By Mitch Cohen
Throughout my life, one skill that I learned was managing my money responsibly. Initially, I was afraid of spending money in one sitting, but over time, my fears were alleviated thanks to having multiple payment methods. Two methods of payment I use are cash and a debit card and by having these options, it taught me to save my money and utilize other forms of currency when I run low. But what are the preferred methods of payment used by other students at Adelphi University?
Whenever the term “payment method” cash usually comes to mind. What makes cash such an effective payment method is that it’s easy to understand. Unlike credit cards, which can expire after a certain date, cash never expires.
Harrison Borod, a sophomore communications major, uses cash as his preferred method of payment due to its accessibility. “I prefer using cash because I’m a hands-on kind of guy. I run out of cash really easily, so I’m not opposed to using a card.”
Despite the convenience of dollar bills, the downside is that without careful budgeting at some point you’ll have to replenish it either by using the ATM or going to the bank. That’s when the debit or credit card comes in handy. As for the functions of these cards, debit cards hold the money from one’s bank account, and the funds are instantly taken out when spent. With credit cards, the money spent is charged to a bill that people need to pay. For me, using a debit card is my preferred payment method because I have extra funds and don’t need to worry about paying high-interest credit card bills.
Graduate psychology major Annabelle Poyck uses a debit card as her main method of payment so she can keep track of her funds. “I prefer just using my debit card because I know how much is in my balance and I don’t have to pay it off later,” she said.
In my opinion, the ability to check my balance is incredibly helpful because when I am low on funds, I can open up the TD Bank app and check to see how much money is in my accounts. On top of that, there are also several mobile apps that allow people to transfer money from the app directly into their accounts as well.
In recent years, mobile banking has become increasingly popular. With this innovation, transferring and depositing money is much easier thanks to apps like Venmo and Apple Pay. The mobile banking app I use is Venmo, as it is the most accessible banking app. By using the app, I not only can pay people virtually, but can also receive money from friends and family and transfer it into my account.
Sophomore history major Matt Gomez mainly uses mobile banking apps to pay for things. “I use Apple Pay because I’ve misplaced a couple cards in the past.”
One student who prefers using cash and card over mobile banking apps is freshman history and education major Adriana Barbieri who primarily uses these methods because of how accessible they are to use. “I like to pay in cash or by card because it’s just easier that way since I always carry those.”
Ultimately, while mobile banking apps like Venmo are incredibly useful for depositing money, students like Barbieri would rather use cash or card due to them physically having the money in their pockets.
At the end of the day, all these methods serve the same purpose, which is to allow students to manage money effectively.
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