I never carry cash around. Cash is annoying, making my pockets bulge and spreading germs. When going on a trip, I usually withdraw some cash in smaller notes for the express purpose of tipping.

Even in an all-inclusive club hotel, the tips will go a long way to improving your quality of life, which is the whole reason for staying at one :)) Maid, barman, the nice guy who dispenses towels or the one helping you book a poolside pavilion. Indispensable in any smaller joint as well, a tip greases the wheels of any service, you just notice how things speed up. After a week though, I’m usually out of cash, and then it’s either looking for an ATM or installing endless apps that clutter my phone screen. I’ve tried the app-less iTips service and tipped easily with my phone in just a couple of taps-QR code to payment screen directly. Worked like a charm. There was this little profile for my barman, too :) Cool, modern approach to micro transactions. Five stars from me.

I travel lightly and a lot, mostly for work, living between several countries, so I made it a habit not to accumulate stuff, only passports :)) I almost never carry cash around, and my cards are mostly virtual which is safer and also more convenient. Paying well for service, I expect it to be good in return. I’m a firm believer in people doing their jobs well, be it a nail artist, barista, massage therapist or Pilates instructor. Here’s a simple example: I love white clothes, like really stark white, and I hate it when I get them from laundry and they’re suddenly greyish, and then they tell me “yeah what did you expect, things don’t stay white forever”.

So I got my crisp white shirts back from the laundry yesterday and they were so white it almost hurt to look at, and that plastic bag they came in had an iTips QR code on it. Super simple, pointed the phone camera at it, got the tipping/feedback page, sent a tip to these nice people. That’s how it should be: everyone proud of what they’re doing, no matter if they make apps or launder shirts. The iTips service was a cherry on top for me, all nice and clean and working like you expect it to. Perfect aftertaste!

I got a little microchip in my wrist to open doors. well, not just any door, but my home and office. Love seeing the faces of new people who don’t know how I do it. next step is using that microchip for contactless payments, I really hope to get around to it soon. so today I tipped my fitness instructor AND left a five-star review AND booked the next session, all using my phone, and I had a blast using the technology.

I usually only have my phone on me (plus the earphones for music), and my instructor had a QR code linking to his personal profile right on his T-shirt. no apps, no registration needed, all based on iTips. Her profile said she is saving up for the Iron Girl triathlon, so we shared a laugh -- a couple of months of these sessions with her and we could go together :) I do have a microchip after all, just like Tony Stark. Loved the iTips, too, gotta find a way to have those in my arm as well!