Forget that old piece of plastic. Take a look at this. It could very well be the credit card of the future. MSNBC consumer expert Bob Sullivan says it's gonna save you time and money.

Bob Sullivan says "adding this screen, this new technology to the card opens up the gateway to a whole bunch of new technologies that are coming down the pike."

In its early stage, it provides security. The card will display that 3-digit CVV number that's on the back of your current card.

Except this one will change frequently meaning a thief wanting to spend your money online or over the phone would need the physical card to get an up-to-date code.

Bob Sullivan says "and again, that will again prove that you really are holding the actual plastic that the bank gave you and you're not a hacker who just happened to steal the number."

Think of it like those key fobs that provide a constantly-updating password to get on a computer network. But the smart cards will do more than protect you. They'll show you with things like your account balance, your credit, coupon codes, and maybe even a tip calculator.

The hardest part for the card maker, making sure it can take a beating.

Bob Sullivan says "the battery has to live for years and I think most importantly, it's got to be able to live through a couple of rinse cycles in your washing machine."

All that technology may come with additional fee for you. You can see if it's worth it starting next month when Mastercard and banks will begin to issue the cards.