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Comment by Waterluvian | Hacker News Reader

Build an app that allows me to get notifications when debit transactions are made. Even if it's minutes or hours late.

I LOVE that I get an email every time my credit card is used. But my debit doesn't have that option.

What does the email contain? Are you mainly using it for tracking personal spending or just making sure you're aware when fraud happens?

FWIW, I'm thinking more into personal spending atm.

Both. I'll sometimes get a bill payment and immediate notice, "oh hey that's higher than usual. I ought to see why"

Also when I travel, it saves my butt all the time. Its how I detected a hotel totally screwing up the accomodation bill. Also gives me insight into exchange rate so I don't fool myself on prices.

Email contains vendor name, date, and price in Canadian dollars.

As part of testing out the API, I’d be happy to try it out and see how well it works although if all the other bank apps have it, then it kinda defeats the purpose.

Yeah. Makes sense. Too bad. :)

Simple Bank does this (simple.com). The notifications are immediate.

It will even give you a notification when your card is run at a restaurant that includes a suggested tip - generally before the server comes back with the check to sign.

Simple is not available in Canada, which is what the above poster is referring to. Few (no?) Canadian banks offer email notifications for debit (Interac) transactions.

RBC allows you get notified when a "large" transaction occurs.

You can just set the threshold to $1 though.

The TD MySpend app does this.

The top 3 banks all have this functionality in their main mobile app.

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