This is not my wallet. But it's nice, right?
My wallet is bulky. Even before I had a baby, I had a Mom Wallet. But there are five things I don’t keep in there—and you shouldn’t, either.
Mementos. A few years ago, a friend of mine got her purse stolen at a bar. And yes, she lost some cash and credit cards, but the thing that made her the saddest is that she’d had some irreplaceable things in her wallet—baby pictures, a sentimental note from someone, etc. She’ll never get those back. Don’t keep your prized possessions on your person, because you just never know.
More than two credit cards. The average person has about four credit cards. (And since that’s the average, some of you are hiding more than that.) Are they all in your wallet? Bad idea. There’s no need to carry more than a debit card and a credit card in your wallet at any given time. I carry two credit cards only because one of mine is an American Express, and not everyone takes it. That way, if my wallet is lost or stolen, I’m not stuck trying to contact multiple credit card companies to have them issue new cards.
My Social Security card. Duh.
Anything with my Social Security Number on it. When I lived in Virginia, the state used my SSN as my driver’s license ID number. When I got my license renewed one year, I requested a different ID number, and they happily provided one. Voila—no more identity-theft-on-a-platter. If you’ve got something in your wallet that must carry your SSN (like a Medicare card), photocopy it, black out the SSN, and carry the photocopy around instead.
Checks. Ever thought about how much sensitive information is listed on a bank check? Your full name, address, bank account number, routing number—and some people even list a phone number, driver’s license ID or Social Security Number. There’s no need to have your checkbook or a check out with you in public, most of the time. Leave it at home.
Have you ever had your wallet stolen?
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(Photo from L&B Accessories on Flickr.)
