If you're the one who always picks up the bill so your friends send you their share of the cash via Venmo, you probably wish you could spend that money when you're out and about without having to transfer it to your bank account. Well, good news: Here's how to use Venmo's new debit card — a physical debit card that, once you apply, lets you access your Venmo balance to buy all of the things everywhere that Mastercard is accepted. With six colors to choose from, and the ability to transfer money instantly to your Venmo debit card from a linked account, it's basically everything you love about the app in a cute little card. And, amongst the color choices available, it comes in pink.
The card, which Venmo parent company PayPal launched in beta in late June, documents your balance, splits, and purchases right in the app. "We also made tracking Venmo card activity simple. Card purchases show up in your Venmo transaction history, so you can split with Venmo friends or share what you bought on the feed," Venmo explained on its blog. "For those with Venmo notifications enabled, you’ll be notified on your phone with each swipe. And, we aim to alleviate the panic that comes with losing a card: just a few taps in the app, and boom — your card is disabled."
What's more, if you're shopping online and you come across a site that doesn't accept PayPal, you can use your Venmo debit card instead so you don't have to enter your banking debit or credit card info online. You can also use the card to withdraw cash for that taco truck on the corner that doesn't accept plastic. Similar to your regular debit card, you can deactivate your Venmo debit card in the app if it's lost or stolen.
Additionally, if your Venmo card does get swiped, and you don't notice right away, the thief can only spend what's on the card versus cleaning out your entire bank account. While you'll likely get the money back either way, waiting for your checking account to be refunded can take several days and be super stressful if you've written a rent check you don't want to bounce. So, if you're someone who loses things on the regular, just put what you need on your card each time you venture out. Sounds like a win-win, amiright?
It doesn't take much to get people Twitter excited these days, and Venmo devotees are going bananas over their new Venmo debit cards. They want you to send them money so they can use them — hopefully to buy you a coffee with the money you just loaded onto their card. If you're having major Venmo FOMO, you can order your very own millennial-pink card right freakin' now. If you're so over pink, the card also comes in black, white, yellow, blue, and green.
If all of that's not enough, the Venmo debit card allows for swipe-free shopping so you don't have to insert the chip and hear that horrible noise when the transaction is complete (except at Trader Joe's, where the sound is a pleasant little song). Simply tap your card, and peace out. You can apply for the Venmo card in the app so you can start living your best cash-free life and splitting all the checks and buying all the things like a boss.
