In the last couple of years a number of apps, which make our lives so much easier, have appeared on the scene. Payment apps like Snapscan and Zapper allow small vendors to accept credit card payments. So when you go to the market, you don’t have to worry about having enough cash to pay for everything you want to buy. Many restaurants are appending a Snapscan or Zapper QR code to the end of the bill that they present to you. I find this speeds up the payment process, just scan and pay. No need to wait for them to bring a card machine, etc. Also, it helps you work out the tip which is sometimes useful when I’ve had too much wine!
Apps like Uber and Taxify are fantastic for getting around. I use them all the time and it’s so convenient that payment comes straight off my credit card. You don’t have to worry about carrying cash, just jump out when you reach your destination and payment is done automatically. Fast and safe, just the way we like it.
If you haven’t used Taxify, you should check it out. It’s basically the same as Uber, just a bit cheaper. Use my promo code DAXVYE and get R100 off your first ride
There is one small problem with these apps though. If your wallet gets lost or stolen, you need to cancel all your cards straight away and this means none of these apps will work because they are using the same cards you just had to cancel. Fortunately there is something you can do to mitigate this risk.
All of these apps I’ve mentioned allow you to have multiple cards registered in the app and to choose which one you want to pay with. Many people use this to put some expenses on a business card vs a personal card for example. What I’ve done is I’ve put in a second personal card, and that card stays at home. This means if I lose my wallet I can cancel all the cards that were in my wallet straight away but I can still get around and pay for things with my phone, using the second card that is still sitting safely at home.
I also then have the spare physical card that I can use while the bank sorts out my replacement cards. So I can still transact and withdraw cash with my spare card as well as still use Uber, Taxify, Snapscan, Zapper, etc.
Interesting Reading: Best Local Apps
Now you should be asking, where do I get this second card from? Well, there are 2 options.
1. A credit card
Most credit cards have quite hefty annual fees, which makes having a spare credit card quite an expensive option. But the Virgin Money credit card has no annual fees, just a once of initiation fee of R160. So this is a great option for a backup credit card that you can leave at home for emergencies.
2. A debit card
If you don’t qualify for credit, then this is the option for you. Most banks offer a cheap bank account option. This is the option I went for. I opened a ‘Easy’ account at FNB, on a pay-as-you-go fee option. This costs me R5 per month. I keep a couple of thousand Rand in that account to cover me in emergencies. I’ve tested the debit card in all the apps and it allows payments with no problem. The added advantage of this option is that you can use the card to draw cash at an ATM as well.
Once you have your spare card, load it into your various apps and be sure to test it. Then put your card somewhere safe at home and don’t forget where you’ve put it! Then you’re good to go. Losing your wallet won’t mean huge amounts of inconvenience any more!