How To Tap Credit Card

Go Vegetarian At Least A Few Days A Week

I accidentally became a weekday vegetarian when I started adopting the above habit of eating the same lunch and brunch every week. Decades of eating a western, meat-heavy diet had conditioned me to think that I would collapse with weakness if I didn’t have a portion of chicken or other meat with lunch and dinner, but alas, all that happened is that I saved a lot of money.

There are loads of reasons to become at least a part-time vegetarian, including environmental and ethical reasons, but the most immediate change you can expect to see when you cut meat out of your diet is cash savings.

And Finally If You’re Still In Your Teens Or 20s Don’t Try To Live Like You Have The Budget Of A High

If I could summarize the irrational and ultimately catastrophic spending habits of late teens and twentysomethings in two words, they’d be: “Music festivals.” I can’t believe that as early as 19 years old, I was sold the idea that I should somehow be able to afford a $300+ weekend ticket to a two-day music festival. I love music and going to shows, but IMO, the music festival industry is the worst embodiment of the predatory claws of capitalism, especially on the youth.

If I could give my younger self one piece of advice, it would be to shamelessly create a life where I can find joy and pleasure on my own terms, a life that I can make possible without a credit card. And one that helps me slide into my 30s with financial confidence.

The Downside Of Convenience

Your fears were right, using a tap card is certainly easier for you: but that also means its easier for your card to be used when its stolen.

• Should your debit or credit card fall into the wrong hands, a thief only needs to tap your card to make a purchase. No pin, no verification nothing to stop them.
• This type of hassle-free payment is increasingly common Apple devices now offer Apple Pay, where pre-registered payment information is used to make fast purchases with a single click.

Again, this makes shopping a whole lot easier for you, but it also makes it easier for just about anyone to make a purchase with your phone or card.

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How To Avoid The Risks

• Opt out. If you simply dont think you need tap technology, talk to your bank or call the number on the back of the card. The feature can be deactivated, so you dont have to worry about it at all.
• Put a cap on. If you want the convenience of tap technology without all of the risk, get in touch with your bank and ask about setting a cap of $10 or $20 dollars to make small purchases simpler.
• If you find the feature convenient, simply exercise proper caution. If your card is ever stolen or even just misplaced, call your bank right away so they can put a freeze on the account.
• Check your bank statements regularly. If there are any unusual purchases made or if you fear your card has been compromised, theyll work to correct it. But be warned: getting back lost funds is often a long process.
• Find out about monitoring card activity for debit and/or credit cards. This will ensure if something suspicious happens, such as an unusually large purchase, you will be notified immediately.

When it comes to tools like tap-and-go technology for debit cards or streamlined payment methods like Apple Pay on your phone, you need to weigh the risks and exercise proper caution. Do you really need to save an extra minute at the checkout line when it means your funds are more easily accessible to potential thieves?

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Recently I Made The Decision To Finally Pay Off The Proverbial Red Number That’s Been Growing Since My Early 20s And At The End Of Last Year I Was Finally Able To Pay Off My Entire Credit Card Balance

As someone who recently crossed the 30s threshold, I figured that now would be a good time to start cleaning up my accounts.

I’ve also started thinking more about my long-term goals, like homeownership, starting a family, or retirement. I know the thinking these days: What’s the point of planning for anything when the world is ending? But I figure that even if the apocalypse is coming, the people with the most resources will be better prepared to weather the literal storm than anyone else. At the very least, it’s my way of doomsday prepping.

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An Easier Way To Shop

The reward is obvious simply tapping your card when making a purchase at a checkout line or drive-through is easier than swiping the card and then making your way through several prompts and entering your pin number. But is it safe?

Most banks have a cap of $100 on tap technology, making it ideal for small, quick purchases. If youre making a bigger acquisition, you need to use your card as usual.

Downgrade Your Phone’s Data Plan

Downgrading your data plan won’t save you thousands a year, but it will lessen the mental load of your bills. And keeping a low overhead means I have more flexibility to pay for unexpected expenses that come up here and there.

Here are other tiny things I cut that didn’t save me lots of money, but did make me feel better about my monthly output: I got on my brother’s Spotify Family subscription and canceled my own, stopped buying books and starting borrowing e-books from my public library, and started buying generic medication instead of brand name.

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Four Ways To Get Rid Of A Metal Credit Card

While some of the best metal credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, offer enticing rewards and cardholder benefits, you may ultimately decide canceling or changing cards is the best option. Or, you may need to destroy an old metal card when it expires.

Here are four options for what to do with your metal card.

Work Out At Home Or Outside Instead Of Paying For A Gym Membership

Going to the gym used to be a core part of my day I used to work out in the morning, shower, and then go straight to the office. But since quitting my gym membership, I’ve leaned into the joys of home workouts.

Working out at home means I have more flexibility over when I work out , and feel way more inclined to experiment with different exercises. As a woman, I also feel safer moving however I want, without the dread of unwanted attention.

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How To Use A Boarding Pass Ticket Or Other Pass On Your Iphone

Give Diy Birthday Gifts

This tip is hard for me on many levels.

On a surface level, I love giving gifts because I feel like it’s a tangible way for me to show my love for someone. I also grew up not receiving many gifts, so I sometimes feel an extra need to prevent the disappointment I so often experienced as a child. Part of me also feels embarrassed by the idea of giving DIY gifts, because it would make me reveal the fact that I’m tight on cash and maybe result in judgment. A lot of this is what my therapist would call, “fortune telling,” a cognitive distortion in which you predict a negative outcome, and it’s fascinating to see its symptom manifest in my spending practices.

In the future, I know I could save a ton of money by simply DIYing thoughtful gifts. Anytime I feel a little nervous about gifting a handmade gift, I think about the fact that a majority of the gifts I’ve kept and treasured over the years have been handmade. Some of my favorites include a fake “resume” spelling out my greatest skills as a person , a glittery decorated frame with a picture of me and the gifter, and a blank journal sewed together from various types of fancy paper .

Here are a fewgreat DIY gift ideas for anyone who’s looking to do the same.

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If You Live In City Where It’s Possible Opt For Biking Walking Or Public Transportation Instead Of Driving

It’s probably easier for me to say this since I live in a city with decent bike infrastructure, but if you have the option, I highly recommend it. In my city, a single one-way ticket on the subway or bus costs around $3.50. And unless the bike ride takes me more than 40 minutes or it’s pouring rain, I always prefer to bike over taking public transportation. Given how often I’m traveling within the city, that’s at least $20 that I save every week that I can put toward a meal out with friends.

Of course, if biking is not an option for you for whatever reason, I recommend public transportation, or even ride-sharing.

If you’re on the fence, I’ll add that I understand why it’s hard to think about changing your way of getting around. How we get from point A to point B is usually one of the most stressful parts of our day, even when we have it locked down. If you have social anxiety, I can especially understand why you might find the idea of changing your mode of travel more difficult. But I challenge anyone able who thinks they can’t carpool, or can’t walk to work, or can’t figure out bus schedules to try it for just ONE DAY this month. You’ll likely realize that the first day is the hardest, but experimenting the route just once may ease most of your fears or discomfort.

Get Used To Saying No

One of my biggest challenges when it came to saving money used to be my inability to say no. As with a lot of people, it gives me social anxiety, induces FOMO, and just plain-out makes me sad. But recently, I realized that my inability to decline invitations to dinners out, fun activities, or travel was making me lose control over my finances. It was as if everyone around me controlled my bank account and not me.

But then I started practicing saying no. Saying no was uncomfortable and mentally distressful at first the epitome of the nervous grinning emoji. I started with easier nos first: “No, I can’t go on a last-minute vacation with you,” and, “No, I don’t want to order takeout for the second night in a row.” Then I moved on to the more difficult nos: “No, I don’t want to split the bill in half can we each pay for what we ordered instead?” and, “No, I don’t want to buy your extra ticket to that sold-out show.” Like with many things, I’ve realized that the actual moment of saying no is the hardest. After that, I feel pretty damn good about myself.

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Keep The Card Safely Stored Away

Some people may throw their old card into a drawer. It’s a solution, but only a temporary oneeven if it takes years to clean out your catch-all drawer.

While no one can use the old card to make a purchase, an identity thief that’s trying to impersonate you may be able to use the physical card as a form of identification. If you decide to keep the card, try to bend it or scratch it up with a screwdriver first.

The Rise In Popularity Of Contactless Payment

Credit cards have enabled Canada to transform from a country that relies on cash for everyday purchases to a cashless society. Major credit card issuers like MasterCard and Visa have been quick to take advantage of this trend, offering MasterCard PayPass and Visa payWave to cardholders. You can now even make contactless purchases using your debit card with Interac Flash Services.

Ever since being introduced, contactless payments have been a smashing success in Canada. In fact, Canada is leading the charge worldwide. Since 2005, over 240 million transactions have been made by MasterCard PayPass in Canada, the highest of any country in the world. MasterCard also says 1 in 10 store purchases are now made with a PayPass-enabled credit card.

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Can You Deactivate Contactless Payments On Your Credit Card

Contactless payments offer consumers a faster, more convenient way to make everyday purchases. Instead of inserting or swiping your credit card, you can wave your MasterCard PayPass or Visa payWave the purchase is then authorized, processed and billed in one fell swoop no signature required!

While contactless payment saves time, some consumers dont feel at ease with the new method of payment. What if your credit card is lost or stolen? Could fraudsters go on a shopping spree at your expense? Some consumers have gone as far as asking their credit card issuer to disable contactless payment.

Pay Your Way With Contactless Cards

Pay Your Way With Contactless Cards. With a contactless card, you can make payments with a tap of your card or add it to your mobile wallet. Just look for the contactless symbol at the register. Then tap your card at checkout. Its faster and easier than swiping or inserting, and its just as secure as a chip card. More than 75% of U.S. retailers accept contactless payments, from grocery stores to vending machines and even train stations but if you dont see the contactless symbol, you can still insert or swipe your card. Your contactless Navy Federal card gives you the flexibility to pay your way. Navy Federal Credit Union. Army. Marine Corps. Navy. Air Force. Coast Guard. Veterans. Our Members Are the Mission. Federally insured by NCUA.

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How To Add A Boarding Pass Ticket Or Other Pass To Apple Wallet On Your Iphone

If you don’t see an option to add your boarding pass, ticket, or other pass to the Wallet app, contact the merchant or company that issued it to make sure they support passes in the Wallet app.

When you add a boarding pass, ticket, or other pass to the Wallet app on your iPhone, you automatically add it to the Wallet app on your paired Apple Watch.

Are The Risks Worth The Rewards When It Comes To Tap

Technology is all about convenience whether its keeping us connected, helping us get work done, giving us access to music, movies, and games, or streamlining how we shop and make payments. But when it comes to tap-and-go flash technology for debit and credit cards, do the rewards really outweigh the risks?

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Benefits Of Consolidating Credit Card Debt To A Holiday Personal Loan

Instead of stressing about adding more debt to your credit cards, consider a holiday personal loan to set a budget and stick to it. This way you can still have a joy season without the extra interest added to your card.

Most people have more than one credit card. Personal debt can accrue slowly, gathering in size until it turns into a black cloud hanging over our heads. The root cause of the high cost of credit card debt is the interest rate. Compared to other financial products, credit cards tend to have higher interest rates. To minimize the impact this debt has on your cash flow, you may want to look for a way to control your credit card debt. A personal loan to pay off your debt is a viable option to consider.

You May Pay Less In Interest

Personal loan interest rates are generally lower than credit card interest rates. If you use a personal loan for debt consolidation, the low interest rates on the personal loan can take years off debt repayment and help you save a significant amount of money. If you have good credit, you may be eligible for an even lower interest rate on your personal loan.

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Plan Any Spending Above $20

There was a time in every millennial’s life when “spontaneity” was the word of the day. We were told that to be happy, we had to embrace unplanned, last-minute trips, treat ourselves to gifts out of our budget “just because,” and generally partake in random activities meant to enrich our lives or make us more interesting.

But you know what makes me happy these days? Planning my haircuts, my shopping trips, and all my travel at least a few weeks or months in advance. There’s science to back up this “anticipation happiness”: one 2010 study of 1,530 Dutch adults even found that those going on a vacation “experienced their highest level of happiness in the weeks and months before a trip.” In general, I find that planning any purchases above $20 make me appreciate those purchases more . At the very least, and when I’m shopping online, I try to leave things in my cart for a minimum of 24 hours.

Rethinking this way of shopping has also made me realize that retail therapy is a completely unproductive way of addressing my emotional hiccups.