Notwithstanding demonetisation, who needs cash anymore Anyway, the new notes aren&rsquot particularly gorgeous (*cough* Monopoly money *cough*). Today, you can look after most of your expenses digitally, with your smartphone as the magic wand. Though does that mean exclusively cash-less travel is a reality Not yet, but it&rsquos headed in that direction. However, that shouldn&rsquot stop you from relying on the solid bank of apps we already have, and if you are millennial enough, operating them should be a cakewalk.
So if you wish to ditch the wallet on your next trip, tap the download button on these
OneAssist (iOS and Android)
Best to vacay, with a bit of securi-tay. You could go prancing about hillocks or skipping by the riverside all you want, but having an app like OneAssist in tow will guarantee you do so without any worry. After all, you can buy claimable protection plans for your home appliances, mobile phone and plastic currency. There&rsquos more if you have difficulty finding an ATM, the app will help you. If you&rsquod like your cards blocked or emergency cash delivered, the app will assist you. If you need flight ticket and hotel bill settlements done, the app will do them for you. If you are looking for deals and offers...
Cabto (Android)
One app to book them all. Cabto is aggregator-ception an aggregator app for cab aggregators like Uber, Ola and Meru. It is simple to use&mdashchoose &lsquoCabs&rsquo, enter the drop and pick-up locations, and every cab service&rsquos various alternatives (such as Share, Micro, Mini, etc. for Ola) are listed in ascending order of price. It shows wait time, surge pricing, length of the journey, route, and your booking history too.
You might be wondering that the &lsquoCabs&rsquo tab in Google Maps does the same. You&rsquore right, but it has fewer features and gives only a range for the ride cost. Also, Cabto lets you book the cab in-app (with a different interface for each aggregator) and remembers each journey so that you can select it in the future with a single click.
PhonePe/Paytm/Google Pay (iOS and Android)
I suggest you have not one, not two, but three payments apps installed for one reason accessibility. Google Pay is purely Unified Payments Interface (UPI) based, which means it allows instant real-time payment if you just have a bank account linked to it. It works for many restaurants, shops and even cab drivers now. But most of the rest still use Paytm, which loads credit using UPI, debit/credit cards, internet banking etc. This is because it predates UPI, not many understand the system as opposed to Paytm, and Vijay Shekhar Sharma&rsquos, the app&rsquos founder, efforts towards proliferating the app among businesses has been commendable.
Finally, use PhonePe because many Uber/Ola drivers have been preferring it lately over Paytm.
Nearbuy (iOS and Android)
I know you&rsquore on vacation, so you are not as stingy as otherwise, but there&rsquos no harm in hunting for a great deal or discount. Nearbuy looks for such nearby, or in the city you are visiting. Pick among many categories&mdash&lsquoeat out&rsquo, &lsquospa&rsquo, &lsquosalon&rsquo, &lsquoactivities&rsquo and many more&mdashchoose a deal, and proceed to pay using your credit card, debit card, internet banking or Paytm. It&rsquos not just a deal-seeker, but also an easy way to find things to do. Anything but a deal-breaker.
Trivago (iOS and Android)
Meme-fy and laugh as you will at Abhinav Kumar, Trivago&rsquos India head, whose TVCs with him blaring &lsquoHello Trivago&rsquo are memorable for all the wrong reasons, but this is a cracker of a hotel aggregator. With a mammoth database, exciting deals and the ease of search, you&rsquoll find what you are looking for&mdashbe it a dorm bed or a lavish suite. If you&rsquove planned your stay in advance, well and good. But if you&rsquove landed at a place and immediately need a suitable place to stay Trivago. No cash, only credit Trivago. Hotel Yeah, you get the picture.