Still gathering your statements to cut checks, stuff envelopes, and lick stamps on “bill night” each month? Or rushing home to get on your computer so you can log in to your credit card account to see if your payment has posted?
If so, you’re clearly not taking advantage of a mobile banking or credit card app and the computing power of that smartphone in your pocket or purse. Managing your finances via a mobile app is no longer something coming in the future—it has become a way of life in the present.
A recent survey found that 62% of respondents say they use a mobile banking app, a 14-point increase from two years earlier. Another survey revealed that mobile banking apps rank in the top three applications used by Americans, behind only social media and weather apps. Yet another survey found that nine out of 10 Americans rated their bank’s mobile app as “good,” “very good,” or “excellent.”
If you’re one of the minority out there still not using a mobile app to manage your credit cards, ask yourself why not. If you don’t have a reason, here are four good ones to consider downloading a credit card app onto your mobile device.
The Credit One Bank Mobile App: Perfect for Your Busy Lifestyle
1. Anytime, Anywhere Access
Okay, maybe not anywhere—but anywhere you get sufficient cell phone or WiFi service to connect to the internet. So, if you’re out for dinner with a date and find yourself wondering if you’ve got enough credit left on your card to cover the lobster she just ordered, go ahead and slyly check your balance under the table before deciding whether you should order just a bowl of soup for yourself.
With a mobile app, you can easily access your account from just about anywhere your busy life takes you.
2. Time Savings
If you don’t have to make time to get in front of your computer or call in to access or manage your credit card account, that’s time you can use to do other things. You can also save time by taking care of credit card business—such as making a payment or checking to see your payment posted—while doing other chores like standing in line at the grocery store, negotiating multiple windows at the DMV, or sitting in your parked car in front of the school as you wait to pick up the kids.
To save you even more time, many apps, such as the Credit One Bank Mobile app, give you the option to quickly yet securely sign in with fingerprint or facial recognition. Or you can take the two seconds to punch in your security code.
3. It Can Help You Avoid Fees
Most mobile credit card apps are free of charge, so there shouldn’t be a fee to download one. And, once you have one installed, they can be helpful in avoiding other fees—such as late payment fees—by reminding you when your payment is due. The Credit One Bank Mobile app, for example, can be set up to send you email or text notifications that let you know when your payment is due and help ensure that you get it in on time. You can even set it up to let you know when the payment posts to your account.
4. Many Apps Feature Helpful Extras
Along with supplying the tools you need to manage your account, as an added bonus, some credit card and banking apps also provide bonus services to help you better manage your credit. A good example of this is the free credit score and credit report summary from Experian® Credit One Bank’s mobile app provides. It allows card members to track their credit scores monthly.
In addition, many mobile apps, including Credit One Bank’s, also communicate offers to app users.
Still not convinced a mobile banking or credit card app is right for you? Check out some of the user reviews available at the App Store or Google Play and see what others have to say about it. If you’re still not sufficiently swayed, why not just give it a try for a week and see if you like it?
Remember, getting rid of the app and going back to your “more traditional” methods of managing your account is simply a matter of hitting the “uninstall” button on your smartphone.