📱 2022-04-06 13:28:50 – Paris/France.
My wallet is full of everything but cash.
It contains the basics like my driver's license, credit cards, public transit pass, library card, and coronavirus vaccine records. Some of the rest remained untouched for years. There's a NYC MetroCard that expired in 2019, business cards for people I'll never call, gift cards I have no memory of ever receiving, and stacks of receipts for meals that I forgot to pay.
Over the past two years, much of the content in our portfolios has become obsolete. There has been a push to make interactions contactless during the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to more options like digital payments and on-screen IDs. Looking at my huge wallet, I realize that much of it can now be safely moved to my smartphone (or in the nearest trash can).
Here are some of the basic tools we can use to lighten our wallets and let our phones do more of the heavy lifting, without losing complete control. For starters, iPhones have the Wallet app built-in, and Android devices use the Google Pay app, which can store some of the larger items. The rest can go into password managers, photo albums, and specialized apps. If you don't have smartphone, you can still save photos of some of the less sensitive items to your wallet if your device has a camera.
A word of warning: Not all institutions will accept the digital version or photos of things like your ID or insurance information. For example, some police won't accept digital proof of car insurance if they arrest you, and some medical offices will want to make a copy of your actual insurance card. Exercise caution for now and use a small wallet or wallet case for your smartphone to carry the essentials.
Digital driving licenses are still in their infancy, but you'll see them take off in the years to come. Apple recently announced that its Wallet app will support digital driver's licenses from Arizona. The company says other locations are expected to follow, including Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, Utah, Colorado, Hawaii, Mississippi, Ohio and Puerto Rico. .
Some states already offer digital licensing through their own standalone apps, including Arizona, Delaware, Oklahoma, Alabama, Louisiana and Colorado. State legislators like Illinois, New Jersey, Texas, California, and Missouri have proposed digital driver's license projects. And other states, including Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Utah and Virginia, have piloted digital ID programs — or plan to do so soon — but haven't fully adopted them.
Apple Wallet also supports a number of student IDs, and individual schools offer their own on-screen versions. You can also store your driver's license (or other sensitive credentials like a social security card) in a secure password manager app like 1Password or Dashlane. Don't take photos of your driver's license or other government-issued IDs and store them on your phone's photo app. smartphone or send them by e-mail. These cards contain sensitive information that could be used for identity theft.
Everything you need to know about digital driving licenses
Why do you keep your receipts? If it's just a habit, you can safely say no thanks at checkout or put them in the nearest trash can instead of your wallet. But if you use them, for example for expense reports, taxes or to check your credit card bill, a digital version should work just as well.
You can take photos using your phone's camera app, but they will clutter up your gallery. There are low-tech options, such as using the iOS Notes app and taking photos, so they don't get mixed up with your other images. But the best option for any large amount of receipts is a dedicated app like Expensify. If you save receipts specifically for your business expenses, check to see if the program your employer uses for reimbursements has a mobile app and use it to save a step.
These come in a variety of forms, including keychains, lanyards that you wear, and wallet-sized cards. If you must use a pass that also shows photo ID, ask your building or business if they offer a version smartphone of its access system. Many large security companies, such as HID Global, have this option, but it must be enabled by the company itself.
However, you can make an unofficial copy of many of these passes which is smaller than the original, but that only works if you don't need a photo. Passes typically use RFID (radio frequency identification) technology to unlock doors wirelessly. A copy of your card can be the size of a key ring, the shape of a regular key, or even a sticker that you can stick to the back of your phone case.
Many local locksmiths can make these copies, or you can check out KeyMe. The company accepts keys by mail or has vending machines at some locations that can make copies on the spot.
It's one of the hardest to give up, and for good reason. If your phone dies, is lost, or broken, or you're somewhere with an old payment system, you could be left with no money. There is a compromise. Keep one card in your wallet with cash, then transfer the rest to your phone's mobile wallet.
Android, iOS, and Samsung have built-in mobile payment systems that use NFC (near field communication) technology to make wireless payments to your card in stores or restaurants. The technology is common in most large enterprises, but be aware that some smaller points may need a physical card. As with IDs, you don't have to take pictures of your credit cards and store them on your phone; only enter information directly into secure wallet or banking apps.
You can use payment apps like Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App for situations that would normally require cash, like coughing up a bill. However, it's always a good idea to keep some cash on you at all times for tips, donations, emergencies, and dive bars.
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Cities across the country have added the ability to pay for a subway or bus ride by tapping your smartphone or your connected watch at the entrance. If you live in New York, DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, or Portland, Oregon, you should be able to set up your local public transportation payment system in your device wallet. The NFC chip integrated into smartphones will trigger payment as soon as you enter. Other cities are still working on adding payment options by smartphone.
On an iPhone, you can add transit cards through the Wallet app. On an Android device, add it through the Google Pay app.
It's the golden age of digital library options, but each library system has its own way. Many library systems have apps where you can store card information for your whole family, or you can save it to password managers. Most library cards have a barcode that you'll want to use for any in-person payments, so save a photo of that as well.
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Other people's business cards
There are two options for business cards, depending on how much work you want to do. If you're just saving something to look up later and don't need it in a contacts app, snap a picture of the business card and toss the paper.
If you need to store and organize the cards you receive, use an app that can turn a photo into an address card entry. Try CamCard (free with subscription options) or ABBYY Business Card Reader (free trial, subscription or other paid options). iPhone and Android devices now have the ability to scan text from images, so you can copy and paste directly from a photo into a contacts app, but it's a bit clumsier.
Be aware that any information you add to your phone's Contacts app can be accessed by various authorized apps.
Many apps use your personal contacts. Few will tell you what they do with it.
Also spare strangers a step. Take a photo of your own business card and keep it handy, for example in a photo library called "My business card". The next time you meet someone you want to connect with, offer to email or text them the image or your details right away. You can also offer to let them take a photo of a real one and return it, and keep a smaller amount on you.
Coronavirus vaccination records
You will want to have your vaccination record with you at all times, especially if you are traveling or living somewhere with vaccination records. Many states have added digital options to prove your vaccination status.
Start by checking your state's health department website to see if it offers an option to transfer your records directly to your phone's wallet or its own app. You can save a photo of the card or use a third-party app like Clear, CommonPass, or Excelsior Pass to keep more official documentation on the phone.
You will be asked to prove your vaccination status. Here's how.
Health insurance and other various cards
There is a whole category of cards in your wallet that have important numbers printed on them. Whether it's your AAA card or your Medicare card, you can usually store them securely in your password manager app with an attached image of the card. If a card has a magnetic stripe on the back or an RFID chip on the inside, you may need to carry it with you if you use these features. Look to see if there's an official option to store it digitally, like your insurance provider's app. If there is a barcode, be sure to save an image of it as well or you might end up typing a very long number.
Many cafes and restaurants are adding digital versions of the classic punched loyalty cards. They will try to push you to use their own app, which may help them collect additional information about you, but also include useful features such as the ability to place mobile orders. Third-party apps such as Stocard and Key Ring can be used to manage multiple loyalty cards at once.
If you can, ask people to give you digital gift cards ahead of time. It can be difficult to transfer the balance of a physical card online, and some stores don't allow it. You can risk keeping a photo of the card to use, but also be sure to show any PINs (often under a little scratch off square) and keep the original in case a store won't take the digital version. You can also try cashing in cards that you won't use online, but sites that redeem those balances take a cut. Your best bet might be to get your groceries as soon as possible.
Most people show off photos on their phones already, but if you want to have that perfect selection of grandkids or bragging-ready dogs, create a special album just for the wallet-worthy photos. That way, when you show people your family, you don't end up browsing through unrelated or embarrassing images. Or just choose a group photo and make it your phone wallpaper.
Chris Velazco contributed to this report.
SOURCE: Reviews News
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