I would like to set up Family Sharing, but would prefer that purchases made by family members were billed to their own payment methods rather than to mine (in my capacity as the family organiser).
cinEmotion pictures wrote:
AGREED. This new practice is ridiculous. I have a son in high school. He has his own job and his own debit card, and he is obviously part of my family. Why can't he have his own debit card attached to his account so he can make purchases with his own money and still be a part of my family share??? This make absolutely no sense to me.
It's not new. It's been the way Family Sharing has worked since its inception.
You can submit feedback to Apple requesting a change here:
If enough people request it, who knows, Apple might consider a change.
Meanwhile, your son can use his debit card to buy gift cards which he can add to his account.
AGREED. This new practice is ridiculous. I have a son in high school. He has his own job and his own debit card, and he is obviously part of my family. Why can't he have his own debit card attached to his account so he can make purchases with his own money and still be a part of my family share??? This make absolutely no sense to me.
At the moment family members purchases will be deducted from their balance (if they have one), or charged to the organiser's card (if they don't have a balance or if it doesn't cover the purchase, in which case the excess will be charged to the organiser's card), a member can't use their own card for purchases (and any balance on the organiser's account can't be used).
Family Sharing does not work that way. All purchases are billed to the organizers card, or deducted from available credit in the iTunes account of the member initiating the purchase if there is credit.
Basically Apple never intended for Family Sharing to be used by adults with their own payment methods.
Thank you for your replies.
I understand how Family Sharing presently works. However, given that Family Sharing is intended for adults as well as children:
(from: http://www.apple.com/icloud/family-sharing/)
it would be preferable, in my view, if adult members of a family group could enjoy billing autonomy, should they prefer it.
It is already possible for family members to hide purchases from other members of the family group.
That feature seems irrelevant if their purchases cannot also be billed independently. I can imagine various examples where this may be preferable (for example: if Mr or Mrs X wishes to buy a self help book from iBooks that they do not wish their spouse - the family organiser - to know about).
Jonathan UK wrote:
Thank you for your replies.
I understand how Family Sharing presently works. However, given that Family Sharing is intended for adults as well as children:
Based on the configuration of names and photos in your example, one might surmise that Derek Parker and Emily Parker are sharing finances. If they are not, then Family Sharing is not suitable for them.
(for example: if Mr or Mrs X wishes to buy a self help book from iBooks that they do not wish their spouse - the family organiser - to know about).
Mrs X can do like Emily Parker. She would get the book from the Kindle Store, and read it on the Kindle app for her iPad, while Derek Parker is away fishing.
ed2345 wrote:
(for example: if Mr or Mrs X wishes to buy a self help book from iBooks that they do not wish their spouse - the family organiser - to know about).
Mrs X can do like Emily Parker. She would get the book from the Kindle Store, and read it on the Kindle app for her iPad, while Derek Parker is away fishing.
I think you win best answer of the day, Ed!
ed2345 wrote:
Based on the configuration of names and photos in your example, one might surmise that Derek Parker and Emily Parker are sharing finances.
Not all couples - whether married or otherwise - choose to fully pool their finances, especially in respect of personal discretionary spending.
ed2345 wrote:
.. If they are not, then Family Sharing is not suitable for them.
Which is my point - that Family Sharing could be made more user-friendly for those who prefer not to pool their finances.
Jonathan,
Actually your point was more about privacy than about finances. The finance matter can be simply resolved by members buying and redeeming iTunes gift cards to their own account, as recommended by King Penguin.
Apple has not publicized the logic behind the current structure of Family Sharing. But clearly it is designed to bring minors (who could not otherwise legally purchase from the Store) into the fold, while not creating a free-for-all of sharing among independent adults. If you would like to suggest improvements, you can use the iTunes Feedback page:
Meg St._Clair wrote:
ed2345 wrote:
(for example: if Mr or Mrs X wishes to buy a self help book from iBooks that they do not wish their spouse - the family organiser - to know about).
Mrs X can do like Emily Parker. She would get the book from the Kindle Store, and read it on the Kindle app for her iPad, while Derek Parker is away fishing.
I think you win best answer of the day, Ed!
Thank you, Meg!
With Family Sharing, one adult in the family—the family organizer—agrees to pay for any iTunes, iBooks, and App Store purchases that other family members initiate while they're part of the family group.
The rest of Family Sharing features — like shared photos, calendars, and reminders — are all or nothing. If you’re an admin or individual in a Family Sharing setup, you can’t opt out of any one feature or choose to delete, for instance, the shared calendar or reminders list from within those apps.
How can I set up family sharing with separate billing?
