Here's What Apple Pay And Cash Have In Common When It Comes To Messing With Your Budget

    Does it really count as spending money if it takes about a second and a half to make the payment? Yes, yes it does.

    Hameda Nafiz
    by Hameda Nafiz

    BuzzFeed Staff

    I've always had a bit of a problem spending money — and not in the kind of way that means I've hoarded all of it since working my first job at 14.

    NBC

    I mean spending it. So much so that a little while ago, I got myself into a little (a lot) of trouble with credit — partially because of my own spontaneous purchasing tendencies, but also because of a general lack of education around borrowing money. This probably could have been avoided had we spent a little less time trying to figure out the value of "X" and a little more time understanding interest rates and budgeting in math class. 

    And while the fear and trauma caused by the terrible situation I'd suddenly found myself in stopped me from further recklessly spending money that wasn't mine, I always found that those rules didn't extend to cash.

    NBC

    Let's be honest — cash stopped feeling like real money the moment online banking took off. When I started tracking my money digitally, any on-hand cash simply felt like 'left over' funds — an untraceable amount that was mine to spend on what I pleased. And now, of course, there's a new player in the "it doesn't count" realm.

    There is, of course, an easy solution to the whole ~treats cash like Monopoly money~ trope — don't use cash. Apple Pay, however? A completely different ballgame that snuck up like a budget assassin.

    Fox

    As an avid handbag hater, I used to be thrilled by the fact that I can leave my house with my phone and keys and be set for the day. Now, I’m not so sure.

    I know what you're thinking — spending is spending and everyone should have the willpower to not make a purchase that might impede on a budget. But when it's so easy, it's kind of hard to keep track of how much money you've actually spent.

    Netflix

    A double click of a button and you're all set. That's significantly less steps than frantically trying to remember your pin to avoid checkout embarrassment, then swiping or inserting your card, entering the digits and praying it all goes through. 

    As it turns out, I'm not the only one who feels this way — with people on Twitter sharing the exact same sentiment about spending becoming a little too easy.

    $𝔩𝔞𝔭☃️ @slvppy

    apple pay too easy to use, i have to remind myself this is real money

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    Twitter: @slvppy
    Olumide @LohdLippi

    Apple Pay is the smoothest payment experience on the planet. Money shouldn’t be that easy to spend.

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    Twitter: @LohdLippi
    Jommi @NuocWater

    me: i refuse to memorize my card number so i don’t spend a lot also me: i have my card saved on my apple pay, google auto fill, saved on my password manager, easy access on paypal

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    Twitter: @NuocWater

    So, what's the solution? Honestly — I'm not entirely sure. I still order dinner with Apple Pay like it's nothing, only to check my account the next day and discover that I have about $3 to spread over two weeks.

    TV Land

    And I'm sure all the money-savvy people out there will turn your nose up at this — but for the rest of us, it's incredibly difficult not to find yourself in a downwards spiral when it's so easy to spend money. Just like it's so easy to get a credit card without any real education on how that might turn out. 

    All I can really suggest, for myself and for you lot, is to have separate bank accounts for spending, saving and various bills — so that your Apple Pay is only bound to a certain amount of money rather than the whole chunk.

    CBC

    This'll probably encourage some kind of cooling period while you hastily log into your banking app and transfer money over to the right account. Maybe by the time you see how much money you actually have and hit "confirm" you'll change your mind. 

    But I'd love to hear any tips and tricks you guys might have when it comes to reckless spending. Leave your advice in the comments.

    And if you're like me, or anyone else who feels like Apple Pay might be aiding in your poor spending habits — know that you're not alone. There are so many people dealing with the very same struggle and there are avenues for help should you decide you need it.