Yesterday, on the heels of Apple’s launch of the iPhone 6 and smartwatch, The New York Times elevated the “digital wallet” as the most important feature of those two pieces of hardware. Really?

The article, “The Digital Wallet Revolution,” by Edward Castronova and Joshua A.T. Fairfield, described the digital wallet as “allowing users to eschew cash and credit cards for a quick swipe of their device at the register.”  As so many commenters attested, the concept of a digital wallet is not new. This digital wallet could, according to the authors, aggregate retail points and other perks, bringing all the currencies together.

And that would be fine. I’m all for new technology—I’m blogging, after all. But what we all need is simplicity, not more complex methods of keeping track.

Simplicity—what money is coming in? what’s going out? how much can I spend on my favorite things… after all the bills are paid, I’ve been prudent about saving, and am not spending beyond my means?  There are digital apps for managing this kind of spending.

Keeping our eyes on our money is so key to a healthy money relationship. Being aware of where the dollars are going is the only way to end up with some in hand. It doesn’t take a digital wallet.

We don’t need more complex methods, we need to simplify and nurture our money lives.

How do you keep track? Share it here.