I am a skeptic and over-analyzer by nature. It can be both a blessing and a curse to feel the need to weigh the pros and cons about everything. Sometimes it's completely warranted, like for important life decisions; sometimes it's not, like whether it’s worth it to drink another cup of coffee at 2 in the afternoon and risk staying up all night because I feel like I'm dying of sleep depravation in the middle of the afternoon. The point is that I typically mull over my decisions for a long time before making up my mind about whether I should do something or not.
One of the more unimportant things that has been on my mind for a few years now is whether I should go ahead and use mobile pay services or not. I say unimportant because, at least right now, paying with a debit or credit card is arguably more convenient because not all retailers have implemented mobile pay systems yet. In many cases it is still completely necessary for me to tote my wallet with me everywhere anyway, so it hasn’t felt like there was a dire need to adopt this newer method of payment.
But it is becoming abundantly clear that mobile pay is quickly becoming the preferred payment method of the future, so I'm starting to feel like it might be time to hop on the train that I've been avoiding for so long.
I've been a bit bullheaded about switching to mobile pay in the past. I didn't see a problem with using credit and debit cards, but after experiencing some suspicious activity and security breaches over the past year I'm not so sure anymore. Even though my problem was quickly resolved, if you've ever had something similar happen you already know that it can make you feel a little (more) paranoid about using your money. The alleged anonymity that programs like Apple Pay, Android Pay/Google Wallet, Samsung Pay, etc. can grant a user is becoming tempting. I think the only thing holding me back is that I'm not entirely sure I trust that these companies are able to keep my data as secure as they claim they can, but that's just me wearing a tin foil hat and wishing this was some parallel universe where foolproof security was attainable.
On the other hand, what do I really have to lose? I've already experienced firsthand that the standard systems already in place don't do such a great job, either. I've just become a crotchety old woman who doesn't want to admit that the system I currently use just isn't as safe as I thought it would be, not to mention the thought of having a big chunk of my personal finance information stored in my phone is just a little harrowing for whatever reason. However, while NFC payments via mobile wallets might not be foolproof either, the process seems to be more complicated and harder to compromise than the card-swiping system I've been using for a decade now.
So, in the end, I think it's finally time for me to begin the switch. I may still have to swipe or use a card more often than not currently, but it doesn't seem like it will be much longer before card swipers become the equivalent of today’s check writers.
Readers, have you already started using a mobile wallet? If so, how has your experience been so far? Let us know in the comments below!