Paperless tickets to events and travel

Feelslikefar

Feelslikefar

Senior Member
Location
Nashville, TN
I realize this has been available for a while now but never messed with using my phone to pay for things.
Guess I just didn't trust that things wouldn't get screwed up.

Our last trip back to Nebraska for a football game, we had to download our tickets to the phone.
It is the only way to have tickets, no more paper proof allowed.
This was my first time doing this and I was very nervous if this would work with my phone.
I have an older smart phone and it no longer holds a charge like it should.

The same thing when we arrived at the airport, my boarding pass was on my phone.
Our rental car info and hotel reservation was also stored on my phone.

Having the only proof you purchased something is stored on a phone, gave me pause.

I'm usually pretty lack about where my phone is at home and what the battery charge is, but this trip
taught me to guard that thing with all my might.

The final verdict was that everything worked fine, just held the phone over the scanner and we got
on the plane and into the game. No problems.
Guess I'll get used to all the 'new' tech available and already looking to upgrade my phone if I want
to continue to get out and about.
 

I do almost everything paper. I tell vendors that I don't have internet access and suddenly paper whatever is available.

My phone goes on my nightstand every night and is plugged in to charge. A few years ago, I woke up one morning and my iPhone screen said, "Deactivated". Huh? Everything was gone. Everything! Took it to the ATT store and they said there was nothing I could do. Called Apple, same answer. Nobody could tell me why that happened. Contacts, photos, everything -- Gone! The phone was reactivated but I was so disgusted and angry that I switched to a prepaid android. Even if you back up everything, an electronic failure can happen with any device.

Now, everything is done with paper. Bills, receipts, bank statements, tax returns, everything. Some places charge a couple bucks to send a paper statement. Fine. If I order anything online, I print the order before leaving that page. I have a little black book with contact info on everybody. Photos are backed up to a couple of other devices.

The one thing that may get me in today's digital world is money. I pay cash for all purchases (except for online and monthly bills); I am told there are now some places that only accept credit/debit cards, in which case I will walk away.

Edited to Add:

When I opened bank accounts (in local physical banks), I did not authorize or establish any electronic access. Not only can I not "check my balance", nobody else has access, either. No electronic access. Well, except maybe the IRS.
 
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My preference is to make sure I have everything in paper; all files are paper.
I use electronic for convenience only. I resisted a smart phone and still do.

One day, I mistakenly erased all email for the last two years.
Lost some receipts from contractors, just called those three and asked for backup copies, which I promptly downloaded and printed off.
Haven't missed any of the emails in about 4 months.
There were so many junk emails I really don't care.

Is hard to wean myself off of no paper airline tickets, etc. I usually print a backup and stick it in my pocket/purse.
Really dislike constantly being connected where I can be reached, or NEEDING something electronic.
As if my iphone is an exterior pacemaker for my heart or something!
 

Feelslikefar said:
Guess I'll get used to all the 'new' tech available and already looking to upgrade my phone if I want
to continue to get out and about.
Click to expand...
Have you come across retailers who refuse to take cash? We have friends staying over Christmas, so provision shopping and a few Christmas gifts have had us at the shops. Every purchase at every shop, the shop's card reader is presented at the point of sale, ready for card or phone payment. Most still take cash when it's presented but there have been no less than three who have turned away the sale rather than accept cash payment.
The irritating thing about that was the attitude. I was expected to swipe my card zap with a phone. Only one shop assistant, an older lady, nodded an agreement when I said, "January doesn't bring me a statement that makes my eyes water." "So true," she replied, but still couldn't take payment with cash.
 
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horseless carriage said:
Have you come across retailers who refuse to take cash? We have friends staying over Christmas, so provision shopping and a few Christmas gifts have had us at the shops. Every purchase at every shop, the shop's card reader is presented at the point of sale, ready for card or phone payment. Most still take cash when it's presented but there have no less than three who have turned away the sale rather than accept cash payment.
The irritating thing about that was the attitude. I was expected to swipe my card or zap with a phone. Only one shop assistant, an older lady, nodded an agreement when I said, "January doesn't bring me a statement that makes my eyes water." "So true," she replied, but still couldn't take payment with cash.
Click to expand...

Watching younger cashiers count out and return change is such a fascinating event. LOL.
 
I carry very little cash. I have several credit cards, but mostly use my bank card. I also have identity theft and credit card protection through LifeLock. I have had this for over 10 years and they have called me a few times to verify that I did make the purchase if it goes over the purchase price that I have setup on my profile.

When I was working, I would buy coffee from a Starbucks in New York at 6 a.m. and then maybe a sandwich in LA at 10 a.m. and they would call me because they couldn’t figure out how I made the two purchases so close together, yet 3000 miles apart. That’s when I started carrying a $20.00 bill with me.

After they learned that I was a pilot, they were able to clear small purchases under $50.00 without calling me.
 
I was so glad when I started being able to buy tickets on my phone. It saved me time and trouble, especially not having to take an escalator to the ticket booth in Port Authority, then walking so far to take another one down (while managing my suitcase) to get to the Atlantic City bus. I finally found a better way to get there though.

Rather than trying to use the train station's kiosk, which was sometimes out of order, I now buy my tickets to the Hoboken/Jersey City waterfront park right on my phone. One must just be mindful to make sure to keep the phone charged before venturing out and to keep it where it will not be lost. But even if the phone was lost, if I'm not mistaken and the passenger has an account with the transportation provider and can log in on another device (perhaps a tablet or companion's tablet), the tickets should still be accessible.
 
oldman said:
I carry very little cash. I have several credit cards, but mostly use my bank card. I also have identity theft and credit card protection through LifeLock. I have had this for over 10 years and they have called me a few times to verify that I did make the purchase if it goes over the purchase price that I have setup on my profile.

When I was working, I would buy coffee from a Starbucks in New York at 6 a.m. and then maybe a sandwich in LA at 10 a.m. and they would call me because they couldn’t figure out how I made the two purchases so close together, yet 3000 miles apart. That’s when I started carrying a $20.00 bill with me.

After they learned that I was a pilot, they were able to clear small purchases under $50.00 without calling me.
Click to expand...

I headsup my bank if I go out of town.
Once, I got a notice that I'd bought $460.00 worth of diesel at a South Austin gas station on my VISA.
Not only was I not there, but:
What did they fill UP?? LOL
 
CooCooforCoCoPuffs said:
I headsup my bank if I go out of town.
Once, I got a notice that I'd bought $460.00 worth of diesel at a South Austin gas station on my VISA.
Not only was I not there, but:
What did they fill UP?? LOL
Click to expand...
My son also works for United now - about 8-10 years so far.
Sometimes I will call him and ask him where he is.
He will say: "I have no clue..." and pause...then (I assume look at his trip schedule and tell me all the back and forths).

I have no clue how airline pilots can sleep. Coffee at 0600 on EST, lunch on PST at 0600....LOL
 
I don’t like these changes but I do my best to accept them.

For me, it’s not the change or new way of doing things that intimidates me as much as my lack of experience in dealing with any problems that may come with the changes.
 
I'm ar from being a luddite, but I don't like having phone banking, or tickets /passport/ etc on my phone.. this is what makes phones so attractive to thieves...

Just yesterday..the police arrested one of the most prolific phone thieves in London. He and others like him have been stealing phones right out of people's hands for years... just the previous day he'd snatched 24 mobile phones worth £20,000 in just ONE HOUR !!


Not only are the phones of value themselves, but the whole idea of snatching them particularly when someone is in the process of texting or calling.. is because the phone is then already unlocked, and the thief has instant access to banking , Social security details, passport, driving licence and eveything ese people are keeping on phones these days etc...

Now this guy who rides through the London streets on electric ( silent ) bike.. was able to sneak up onto the pavements beore the victims even knew he was there.. and in a nano second he was gone with their phone... but he's only one of hundreds of phone thieves in the Capital never mind the rest of the country...



 
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I tried it before and it's just okay, but some things I prefer on paper. I don't take my phone everywhere I go. I don't want this thing in my pocket all the time, and if it drops and breaks, or no battery....then you're screwed. It's good to able to live in both worlds
 
Are you saying a person can’t get a boarding pass at the airport at the airline’s kiosks?
 
I always print a paper copy of my tickets for everything besides having them on my phone. One time my phone completely crashed at the airport but I was able to use my paper tickets. An IT person was never able to recover anything from my phone so I lost everything including my pictures.
 

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