Once, after two generous glasses of white wine at lunch, I went sunglasses shopping. I was aiming for Audrey Hepburn but the result was more Timmy Mallett. Maybe DrnkPay could have spared my bank account and dignity.

The DrnkPay app links your debit and credit cards to a breathalysing biosensor gadget (you need to be in possession of a gadget like BACTrack or QuantacTally) and – like a good friend or bartender – cuts you off when you’ve had too much. You tell the app how many drinks you plan to have and choose what category ie. shops, online retailers or pubs will be included in the block list. All bank cards are blocked for these retailers for 12 hours unless the breathalyser proves your sobriety.

You’re probably wondering what happens if you are tipsy, all cards are blocked, and you’re stuck outside a pub at two in the morning. There is a “Help me out” feature for ordering a taxi home (this currently only works with Uber).

http://drnkpay.com/#how-it-works