I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Isis Wallet. I received a promotional item to facilitate my review.
As a mom there is no end to the items I have to make sure I have available when I leave the house. Though I’d like to carry a sleek little purse all the time it’s just not always possible on a day to day basis. One item that frequently has to go on a diet is my wallet. Not that I have tons of cash on me (I WISH), but receipts, debit/credit cards and rewards cards can sometimes make the poor wallet obese to say the least. One thing I cannot live without is my phone. It’s with me at all times. With all the other fantastic features my SmartPhone has I can now even use it to make a payment without opening my wallet.
Isis Wallet makes this possible.
source: Verizon Wireless, Use Your Smartphone As Your Wallet
What is Isis Wallet?
This is a mobile wallet app that allows your smart phone to be used as a payment device at any location that accepts contactless payments. These terminals use NFC (Near Field Communication) technology to allow your phone to become a tap-to-pay device.
source: Isis Mobile Wallet Facebook Page
What Do You Need to Use This Wallet App?
First of all you need to be a mobile customer of either T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and AT&T service providers. Check with your service provider to make sure your phone is NFC compatible. My Samsung Galaxy S4 came already able to use NFC and just needed to be turned on so I could use the app. If your phone is not all ready to be used as a contactless transfer device (the app will let you know) then you can go to your provider to request a special SIM card to add the service to your phone.
The Isis Wallet App can be downloaded directly from the iPhone App Store or Google Play Store. You’ll need to create an account and add your Chase or Wells Fargo debit cards for use with the app for payment. Alternatively, you can open a Serve card by American Express. This is my favorite option because upon opening the card you get $25 to start making payments. Also, you can attach the Serve card to another debit card in order to fund transactions. This works for me because I don’t have a Chase or Wells Fargo debit card, but I do have an Amex SERVE card.
How to Save with Isis Mobile Wallet
In addition to being convenient to use you can save money through offers available through the mobile app. You can either search the full list of stores for one you love or choose to search for stores nearby you for special deals. Typically, once you’ve found a deal you want to use you show a special code to the cashier, but most of the deals are applied automatically. I’ve earned a $15 reward on my Serve card already from using the Isis Wallet for shopping. Also, I earn a $1 back for every transaction I complete with the wallet that uses my Amex card to fund it.
If you are a smoothie lover then this next deal is going to be perfect for you – free small smoothies (or juices) at Jamba Juice! In conjunction with Isis Wallet they are offering 1 Million free smoothies. Open the app, pull up the Jamba Juice offer and click the check box and tell it to “Use Offer Now”. This basically “pins” it to your payment screen so it’s applied when you tap to pay. BONUS – You can do this every. single. day. That is until December 31, 2014 or they give away 1 Million.
Using the Wallet as a Mom on the Go
source: http://facebook.com/PayWithIsis
Since we don’t live in an urban area where NFC terminals are plentiful my opportunities to use the wallet were limited but still effective. I was able to use the Isis Mobile Wallet at McDonald’s, Rite Aid and the local Meijer store to buy groceries. The application of deals was straightforward and quick. Since my husband typically does all the gas fill ups I haven’t had a chance to use it at a gas station yet, but I’m looking forward to doing so since I hate using a any type of card at those outdoor terminals. The wallet can also be used on vending machines. Though I haven’t yet I’ve been thinking of finding one that accepts contactless payment so I can take advantage of their Coke deal – first three free :). I rarely have cash or change on me anyway so this alternate form of payment is really convenient in this situation.
It was fun to see the reactions of people when they would watch me use my phone as the payment device. I had several comments that they’d seen the contactless cards before but never a smart phone do the same thing. Personally, I feel the mobile wallet is more secure than the cards because I can choose to lock and turn off the capability when I’m not using the payment app. You can’t do that with a card. My pin locks it out and if I really want to I can turn the NFC service on my phone off to prevent any “accidental” payment.
Isis Wallet is available on the iPhone and 60 Android devices through Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T. Download the app and give it a try. It is free after all. You could even make some money too.
Firstly, I’m a mom and wife. Professionally, IT consulting is my job and blogging is the outlet for my passions. I write about things that affect the everyday life of a stay-at-home parent or any parent for that matter such as parenting, relationships, discipline, the media, product reviews, giveaways, social media, food, cooking, gardening and anything else that might come my way.
