The US seems so backwards, you pretty much can use card/Apple Pay everywhere in the UK, even ice cream vans and little market stalls, card readers are everywhere and using Apple Pay on your watch is far more convenient than using a physical card or your phone.
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Do you still carry cash and/or physical cards?
- Thread starter Rainbow Apple
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It's getting closer to being able to be "tap to pay only", but we aren't there yet. I have to carry a wallet for ID and car keycard (in case phone battery dies) and I hate even the slimmest "wallet phone case" (yes, I've tried a bunch) so I carry a very slim wallet with three money cards (ATM to withdraw cash, 'primary credit', and HSA) plus at least $20 cash, just in case I need cash.
Still carrying cash arround, but stopped carrying physical Credit cards with, just the comfort and more over the safety of tokenizing within apple pay is to great. Specially since cashless payment really spread during Covid - what i love - i woudnt feel good to trust every small store with my Credit Card details.
Not quite everywhere...
For example FedEx does not accept cash, nor do Apple Stores and a number of other stores that don't want to handle cash. This perfectly legal -- while cash is legal tender, it need not be accepted. However some localities such as New York City and Miami have local laws that require cash to be accepted.
We can use Apple Pay at 19 out of 20 places here in the US, and I live in the middle of flyover country.
The smaller little vendors you used as examples tend be more Apple Pay friendly than the bigger chains.
FedEx Office does. Those are the retail storefronts (aka Kinko's). If you are at a shipping hub or something, go to a retail store.
From what I've read, the tap to pay process with a card is tokenized.
As far as I know, when you pay with a regular credit card, the data is required (and thus stored) because the vendor needs this information to receive the money from the credit institution. As you pointed out, this leads to several issues since this data can potentially be stolen (for example, through NFC skimming) or somehow obtained from the vendor/payment provider and then used with the CVV (if even needed) to make purchases.
When you pay with Apple Pay, you never provide credit card details—not even your name or address. By saving the card to your phone and unlocking the phone before use, Apple provides the vendor with a token. The vendor then exchanges this token for the corresponding amount of money with Apple, which in turn receives the funds from the credit institution.
Credit card details are usually (and by European law must be) encrypted. However, trusting a small merchant at a convention who sells you handmade art to maintain these standards is another matter.
Gosh, I could never put all my eggs in one basket (my iPhone).
I use Apple Pay when I can, but still carry physical cards. (What if my phone dies, or gets lost or stolen?) It's also nice to be able to disconnect and leave my phone behind sometimes.
I also carry some cash as well since it doesn't take up much more space. Has no one ever run into an instance where a merchant's payment network is down? It has happened to me several times in the past few years (at a major retailer, car wash, and at a restaurant). Cash saved the day while nearly everyone else abandoned those places.
Apple Pay just takes this one step further by using a virtual card number, so that your actual card number isn't stored on your phone. This is mainly for security, and so that you can easily disable your virtual card in case your device gets lost or stolen. (Otherwise, if it used your actual number, you'd have to disable your actual card and wait for a new one.) Apple Pay doesn't generate a new card number per transaction. You're probably thinking of the one-time code that's used for the transaction, which cards do too. If you look at your receipts, payments using Apple Pay should have the same virtual / Apple Pay number that's shown in your Wallet. Also, when you use Apple Pay via NFC, Apple is not involved at all during the transaction. (Using Apple Pay on the web and in apps is a different story though.)
Here's a couple links from Visa and Amex that go into a little more detail about how contactless payments work with cards.
usa.visa.com
I use Apple Pay when I can, but still carry physical cards. (What if my phone dies, or gets lost or stolen?) It's also nice to be able to disconnect and leave my phone behind sometimes.
I also carry some cash as well since it doesn't take up much more space. Has no one ever run into an instance where a merchant's payment network is down? It has happened to me several times in the past few years (at a major retailer, car wash, and at a restaurant). Cash saved the day while nearly everyone else abandoned those places.
Both actually work pretty much the same. Cards do transaction-specific, one-time codes as well. The NFC terminal powers the chip in the card to generate the code.
Apple Pay just takes this one step further by using a virtual card number, so that your actual card number isn't stored on your phone. This is mainly for security, and so that you can easily disable your virtual card in case your device gets lost or stolen. (Otherwise, if it used your actual number, you'd have to disable your actual card and wait for a new one.) Apple Pay doesn't generate a new card number per transaction. You're probably thinking of the one-time code that's used for the transaction, which cards do too. If you look at your receipts, payments using Apple Pay should have the same virtual / Apple Pay number that's shown in your Wallet. Also, when you use Apple Pay via NFC, Apple is not involved at all during the transaction. (Using Apple Pay on the web and in apps is a different story though.)
Here's a couple links from Visa and Amex that go into a little more detail about how contactless payments work with cards.
Tap to Pay - Learn About Contactless Payments
Tap to pay with Visa for a secure, convenient, and touch-free way to make transactions anywhere you see the Contactless Symbol.
How Do Contactless Cards Work? | AMEX IN
Want to understand contactless payment and how contactless cards work? Read our article about the benefits of going contactless with American Express® now.
www.americanexpress.com
I was in NY for a day to visit the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater with my daughter’s dance team, and noticed that many businesses gave a discount when paying with cash. Now I know when I revisit again this year.
I really hate going out with people who only carry cards or (especially) their iPhone. None of my usual friends are like this.
They never tip (and vigorously insist it's not necessary), there's almost always a card or accepted payment issue when going for a crawl, etc, where these morons tend to complain loudly in the process.
And travelling often as I used to, there are plenty of countries where cash is still king.
A combination of that means I'm usually carrying at least $300 local equivalent in cash as well as my cards and the iPhone whereever I am.
They never tip (and vigorously insist it's not necessary), there's almost always a card or accepted payment issue when going for a crawl, etc, where these morons tend to complain loudly in the process.
And travelling often as I used to, there are plenty of countries where cash is still king.
A combination of that means I'm usually carrying at least $300 local equivalent in cash as well as my cards and the iPhone whereever I am.
Still carry wallet and iPhone, but definitely hope iPhone only becomes realistic eventually. Not really sure why so many states are holding out on Apple Wallet ID support.
Wow, I’m amazed this isn’t more in favour of iPhone only.
I’ve not carried in 5 years. I even forgot my wallet when I went on holiday to France and managed to pay for everything on my phone.
I’ve not carried in 5 years. I even forgot my wallet when I went on holiday to France and managed to pay for everything on my phone.
I live in the U.S. and haven’t carried cash or used a wallet in years. I do carry my driver’s license, debit card, and keyring with car key, house key, and AirTag in my pocket. Debit card and credit cards are in Apple Wallet and I use Apple Pay often. Almost everyone accepts it now.
I’ve never encountered a situation where I wanted to buy something and I couldn’t at least pay with my physical debit card. If that happened I would just not buy it.
I’ve never encountered a situation where I wanted to buy something and I couldn’t at least pay with my physical debit card. If that happened I would just not buy it.
Can’t remember the last time I used cash or a card in the uk and I’m quite happy that way
I don’t care if I never see either again personally,I remember being in Whitby and dying for a eartha kitt,and no cash and I saw the Apple Pay sign on the outside convenience,never have I been so relieved literally 😉
I don’t care if I never see either again personally,I remember being in Whitby and dying for a eartha kitt,and no cash and I saw the Apple Pay sign on the outside convenience,never have I been so relieved literally 😉
I think where you live makes a real difference. I've been going out with only a phone for years in the UK and I can't remember the last time it was a problem.
I feel silly using anything electronic for a small amount, like coffee and bagel, so I always have cash. My daughter took me to an event, and the valet parking ONLY took cash ($20), which she and boyfriend 'never have'. So I whipped out a 20, saved the day. Also, I feel like the more places that have your card/electronic info, the more places to potentially get hacked. Yes, I'm old.
This is a big reason I’ve moved to Apple Pay when possible vs physical card. I’ve had my card data stolen multiple times. The last two roughly in a 6 month period. Significant hassle with so many accounts set for auto payments: cell phone, internet, streaming services, gas & electric utilities, etc…. The last time it happened I was traveling for work, luckily I had another card with me, but I missed out on a lot of points.
I’ve also started noticing a few here in the UK which are card only.
The company I work for also have a pub and cash is only 20-30% of the takings.. it’s old community
Pub with average age of 50+ so imagine younger venues have even less cash
I remember when I was a server in a restaurant here in IL USA that you are no longer allowed to take the customers credit card out of their sight. This forced us to use handheld POS devices tableside. This was back in 2016(?).
Life was better when you would buy most things with cash. For example a vending machine would take a few quarters to get something. Or a fast food meal was a few dollars. Credit cards used to be cumbersome. Now, everything is $2+ and paid for with Credit or Debit cards. Cash is just an inconvenience.
I have my billfold with cards in my vehicle, but since most places take contactless payment these days it often stays in the car and I just use contactless payment in stores (Apple Pay or Google Wallet). I rarely carry cash, only when traveling and just incidental bills for quick tips like bell services or valet.