Paying for my own purchases in Family Sharing

So how does this work for things like iCloud. Because I thought I bought the storage with my own card, but it charged my dads card and I need that space. iTunes cards don’t work for that I bet. It doesn’t seem like the cards work at all.

My dad set up family sharing and doesn't always update his credit card information. I am an adult but because of that, I sometimes can't even download apps that are free. Apple definitely needs to change this system.

Just because Apple is saying it is feature not a bug, doesn't mean this "feature" is correct. I did not know I am getting into a child's position ( daddy can I please buy this app, please?) when I was added to Family sharing. It has to be improved.

I just want Apple to know that this is the worst set up ever. I thought this was great until I attempted to purchase music. I have a gift card that I can't use until my fiance calls me with the credit card information. That is outrageous! I should have the option to purchase. For some reason, my phone keeps telling me that the family information is not available at this time. I can't even leave family share to make my purchase.

This makes me reconsider Apple and my iPhone all together.

Thank you. I can verify that once I asked for my mother's CVV code, and input that code, the purchase did indeed come from my credit. I suspect because I was trying to make a purchase from a new phone, that was the reason I had to verify family payment information. I don't expect to have to deal with that again.

A lot of confusion could be mitigated if some simple language was introduced in many of the family plan related messages and modal dialogues, indicating that the payment information is for verification purposes only, and my credit will be used to actually complete the purchase.

Apple are not here, these are user-to-user forums. The family organiser takes responsibility for the family's purchases. If you want to leave feedback to Apple : http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Nothing like a condescending yet unhelpful response. Thanks for that.

kingshaneos wrote:

kingshaneos wrote:

I agree. I REALLY REALLY REALLY just HATE this. The quick, sarcastic, "just leave family sharing" answer is amazingly insulting and plain stupid.

Its not insulting at all nor is it stupid (unlike your comment).

The reason why I'm in family sharing in the first place is to use the Find my iphone feature with my family. I have children and multiple devices, so I want to be able to login and see them. Family sharing is the way to do this.

Hmm? I don’t use Family sharing yet I can use Find My iPhone and see my family.

If you know their AppleID and password, you can log in with Find My iPhone.

You can also use Find My Friends.

It is shocking that no developers had the smarts to realize there's usually two parents in a family, and perhaps they would like to make purchases separately. AND still manage their kids. Two managers; separate purchases, doing different things with different likes and interests. This is really basic stuff; not being able to easily manage things is going to drive users away from Apple when some other company starts developing more useful options.

Get a Gift Card and add it to an account and the purchases will come off the gift card, not the main account holders credit card.

Brett I have done as you said and purchased a gift card to keep on my account and added it to my personal id as I don't want to use my sisters card on our family sharing. It's still asking me for her payment method?!

Have you gone through with the purchase to see what is actually charged ? Asking for the security code doesn't necessarily mean that the card will be charged (except for a temporary store holding charge)

Have you contacted iTunes Support about it ? Your balance is up-to-date ? The organiser's card should only be used if the member doesn't have a balance (or it doesn't cover the total price, in which case only the excess should be charged to the account) - not sure if auto-renewing subscriptions can use a balance in all countries.

I have spoken to them. We did a test a month ago where they asked me to load a new card onto my iTunes account and see what happened after that. I did, and same thing, it asked for the CC code.. they didn't understand why either.

I did just read on another forum that perhaps the organizer of family sharing has to be the one to redeem the gift cards, and then purchases will be taken from the GC before CC. But then why would anyone buy iTunes cards anymore if they can't be used in this situation

This is not the way it works. I have a credit on my account but when I try to purchase a song, it tells me that my husband, who is the family organizer, must put in the code for his credit card. There is no where to tell it to take the amount needed for the purchase from the iTunes credit listed on my account. Perhaps you can give us the step by step instructions on how exactly to get iTunes to take the money off of the purchasers account credit before it attempts to take the money from the organizers credit card.

I have over $200 credit on my account, in which I am a Family Member of my mother's Family Sharing account, and it is still asking me to input the verification code on HER credit card, and not letting me purchase the app! Why can't I purchase a $5 app when I have $235 credit?! Come on Apple!

I wish there was a better solution than that. Thank you for the work-around though, Roger Jolly.