The Salvation Army is going digital for Christmas solicitations. While the iconic bell and red kettle will still be around, bell ringers will also carry a mobile payment device that will accept credit card donations for shoppers who don’t have cash on-hand. Sprint Nextel has donated Android smartphones equipped with Square’s credit card reader, which allows donors to swipe their card on the spot. However, Square charges a $2.75 percent fee for every swipe.

“A lot of people just don’t carry cash any more,” Maj. George Hood, the Salvation Army’s spokesman, told The New York Times. “We’re basically trying to make sure we’re keeping up with our donors and embrace the new technologies they’re embracing.”

The Salvation Army will use Square at 10 locations in Dallas, San Francisco, Chicago and New York.

via @HuffingtonPost

Would you use this device to donate money?