account without having to set up the automatic monthly allowance? Is there some way to just add $10 one time from my credit card?
Buy a gift certificate, either online or at a store. The online ones, which you can either print out or e-mail to your child, start at $10.