Tsikbal: from my perspective

One of the things that the COVID-19 pandemic changed the most in my life, is that traditional banks have been pushing to make use of their mobile apps. As such, they have been making a lot of improvements on the user interface, and making it a lot easier to manage your money using their app. Not only that, making payments and transferring money using the app has become a lot easier. So much so, that so far I've just needed to use the web page on my laptop for edits which I wasn't able to do on the app itself. This has meant that I can administer my financial life where ever I am when the need arises, without needing to have a computer at hand. My smartphone has become a powerful tool to enable me to effectively manage my bank accounts without much hassle, and with all the information I need at a moments notice. It has also meant, that my need for cash has been declining over the last year. Since it most places I frequent on regular basis, I can pay either by credit, debit, or a...

Since a couple of years ago, there has been easier to carry less cash in Mexico with several ways both businesses and people can pay for services electronically or with credit or debit card. Banks have been making transfers to other people, and paying for services and taxes, via their apps a lot easier. I use the apps of Santander, and Banorte, and both have been making such transactions easier with each app update. Specially since March, when the lock downs started because of the pandemic. Also companies that allow to take payments using a tablet, or an smartphone, have been making a lot of inroads. The biggest one has been Clip , followed closely by PayPal's iZettle . Also PayPal , and Mercado Pago , have entered the Mexican market heavily. For the time being, most people use their bank's app, or website, to manage their payments. Specially since in Mexico almost everyone with a formal job receives their payroll on a bank account that their employer set up for them, or which ...

Up to last week, I didn't have to do home office. As such, I haven't had to access the computer on work remotely. But when I had to work remotely last week, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do so since I use Linux Mint on my personal laptop and Windows at work. As such, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to access my desktop remotely in order to be able to work from home. This was compounded by the fact that the IT department of my workplaces had problems doing so in the past, so much so that they trashed the idea to move to Linux. So, I had some hours to find a way to connect remotely in a way that wouldn't interfere with my ability to work from home. After a couple of hour I narrowed my search to Remmina , which had a lot of good reviews to work at a remote Windows desktop from Ubuntu or Linux Mint. And so far, it has worked as a charm. I've no problems related to Remmina, just a problem at the server side. As such, this opens the door for me to con...

After a couple of months of using a couple of fintech products, I've to say that they have been working rather well for me. Although there are ways that would make them better for me, overall both have high marks from me. The first product is a credit card issued by Stori (link is in Spanish). Since its backed by Mastercard ,I haven't had a problem with it. All the places on which I usually pay with a credit, or debit, card take it without an issue. Not only that, with the app update released a couple of week ago made it a lot more usable and got a redesign for the better. Of the things I would like to see improve, is that your balance get updated at the moment you make a purchase and when a payment is made. This way it would make it a lot more practical and user friendly. Not only that, it would make less likely not to go over your credit limit by mistake. The second product I'm using, is a business account that comes with debit card called Oyster (link also in Spanish). W...

One of the things I've picked up in the last year or so, is listening to podcasts. I found that, in my case, is the best way to learn or get a glimpse into the minds of people that have common interests with. Some of my favorite are The Adam Savage Project , Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast , AvTalk Aviation Podcast , and Basketball Time Machine Podcast . All of this podcast allow me either to learn about subjects I'm interested in, or simply get to know people that make possible things I enjoy consuming. Another podcast that gives me an insight what motivates people to do something to make the world a better place is Este Podcast Salvara al Mundo in Mexico. It features people with project that are starting, or aren't all that well known, that are striving to have a meaningful impact in peoples lives, or in society at large. This podcast is in Spanish, but if you can is would really make you reflect about how you could do something good happen. On the entertainmen...

As the COVID-19 effects continue to drag on, it seems that how the new normal will be is not something anyone can predict with certainty. Every time that things seem to be setting enough to at least try to have a look, things change enough as to make predictions hard to make. This time, the challenge is one that is faced globally. There is no country that has been speared, and we all have been affected by it in one way or another. The only thing that seems certain, is that every aspect of our lives has change in one or another. We are being forced to adapt, no matter if we like it or not. The Internet, and the technologies around it, have gained far more importance than ever before. Not only that, those who know how to use them, or have the chance to learn them, have an advantage over those who don't have either of them. Having access to them now is vital to be able to make out the most of the current situation or take the new opportunities as they present themselves. This gives a ...

I've been hunting for a credit card, and new savings account, for some time now. Until a couple of months ago, I didn't find anything that fit my needs or expectations. For the credit card, my income wasn't enough, the fees that they had were to high, or they were secured credit cards that required a high deposit. On the savings account side, the main problems were that they required so sort of minimum balance so no fee was paid, or a high initial deposit. Both are things that I don't like, since I don't have the money upfront, and I want access my money in case of an emergency without having to worry about maintaining a balance. Then a couple of Mexican fintech companies came along, and I decided to give their services a try. For the credit card, I decided to apply for the Stori(link in Spanish) classic credit card. The main reasons I decided to apply for it, where that isn't a secured credit card, it has no no annual fee, and that its backed by Mastercard . ...

It is somewhat ironic that the so called snowflake generation is called that way not because they are actually weak, but because they are standing up to all those things that previous generations just didn't do. And while at times those stances have been taken to extremes, it could be said that many of their detractors don't like the idea that they younger people will question them, and act in order to stand against wrongs not only committed against them, but also to others. When people who justify doing something is right, or wrong, by saying that is has been done a certain way for since they can remember miss the point that isn't justification to keep doing that way. Just because our grandparents, and parents, did something a certain way doesn't justify keep doing so if there is a better way to do so. Just because bulling wasn't called out, doesn't mean we shouldn't call it out now. That it wasn't called that way before, it doesn't mean that it did...

For a while now, I've been using a card call Innova Card to pay my bus fare when going to work, and I'm find it to be practical. Yet, there is one thing that prevents me for using it to is full potential. The card used to pay: And that is the fact that I can't get credit to it easily, because the machines that from which I can do so are only available on the light train stations . There is plans to partner with a convenience store chain called Oxxo so one can recharge the card more easily, but one is left to wonder why this wasn't done sooner. What makes so attractive to me, is the fact that I can use it to ride on the light train and all the bus routes I use to go almost everyone in the city. Meaning that I don't need to worry to have some spare change to be able to get to where I need, on more than one public transportation system. For what I gather, I could also use it on the Macrobus , which would make it even more valuable for me since it would be grant me acc...

The advent of the Internet is still changing how we interact not only with each other, but with governments, small business and corporations. Add to this the advent of smartphones, which allow us to access the Internet on the go, the dynamics of power and how society relates to the government and corporations, has changed in ways are still being determined. While I'm hopeful that smartphones, and computers connected to the Internet, can empower the people, we are still learning of to effectively use it. I know that there are some people, and groups, that already know how to use it; there is a long way to go before a meaningful percentage of the population can actually use it effectively. Part of it, is because the education system as a whole still hasn't figure out how to give people the tools needed to do so. While some school are ahead of the curve, most people don't get the education that would give them the tools to actually be able to use all the resource the Internet ...

With people carrying smartphones connected to the Internet with them basically all the time, everywhere they go, it has become a lot more easier for everyone to share abuses committed by people with power basically as they happen. As such, it has become a lot harder to keep those abuses hidden from the public. As the protests that have been occurring around the world, the protestors themselves have been documenting their struggle and capturing what is going on around them in order to have evidence of how their protest are developing. Not only that, they are also bringing to light how the authorities respond to them. It has become harder for media, and the governments, to keep control of the narrative. Now the people have a stronger, and louder, voice on how the story is shaped. Social media, and other online forums, have given the people the platforms we need not only to organize in a more organic way, but have a wider reach for our message and a bigger impact on how the story is told....