Whether they're called PayPass, ExpressPay or Blink, contactless credit cards are the newest way to buy with plastic. A built-in computer chip and antenna respond to radio waves from a card reader, allowing it to charge purchases to your account.

While that's a little faster than swiping, it's not worth rushing out and opening a new account just because it offers wave-and-pay cards.

But if the new contactless technology is included in your next replacement card, go ahead and use it.

Despite what you may have heard, thieves can't steal your identity and account number right out of your wallet.

Some amazing new uses for wave-and-pay credit cards are also being developed. That could make them indispensable a few years from now.