Someone asked me recently if I had a Venmo account. They said they no longer used traditional checks and would deposit the money they owed for groceries from their bank into my Venmo account.
Venmo? You mean Venom, like snake venom?
No, they meant Venmo, a way to accept payment from an individual for anything from splitting a check at a restaurant to buying a used lawnmower.
So, I checked into Venmo.com and was so confused by the start-up procedure for this new-fangled Hi-Tech operation, I did what most any older person would do – I called my daughter, Laura. Naturally, she has a Venmo account and uses it often. She came over a few days later and set my Venmo account up in about 5 minutes – not her best time, but not bad allowing that it took me five minutes just to type Venmo.com on my computer and adjust for typos.
With Venmo, you can pay friends and split things like utilities, rent, groceries, and restaurant tabs. You can send money, like for a gift card, for birthdays and special occasions, and if you have a business, you can also let customers pay by Venmo rather than writing a check or using a charge card. It’s like writing an electronic check from your bank account. They also offer a Venmo credit card with competitive rates and services. I understand Venmo now has over 70 million users.
I have since used my Venmo account on multiple occasions and it’s easy, quick and efficient. I really like it and it’s a snap to set up – if you have a daughter. But I would advise that people over 55 should not try this on their own.