Section 28. Create an iTunes Music Store Allowance


28. Create an iTunes Music Store Allowance

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

18 Sign Up for the iTunes Music Store


SEE ALSO

26 Buy a Gift Certificate for Someone Else

27 Redeem a Gift Certificate


If you're a parent whose kids like to use the iTunes Music Store as much as you do, you might find that you're having to pay more for their music than you do even for your own. This can be especially worrisome if it turns out they're using your credit card to do it.

An allowance is a modified version of a gift certificate (see 26 Buy a Gift Certificate for Someone Else ) that works on a periodic basis. The idea is that you set up a monthly amount of money to be charged against your own iTunes Music Store account, which is then applied as credit to the account of a recipient (for example, your music-loving son). The recipient of the allowance can buy as much music as the allowance will pay for; each month it's replenished. Best of all, it's legalyou're doing the actual purchasing, and you won't have to face the dilemmas of minors in your household using your credit cards.

1.
Sign In to the iTunes Music Store

Choose Music Store from the Source pane and connect to the store. If you are not already signed in, click the Sign In button in the upper-right corner and provide your Apple ID (or AOL screen name ) and password to sign yourself in.

2.
Go to the Allowance Section

Click the Allowances link on the music store's Home page. The resulting screen explains the workings of an allowance and gives you a form to fill out that determines how the allowance is dispensed to its recipient.

28. Create an iTunes Music Store Allowance


3.
Set Up the Allowance Conditions

Fill in your name and the recipient's name. (These names are used in the notification email that's sent to the recipient.) Choose an amount of money to be charged automatically to your iTunes Music Store account; this amount can be anything from $10 to $200 (if you're a particularly generous parent).

Allowances are credited at the beginning of each month. If you're setting up the allowance in the middle of the month, you need to choose how the remainder of the current month should be handleddo you want to wait until the first of next month before funding the allowance, or do you want to start by fully funding the current month (even though it's partially over already)? Choose the option describing how you want to do it.

If the allowance's recipient has an Apple ID already, choose Use recipient's existing Apple Account , and fill in the Apple ID (twice, for safety) in the next two fields. If the recipient doesn't have an account already, choose Create an Apple Account for recipient . You'll be prompted to create a new Apple ID for the recipient in the next step.

NOTE

An Apple ID does not have to be associated with a credit card or any personal information; thus a minor can legitimately have an Apple ID.

Finally, enter a personal message for the recipient. How you word this message is up to youafter all, this might be a new privilege for your kid, or a punishment !

Click Continue when you're ready to proceed. You're prompted to verify your Apple ID; enter your password and click Setup .

4.
Create an Account for the Recipient

If you chose to create a new account for the recipient, the next screen must be filled out to create the new Apple ID. Fill in the recipient's email address, first and last name, and birth date. Choose a password and enter it twice. (More appropriately, you could have the recipient choose a password and enter it in the two fields provided.) As always, make sure that the password is hard to guessa mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters , numbers , and special symbols.

Click Create when you're done; the recipient's Apple ID is ready to go.

TIP

The owner of an Apple ID can change his password at any time. Go to the account information page (click the Apple ID in the Account box in the upper-right corner of the iTunes window; enter the password associated with that account when prompted, and click View Account ). In the account information page, click Edit Account Info to change your password and update other security information.

5.
Buy the Allowance

The final screen is a confirmation that summarizes the details of the allowance, including all the fields you filled out and options you chose. To make any changes, click Back ; otherwise , click Buy to begin the allowance. From now on, the recipient will be able to log in to the iTunes Music Store using the account you set up for him, and buy music using credit as though he'd received a gift certificate.

You can cancel an allowance at any time by going to your account information page (click your Apple ID in the Account box; enter your password when prompted, and click View Account ). When you cancel an allowance, future payments into the account are stopped , but any remaining balance is still usable until it's gone.



iPod + iTunes for Windows and Mac in a Snap
iPod + iTunes for Windows and Mac in a Snap (2nd Edition)
ISBN: 0672328992
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 152
Authors: Brian Tiemann

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