If the #twittersphere is to be believed, the hottest thing on the planet right now is Pokémon Go. For those of you not familiar with PG, it is a new game that merges geo-location, augmented reality and behavioral gamification to engage users in a unique game environment. There are reports of people walking miles to play the game and find more Pokémon. There are reports of people leaving home at 3am in the morning to find Pokémon. There are even people suggesting that this game brought their family together or got them out of their house for the first time in days or weeks. This thing is blowing up!

Pokémon Go utilizes a technology called Augmented Reality. A/R allows them to overlay graphics or data over our ‘real-world view’ through a camera or similar instrument thus ‘augmenting’ your physical environment. In the game you will see a Pokémon identified as a small icon on your game map, when you click on it your camera fires up and you see the Pokémon projected into your field of view, where you have to trap it with a ball by tossing it at the Pokémon on your screen.

The Pokemon phenomenon is showing us a small glimpse of what life will be like over the next 10-15 years as Augmented reality starts to enhance our world. The lines between gaming, entertainment and the real world will change. We will start to see the digital and virtual worlds merge.

What does this mean for fintech?

In this new world, the way you manage your financial health will go through a radical shift. Context will become the single most important element of your day-to-day financial health. No one will budget, but they will have their financial behavior ‘gamified’ every day. The way good banks and financial partners will work is that they will engage you with tools like augmented reality, social engagement and behavioral psychology, to help you understand the choices you make every day. Was that last restaurant you visited good or bad for your financial health? Where should you eat or shop to ensure you save money this month? When are the days you spend the most, and why?

Offering you a higher savings interest rate might sound like a good deal if you live in the 20^th century, but it doesn’t actually help you save MORE money. The only way to do that is to change your behavior. Reduce what you spend every day, understand how to change your behavior to save, understand the best times to save, etc. The tools we have through mobile, augmented reality, geo-location and other such technologies that operate in real-time to provide you with context and help you modify your behavior are the future of your financial health.

Pokémon Go isn’t a banking app, but it does give us a glimpse into how very different the world of banking, investment and financial advice will be in 10 year’s time, and why banking is no longer a place you go, but something you do – on your phone.

Welcome to Moven…

There are over 53 million people in the US working as Freelancers in some way, shape, or form. That’s more than one third of the US population! What does this tell me about how changing jobs and careers will subsequently alter the way we manage our money and finances?

1.       The old rules and assumptions of “moving up in life” by seeking employment through a single job that ideally transforms into a long term career may no longer apply. More than ever, we are empowered and rewarded if we view “careers” as a series of great projects and entrepreneurial activities. Not only has this become a great way to gain an income, but the real benefits have become flexibility, accelerated learning, and the ability to quickly grow a network of diverse business colleagues that would have taken decades to create in the past. And as large corporations push for more remote work locations and telecommuting, the concept of a traditional 9-5 job will quickly become a thing of the past. 

2.       The tools to conduct business and earn secondary streams of income are only growing, making living “a freelance lifestyle” an easier and potentially preferred path for many. Programs and apps like Gmail and Squarespace allow you to have an online presence that is both affordable and highly effective for marketing. If you want to start your own business and need funding, sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo have reinvented going to market, making the process seamless and simple. On top of that, you can earn income “on the side” while you pursue your projects and passions in any number of ways. Even the “traditional” benefits, which one would normally rely on, have been made available to us by other means  (Healthcare through Freelancers Union, for example). 

3.       What was once considered a population of moonlighters, or free-birds in search of a career path, is now a legitimate movement. As freelancers, you’ve already figured this out and everyone else is trying to catch up to meet your needs.  

And how is the financial services industry reacting to the above? Simple. Most are doing absolutely nothing and, as a result, banking SUCKS for freelancers.

This is why I am excited for the Moven and Freelancers Union partnership. We want to meet your financial needs, where big banks have failed. I encourage you to check us out. Use Moven as the convenient way to get paid quickly or as a way to bank without the constraints of tellers and branch hours to meet the needs of your lifestyle. This is what we envisioned when we started Moven: our product was built for you. You don’t rest, so we don’t rest (we’re digital, open 24/7). We have no overdraft fees, monthly fees, usage fees, or minimum monthly balances because you earn your money, and we think you should keep as much of it as possible. We have an industry leading app that intelligently helps you make smart spending and savings decisions every day, without needing to fuss with maintaining a budget that you don’t have the time or energy for.

This is just the beginning. Moven wants to join you, and create the future together. #getmoven

Check it out here.

— Alex Sion

When I talk about financial gratitude with people, they often look back at me with a blank stare since I find it’s not a concept that’s talked about often.

To me, financial gratitude is when you’re grateful for the resources that you already do have, instead of always focusing on what you don’t have.  If you’re always focused on what you don’t have, you’re focusing on the negative instead of being appreciative of what you already do have. Keep reading