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Using a phone sounds inconvenient to me. I usually just pull my card out of my wallet, wave it over the terminal until I hear a beep and that's it. Worst case scenario, I have to insert it into the chip reader or God-forbid swipe it through the slot like some kind of Neanderthal.
I'm kidding, but seriously, that's easier than screwing around with a phone, to me.
I don't understand how retrieving a phone from a pocket is somehow less convenient than retrieving a wallet from a pocket, and then retrieving the card from the wallet. That's 1 step versus 2 steps.
@GamingChairModel
Unlocking the phone can take a bit longer. I use my watch, which is just as inconvenient but at least I don't have to reach for anything.
@OpticalMoose
How the heck is your watch inconvenient? It’s already out. It’s already unlocked. You don’t even need to pull up your sleeve. I just double-click and wave my arm in front if the reader- you can’t get more convenient
@AA5B
Logging in, dragging down from the top, picking the right card, getting it to the exact location on the scan tool used and angling my wrist properly so it can send the data.
That's not too mention keeping you're watch operating system up to date so the card will actually work
That’s crazy talk - enable automatic updates and set the default card to the one you usually use. Usually it reads if within an inch or two, although you never know where the sensor may be
What watch do you use?
@june
Pixel watch 2, not that it really matters as the point is valid with any that are even remotely secure.
Just curious to know which watch has that laborious of a process. No judgement here.
My Apple Watch is a double click and my default card pops right up. Ezpz.
@june
I'd argue it's also not as secure, not that many things are as secure as they should be.
Without speaking for you, is it the fact that it could be triggered accidentally (though rather unlikely) that makes you feel it’s less secure?
As far as the technology goes, it’s the same as using Apple Pay from your phone which is pretty secure. So the only difference I see is the lack of biometric with each instance of using your watch, though it does require your PIN or phones biometric each time it needs to be unlocked, it just effectively keeps that token until the watch is removed from your wrist.
@june
I'd say an accidental triggering would be the least of your worries. Any bad actor could trigger your watch and transfer money directly from that card before you would know about it.
I get where you’re coming from I think. I disagree that it’s less secure but I’m not here to argue, just to understand.
The convenience comes from leaving your wallet at home. Also, a lost card is a major problem. A lost phone is fine, nobody can do anything with it unless they know your PIN and you can locate it through cell network/bluetooth tracking.
There's not that much fuss with my phone - double tap the side button, look at it to pass a face recognition check, then wave it over the chip reader.
A lost phone is a much bigger issue to me. A lost card is trivial - call my bank, they cancel the old one, issue a new one, it's here in 2 days.
A lost phone? Shit, gotta go to the cell store, get a new sim, but only after I've gone home and grabbed an old phone, and spent a few hours setting it up. Including things like restoring 2FA stuff, which is a pain, at best.
Oh, you don't have spares lying around like I do? Then you're paying full price at the cell store, anywhere from $300+ (or getting a shitty low end phone, if your cell provider sells one).
And then I'd bet most people don't have proper backup/sync of their data, so would lose things like photos, downloads, etc.
Losing a phone is clearly far more of a hassle than losing a credit card or two.
I have to carry my "wallet" (little more than a money clip), for things like my ID, access cards, etc, anyway.
Using a phone to pay is far less convenient, and it's too many eggs in one basket, which is already an issue with phones.
I've also never had a credit card randomly reboot and get stuck in a bootloop. And in 30+ years of carrying them, I've had exactly one magnetic stripe failure - many years ago - and the stripe is rarely used any more.
Also, I've never lost my phone or a wallet.
Same here. I guess I should have pointed out that I'm not really much of a phone guy to begin with. I don't install many apps, and I stay logged out of Google. To me, losing a phone really just means losing my pictures and videos. The most expensive phone I've ever had was $200.
The phone has advantages in that it’s more secure (because you’re not giving the merchant your real card number so when they inevitably have a hack, you don’t need to get your card replaced), and that you can carry multiple cards without taking up any extra space. Also, most people are playing on their phones while they wait to check out so it’s already in their hand.
Using the phone payment is a convenient to me as I don't have to remember the PIN.
What about the pin to unlock your phone? And at least here there's no pin with tap.
At least on my country contactless with a card only works up to a limit (€50). Beyond that amount you need to input your pin code.
With a phone, no pin code. With a smartwatch either, and that's my preferred way. No need to pull anything out of my pocket.
I double click my power button and Apple Pay is there. Way more convenient for me than to pull my wallet out of my purse, pull my card out, wave or insert it, put it back in the wallet, and put the wallet back in my purse.
It’s not for everyone, but I definitely find it more convenient.
I guess "It’s not for everyone" is the real takeaway here. I'm not a phone guy in general, but I've been using cards since BK was still selling 99¢ Whoppers. I'm guessing both of us are ready to pay before the cashier has our order rung up.
To each their own. (I'm finally admitting that I'm fighting a losing battle on writing checks though.)
writing checks
Shudders
Phone out of pocket -> swipe is one less step than wallet out of pocket -> card out of wallet -> swipe.
Samsung here. I pull my phone out of my pocket and without turning on the screen, slide my thumb along the bottom of the screen. Actually faster than pulling cash out of my wallet.
I keep track of what I spent.
Doesnt matter if Cash or card.
You're ignoring the psychological effect of seeing the wealth transfer with something like cash as opposed to plastic (or digital).
You aren't immune to those reactions, just like people can still be impacted by a placebo even if they know it's one.
Now if you're rich enough to not care, thats awesome, but he effect still remains.
I get your point and that maybe there is a bias.
But in years of tracking my spendings (mostly with my smartphone) I have pretty constant spendings for my day to day live (rise of cost of living etc. in mind).
I would describe me not as rich -not even close.
Tracking budgets for example food / clothes per month helps me staying in a certain range.
Do you have any data from a period where you paid cash for most things you could? Gas, groceries, etc.
Would be interesting to see the comparison.
Unfortunately not.
My records over 4 years are heavily mixed with predominantly card payments.
Perhaps the continuous use of card payments has an influence?
This is the real answer. Ideally you keep track of most of the things you spend money. That way you can see how much you are spending on each category.
Maybe you eat out less to save for something you really want, like a jacket or pair of shoes. Or you stop reflexively saving and go on vacation.
so does credit cards.
im somewhat glad my banking apps are annoying on my rooted phone though.
Using your debit card to pay is convenient, but it can also mean you spend more is, I believe, a sentiment that was passed around when cards started being widely accepted.
I find the opposite, if I have cash in my pocket it wants to be spent asap, usually on chocolate.
I expected this to be compared to cash payments but it's compared to debit/credit card payment methods as well. I often feel like it's easier to spend cash because it doesn't feel like real money if I don't see my bank account go down, lol.
In my nation, Apple pay and Google pay aren't famous. The famous way to pay with a phone is using a qr code. It's frictionless too. Paper bills are still famous here too. I think my spending behavior is the same whether I use paper bills, my phone or my debit card. Re using my phone or my debit card to pay, I <3 not having to deal with change.
And I <3 my purchases not being automatically tracked, so cash where possible)
Yes, paper bills if you're so private. To avoid spyware, use a phone that has a removable 🔋, like the Fairphone 5. Connect the 🔋 only when you must use the phone.
It is VERY weird that you replace words with emojis. Looks like a book for toddlers who are learning to read. Why? Are you trying to bypass some odd word filter?
Overall, I just don't carry a phone most of the time. Fairphone 5 is not quite a realistic option for most because it is very expensive.
WTH... ill just buy two six pack instead of just 2 beers. I'm paying with my phone anyway.
