I have been using my debit card for almost every transaction for a few years now and have realised several problems with them. They use the familiar credit card model. Unfortunately, credit cards weren't designed to be used every day for almost every transaction.

After receiving my latest replacement card last May(2005), the signature had worn off by August. Over time I have used different pens and inks to sign my card, from ballpoint ink pens to permanent markers. They all wear off in only a matter of months.

Now, in March(2006), the signature pad is wearing through and the word VOID is showing. This is all almost a moot point anyhow as the signature is rarely checked by a cashier. The big problem is the Card Verification Number wears off with the signature pad. This makes ordering online increasingly difficult with more and more sites asking for this number before they accept the card for payment.

Several of my cards have lost their swipe ability well before they expired, the magnetic stripe just couldn't be read any more. This slows down the payment process considerably, sometimes making a purchase impossible because the cashier either doesn't know how to or refuses to enter the information manually.

I am due to receive a new card in May of 2008. Will there be any solutions to these issues by then? What is the solution? A more solid object? Something like the new PayPass being introduced by MasterCard? What are the implications of using something like this, that appears to be built using RFID technology?