Digit Is Toying With Me Now
Why won’t you save me any money, you silly app?
My love affair with Digit, the app that is somehow saving me money without me thinking about it at all, is quieting down, because for some reason, the dumb thing hasn’t saved a lick of money for me in over 10 days.
At last glance, my balance in Digit was a robust and shiny $717.48 — so much goddamned money that I am simply not touching, but would pet like a cat or a vintage mink coat if I could. The last time the app saved any money for me was 18 days ago. Knowing what I think I know about the way this thing works, I understand that this is the robot’s way of telling me that maybe I’ve been spending more money than I usually do. Maybe it’s time for me to rein it in.
My purchasing hasn’t felt out of control, but clearly, something’s up. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve broken free from my usual habits of staying at home, reading quietly and watching copious amounts of television. I have left my house and gone beyond the three block radius that I frequent when I’m “leaving the house” to “run errands.” As a result, I have spent money on things like cabs and boots and flowers and groceries and dinner and wine. In short, I have lived my life in the manner I used to, when I worked a little less and made less money, too. It’s been fun, I guess, but Digit’s refusal to save money for me even though I politely requested that it save more a few day ago feels rude.
The algorithm is judging me; it’s looking at what I’m doing and telling me that I can’t afford the $30 and change it’d normally move to my savings account. It’s got a hand to its chin and is furrowing its brow, looking at the purchases I’ve made and the money I’ve spent. This is a warning. I should spend less. I should save more. I should stop taking Uber Pools when the train is running, even though I love sitting in a car and letting someone else drive me home, like a fancy person or a celebrity or someone with the means to afford a personal driver.
“Most folks see 2–3 savings transfers per week on average,” reads the Help section. “The savings amounts on average tend to be between $10–30. Please keep in mind that both the frequency and amounts can vary depending on the day/user.”
The day is irrelevant here; all my days are one in the same. The issue is the user. That’s me. I’m not ashamed of these things, I just wish that the app didn’t see me the way it does right now.
