Use cash or cards. But there's something called https://walt.is/ ... no idea if it's OK or a scam, really. Still in beta stage, and you need to join the waitlist.
this post was submitted on 23 Aug 2026
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I just went back to my actual cards
I’m too disorganized to have ever stopped.
Yeah, that and I was already wary of Google by the time using your phone to pay was a thing and it was an even bigger "fuck no" than when they and MS wanted me to hand over my files for them to store instead of using the perfectly good storage I have at home.
Edit: replied to wrong comment
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Maybe FossWallet
Its based on a github thay ksts the following.
Android App to view Passes (e.g. event tickets, coupons, loyalty cards, boarding passes, ...). Displays esPass (.esPass) & Passbook (.pkpass) files.
So its more for tickets than banking.
It's not open source and not ready yet, but seems interesting. https://walt.is/
Looks clean and seems to aim for privacy
I have a magnetic card holder that goes on the back of my phone case. It holds my debit card, credit card, and my ID. I always have my phone, so I always have my payment methods. I do also have Garmin, but I think I used it once a couple years back. It's just as easy to slide my CC out of my phone case.
Can the magnet ruin cards?
Most terminals these days use the card's NFC function, which can't be ruined by some measly magnet.
It should be safe.
I have been asked to swipe my debit card once
At least in the EU you will not find a legit place with magnetic reader anymore. It's all NFC and chip now. The problem is, that you bank details are readable in clear text on the mag stripe, without any security whatsoever
If they insist on using the mag stripe: find a different shop. If you bank even issues cards with them anymore
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Magnet stripes arent used in europe, you can disable it in the ebanking, as it is very insecure (the pin is stored in the magnetstrip itself)
It hasn't for over a year. I don't know if there is shielding between the magnet side and the cards, but I can't put it in backwards and have it hold.
This is the one I use. I have another one that I got for free from a conference that is aluminum and has a lever to push up the cards, but it's bulky and has corners. The one I linked is slim enough that it doesn't bother me, the magnet is strong enough that I'm not concerned about it randomly taking off, and will hold 3 cards.
A follow up now that I'm by my wallet where I wasn't for my last message.
I have a metal CC that when I put it on the magnet side, it holds. Inside the sleeve, I might be able to feel the smallest magnetic pull, but it's very small if there. I do put my ID closest to the magnet since it's what I use the least, and that does provide an extra buffer as well.
Dude I'm probably an outlier here, but I closed several accounts (credit cards) and primarily use my debit and cash only.
Why? What's the point of all this available credit? For a made up scoring system that I don't really use? But all those companies get to monetize my usage and data yet keep higher interest rates to double dip. My credit isn't perfect but it'd only need it for a car loan or home and I have an older reliable car and a home so I'm good.
Anyway, I digress. I bought a couple AmEx and MC gift cards for online usage if I need. I don't do Amazon, Temu, etc. It's really no different. I don't use NFC payments, never have so can't help you there. I guess my point to commenting is it's easy to live without all these supposed conveniences. Just because it exists doesn't mean you have to use it.
If you pay off your balance every month, there is no interest accrual. For my wife and I, we put pretty much everything in one card, pay it off, then use those point to fly for free on vacations. It's saved is thousands of dollars on travel that we'd still have gone on, but had to pay for. I have a buddy that plays the system and maximizes points and other CC perks, but that's more work than I'm willing to put into it.
I also understand not wanting to use CCs, so no judgement here, just responding to your, "why".
The downsize here: every local business now has started charging 3% fees for card use vs cash. They don't want to take the hit, which I get, but it'd annoying as it cancels a lot of benefits.
We used to put every monthly utility bill or expense in CC too, for that reason you mentioned. Rack up rewards. But again, the utility companies have caught on and charge fees if it's not ACH.. It's just not worth it anymore.
It's not that they caught on, they used to be barred from charging that fee to customers by the payment processors. At some point in the last few years something changed (a court case I think?) which allows them to pass that on to the customer at the point of sale, so now many low margin places do.
Not sure if this is still the case, but I see some do the reverse to get around the "no extra fees for using a CC" rule: instead of adding fees when using a CC, they set the prices higher by that fee all the time but then offer a discount for cash or debit payments.
Right there with ya. Cash is king when it comes to privacy. Sometimes, I need to visit the atm on grocery day which is a bit inconvenient but I'm willing to make the trade-off.
Not saying you should use a credit card, but I haven't seen this point made so I'm going to bring it up.
Everything is more expensive because of credit cards. That 2% cash back doesn't come from nowhere, and it isn't (only) sourced from people paying interest on their payments. Every transaction at a store that accepts credit cards is 2-5% more expensive simply because that store accepts credit cards. The credit card company charges a transaction fee when it is used, and the store isn't going to change the price of something based on your payment method. So everyone pays the 2-5% markup.
This is why I personally have credit cards and also why I would support getting rid of them.
Never use cash/debit.
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If a machine is compromised and your data gets stolen you will never see your money back. Banks/cops do not give a shit. CC company on the other hand? They jump at the opportunity to reverse payments
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How do you expect to build credit?
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Many things you simply cannot do without a CC. Book a hotel. Rent a car.
I didn't say I don't have any CCs. I've gotten rid of a lot of cards, sure. I don't need to "build credit" if I'm not using credit. We're all taught to chase this magical number for benefits, but who does it actually benefit? I could care less if I'm 750 or 450, I'm not playing into their system anymore.
It's taken work, but I've changed spending habits to be more reliant on what I have now and cash save vs "buy now pay later" mentality. What good is a sale if you pay interest on your cards? Sure, pay off right away is great but not everyone can afford to do that, and it can build bad habits. I get there are perks, but I commented elsewhere now businesses charge 3%fees for CC usage, so it's a wash.
I can book a hotel just fine or rent a car with a debit card, too. Sometimes they might put a hold, and if it's an absurd amount, I just use a CC in that instance. But you don't need a high limit or good credit or anything for reservations.
Curve Pay
Curve pay is what I use as well on Graphene OS. A shame we "have" to use yet another third-party company, but it will do until better alternative comes up.
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Some banks (the Volks- & Raiffeisen Banken in Germany for example) offer their own apps with a NFC payment function. It's not as comfortable also Google wallet but it works
I am using it and I don't see a difference. Switched the default action for NFC payment to the app and its the same for me.
Banks in the EU finally have "instant SEPA wire transfer". But the process of getting payment details and authorizing the money transfer is still super clunky.
I really want all payment processors gone. There is no reason why we pay a 3% tax online. Well maybe for security with like ebay. But most ordering with shops, just have some system to easily pay with free online banking transfer. Banks are sleeping on the job. It's the only reason why those assholes got rich off of paypal.
There's wero to easily do instant payments. It should be deployed more and more widely. Hopefully.
Garmin has a wallet but you need one of their watches. No idea about the privacy since I don't use it.
The only time privacy is a concern is when you add your card to your watch. You need a Garmin account. Through that, you add your card. The process or adding a card is an integration between your bank and Garmin. Garmin will request a card token that gets installed on your watch. Once that is done, delete your Garmin account and use GadgetBridge for your watch sync. Using your watch to make payments after the card token is installed does not make calls to Garmin. The POS terminal will recognise its a card from your bank and send the auth request straight as if it's a physical card.
Yeah, sure. I got as far as finding out my financial institution is not supported so I don't know much about it.
Your Google Wallet replacement is the most feared thing by the government of the USA 😂
WERO is on the rise but not yet offered every where or by every bank.
Catima for passes/tickets/loyalty cards etc. There's nothing for NFC payments, which need bank certification to work.
Phone case with a card holder
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If it’s about getting away from a company you don’t like, move to apple. If it’s about data privacy, stop using your phone as a payment method.
None of the alternatives are safe or secure. Do your own research on this because I might have a different understanding than you of what’s safe or secure enough.
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I used to just have a silicon case around my phone, with the banking card clamped between it and the phone: functionally the same, without any technical dependencies.
Privacy .com has an app that I think has similar functionality but I haven't used it. Last time I checked you have to get the non-free subscription of privacy .com, which I've been thinking about doing. Privacy .com enables you to create virtual credit cards so you can purchase things semi-anonymously. I'm using GrapheneOS which I think doesn't allow you to use any sort of NFC payments.
I pay with NFC on GrapheneOS. You just need to find an alternative that works for you.
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