Featured photo by: Liza Summer

I’ve been adopting a cashless lifestyle for a while now. When I started, it was only credit card and debit card that could be used. But thanks to the evolution of technology, we now have the likes of Gcash and Maya as well as ShopeePay as options to pay for our purchases. And the COVID-19 pandemic hastened the country’s transition to a cashless society. In fact, according to Visa’s research, more Filipinos are going cashless nowadays.

Because of this, I’m able to go on days without having to use cash when I’m going out. Here are the ways I’m able to live a cashless lifestyle on a daily basis:

ShopeePay Later/LazPay Later

I’ve enjoyed online shopping for years now. I find it so much more convenient to just browse products online and with a few clicks, add to cart, checkout, and pay. The items will just be delivered to your doorstep in the next few days. I even managed to earn a few bucks back thanks to Shopback.

These days, shopping on Shopee or Lazada are made even easier thanks to their ShopeePay Later/LazPay Later feature. This is like an online credit card only it’s exclusive to the platform. You’re given a limit that you can use to purchase from the site and as it says, you have the option to pay later. A month. Three months. Etc. This is on an installment basis and they charge you an interest fee depending on the number of months you choose to pay for your stuff. I personally prefer LazPay Later though because Lazada allows for 1 month deferred payment without charging you interest.

Beep Card

Every person who lives in the city needs a beep card. This allows you to get around the MRT/LRT systems and also ride the BGC bus. When I was working in Ortigas, I always had a fully loaded beep card so I could skip the queue of people buying one-time-use tickets. These days, I still ensure to have Beep card with load for when I need to use the train or BGC bus.

GrabPay

Another way I’m able to live a cashless lifestyle is with GrabPay. I ensure to have money in my Grab wallet so whether I’m booking a ride a car to go somewhere or having food delivered at home via Grab Food, I can easily do so. I also subscribed to Grab Unlimited so I can earn points. Gather enough points from using GrabPay and I can use it for a discount.

Online Banking

I’m enrolled in online banking. Through this, I’m able to send money to friends and pay my bills. I’ve not had to fall in line to pay bills these days. I can easily settle it without having to leave my house.

E-wallet

I love the fact that plenty of brick-and-mortar establishments these days allow e-wallets like Gcash and Maya for payments. Isn’t it awesome that you can pay just by using your mobile phone and scanning a qr code?

My Cashless Lifestyle Partner

Like I said, there are now a lot of options to choose from that allow you to live a cashless lifestyle. My favorite way though is using my Unionbank Play Everyday debit card. I’ve been using this for about a year now.

What do I love about using this card? Every use allows me to earn points that can be converted to rewards. Every Php20 spent equals 1 play point. When you’re also enrolled in online banking, you’ll be able to see your progress on the leaderboard. There are plenty of rewards choices from grocery gift certificates to online shopping vouchers. I’ve personally got my eye on a Ride Revolution package reward.

Goodbye Cash?

Going cashless in Metro Manila is very much possible. But keeping a few bucks in one’s wallet is still important. After all, you never know when you might encounter a system-down error just when you’re about to pay for your purchase. It’s happened to me quite a number of times at convenience stores. Plus jeepneys still require cash payment. So while a cashless lifestyle is the way to go for convenience, cash is still necessary in one’s daily life.