Reviews

Paymaya: No credit card, no problem!

Getting into credit card debt sucks but there’s really no one to blame but me. Having one really requires a lot of discipline and self-control and I’ve proven to myself that I’m not that strong yet, haha! I can’t wait to get done with my credit by October. Bring out the pom-poms, hooray!

But you know what sucks more? It’s when a stranger uses your credit card and you end up paying for his purchases. It happened to a friend of mine, believe me, it wasn’t pretty.

paymaya-cashier

I love technology!

Technology is a wonderful thing. It’s made so many things very convenient and if you’re smart, it can buy you more time for the people you want to spend it with.

For instance, we now do our grocery shopping via an online store so we no longer need to spend two hours of our time with the kids going around the supermarket on our family days which usually limits our activity for the day. Who wants to run after kids with grocery bags in both hands?

And then there are other things. From pieces of home highlights, clothes, books and shoes, we now purchase most of what we need online. It’s actually a lot of fun to do so because some of the best deals are on the web.

No to risks!

Since we asked the bank to cancel our credit card, at least until we’ve completed our payment, we need something to use to pay for our purchases without the usual risks, such as the one I mentioned at the beginning of this blog.

This is where Paymaya comes in.

Paymaya is an online app that has the functions of a VISA card.

Ms. Kimberly Vargas of Voyager Innovation, Inc. introduced it to me last year but I only got to try it last week.

The search for a Cliqq kiosk

First thing I decided to do was to look for the nearest 7-11 where I could load money into my account. 

There were other options such as BDO money transfer, Robinson’s or SM payment centers, and Smart Money and Smart Money Padala, but 7-11 seemed the most convenient for me.

However, the kiosks were broken on the first three or four 7-11’s we went to. My husband finally found one on the other side of the city the next morning and he loaded me up right away. He said it was a very easy process.

How to load via Cliqq Kiosks

You just click e-money, choose Paymaya, and enter the amount of load and the mobile number you used to register for the app. You’ll then get a receipt that you’ll present to the cashier to pay up.

The amount loaded into my Paymaya account in real time which i used to pay for Facebook ads. The transaction went smoothly.

I’m very happy because I can now use it for all my online purchases. I don’t have to worry about some thief getting his hands on my salary as when I use my bank slash debit card because I only need to load up my Paymaya with the amount I need for my purchases.

And it eliminates the temptation to buy more than we can afford, hahaha!

paymaya-download

Card or App?

There are two types of Paymaya account.

You can order a personalised card off their website or you can download the FREE app. I have the card but I chose to use the FREE app first.

I haven’t tried the card yet but it has a “beep” logo on the upper right corner which tells me I can load up in “beep” centers and use it to ride buses around BGC, or use it to pay for my MRT/LRT rides.

The site says that I can also use my Paymaya account for UBER rides.

if you have both the card and the app, please take note that your card number and your app numbers are different, but as long as you link your card to your app, the same amount you load via your mobile number will reflect on your card. You can use it for physical shopping and other VISA transactions. Just swipe the card and you’re good to go.

Just to be clear, Paymaya is NOT a credit card. It functions more like a debit card. Unless you load it up, you can’t use it to buy anything.

If you have any questions or if you need to know more about Paymaya, visit their website at www.paymaya.com.

37 Comments

    • May De Jesus-Palacpac

      Haha oo. Ang hirap magtimpi kapag alam mo that you can buy now and pay later. Although we would still like to activate it for important purchases.:)

  • Gigi M

    It sounds like a good idea. Definitely one to consider if you need to keep a closer eye on your finances. Might be a good one to give to teenagers. Lol! 🙂

  • Elizabeth O.

    This is awesome and convenient especially if you do a lot of your transactions online. I really like the idea and it’s also more secure because you don’t have to link any bank accounts.

  • Claire Algarme

    It took me quite long before I finally got my credit card (because I needed it to travel). But what I do is that whenever I use it, I always think first if I have a ready amount in my bank account. When the bill arrives, I pay everything off (so it won’t balloon). That’s how I manage my credit cards. And I really discipline myself when it comes to spending my money.

    • May De Jesus-Palacpac

      Ah yes. This is only about using Paymaya as an option. If not for the discipline, for security purposes when you transact online.

  • Fred

    Interesting product for online purchases. Being a debit card, sometimes it may be frustrating if you need it for that piso-fare offer online and you don’t have that much load in your PayMaya card!

  • Malot

    Sounds interesting! Would you know if they also charge annual fees like other debit/credit cards? I can’t seem to find that info on their website. Thanks 🙂

  • roch

    I think Paymaya will give way to more shoppers and businesses to transact sales. This is also good for students who can’t apply to have a formal credit card yet.

  • Nilyn Matugas

    Same here! Also using a debit card for my online transactions, it’s the unionbank eon that’s also connected to my paypal. Now that online transactions are becoming more and more popular, it’s important that we have cards to use. I’m glad they come up with debit and prepaid cards already!

  • Michi

    You really need self-control if you have a credit card. In my case, I like CC because there are so many benefits like cash rebates, miles, discounts and sometimes freebies. But for those who need self-control, paymaya is a good alternative.

  • Mommy Queenelizabeth

    Paymaya sounds interesting.. You are in control! I had a weakness with credit card shopping and it urged me to cut 3 of my credit cards few years back because i might just fall prey to uncontrollable usage! But i still had one creditcard for travel purposes and some emergency expenses. I think i might consider applying for paymaya, parang its a smart choice!

  • Coi

    Same here, we’re going to cancel our credit card as well after we’re done paying it this month!! Yey! Makakahinga na ng maluwag. Hahaha! I think this is really good, esp for online shopping! Hehe! Is there a fee for the card though? And if you’re going to load it, is there an additional fee? 🙂

  • Michelle

    We have CC din and we use it in groceries and in case of emergencies. I just make sure that I pay my debt on time to avoid penalties. I remember PayMaya because my friend used this as a mode of payment to the Colourpop website. You know the common “pasa-buy” of nanays? We did that, so I had to search on a 7/11 branch that has working cliqq kiosk but has found none so I ended up paying through SM Business Center. Haha! Medyo hassle yung search ko for a functioning Cliqq kiosk.

  • Arge

    Hi May! We also have a PayMaya card but we seldom use it.

    I actually didn’t know it’s many uses up until I read your post 🙂 Super convenient pala because we can use it for transpo expenses!

  • Maan

    I’ve probably tried every single payment method on the planet (exagg haha) but I’ve never tried Paymaya before. There’s a 7-11 being built several blocks away from home so I’ll consider this next time!

  • Mabel Atienza

    Definitely a must have in our current time because most purchases are done online. This can also save us from being victims of identity theft and be left with insurmountable amount of debt with knowing. With this card, you have no choice with to work with a budget that you loaded onto it. Technology is such a wonderful thing! 😀

  • Kati Allan-Balayan

    I’ve been hearing a lot about Paymaya lately. I personally use my Unionbank EON debit card since I don’t do credit cards anymore, but I think the ability to use Paymaya for LRT/MRT and BGC rides is a neat idea.

  • Joy

    Ooh, so that’s what Paymaya is. I always see it in my IG feed but for some reason I’ve never got a chance to click on the video and know more about it. I think it’s better than credit card since you won’t really get to spend that much unless you load it up with more money, heehee!. Thank you for sharing. 🙂

  • Mhaan A

    I find Paymaya very useful to manage our budget and it is very convenient to use. I will definitely discuss this with hubby, for sure he will like it! Thanks for sharing!

  • Neri Ann

    I am allergic to credit cards too. I have one before that I used when I purchased a cellphone then I accidentally drop off the cellphone from a vehicle and the founder didn’t brought it back to me. Eh I only purchased it weeks before and was not even paid yet. So I have to pay for it kahit wala na yung item sa kin. Sad. This is a great news for me na walang credit card and would like to schedule an UBER ride! Especially sa area namin na super hirap ng taxi at ang mahal pa ng Grab rates.

  • Ma.Me.Mi.Mommy

    Oooh, this is so informational. I keep seeing CLIQQ in 7-11 banners but I have no idea what it was. It’s good to learn about it here. Paymaya is a great alternative for those who do not have credit cards and is really a great way to deter online credit card theft.

  • Angel Caronongan-Enero

    Naku allergic din ako sa CC mommy, I am a proud “no creadit since birth” nyahaha! Although, as a mommy minsan need din but I am happy that my husband owns a credit card so no need for me to have one. Will check on this paymaya app 🙂

  • Dess

    Hi! Been using BPI e-prepaid with my online transactions until i got a recent problem. After much thinking, i decided to download Paymaya and been going thru blogs of all sorts to check the reviews on this thing. Has anyone tried booking hotels/ accommodations / Uber rides with it? Allergic din kasi ako sa mga credit cards so i have never applied for one esp when i see yearly dues / fees..

  • Daisy

    What if I bought an item online with Paymaya with no money inside it? I recently ordered from Amazon using my card with insufficient money…. Amazon accepted it. I don’t know what will happen next. Maybe Amazon will be able to detect and reject my order? Or maybe I’ll be asked by Paymaya to pay the remaining balance so Amazon can go on with my order….. Has anyone experienced this?

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