You always have to ask yourself, do I really use this thing often? Clothing, card, whatever. I just use a little case, it looks a bit like an old-style cigarette case. There's a slot for each card since I've always hated flicking through them all. This took some sorting. If I don't use the card at least once a week, it's not in my case, I put it in my valet dresser - where I put keys, glasses etc at night.
I like the idea of just having them in a slot in a mobile phone case, but I'm paranoid about losing both in one go. If you have your cards but lose your phone, you can get a new phone within half an hour in an urban area; if you have your phone but lose your cards, you can put a stop on any money cards, and new ones will be delivered in a few days. If you lose them both? Big hassle.
I don't use loyalty cards, etc. The cards carried are,
- driver's license - this is not actually used weekly, but makes any interactions with police, banks, utilities companies etc much quicker
- everyday account card for groceries, etc
- public transport card
- library card
- swiss army knife credit card
- $50 folded up for the few places that don't do "tap and go" with debit cards
I shove receipts in my pocket, when I get home I immediately record the spending and then discard the receipt; if it's something I might need to keep the receipt for like a new mobile phone or something, usually there's a printed guarantee booklet or instructions, I staple the receipt to that and set it aside.
I don't usually get business cards, most people these days just direct you to their website, but any I do get and want to keep go in the valet dresser.
I keep some spare cash in the valet dresser. Coins are emptied from my pockets each time I get home, and go into a change jar next to that. Occasionally I raid it for parking or car wash money, or my son's pocket money. About once a month I take it to the bank and get $50 or so from it.
The cards stored in the valet dresser are,
- old bank account card (money still sometimes goes in there)
- credit card attached to our mortgage offset account - used for any $500+ purchases
- a few store gift cards
- old workplace staff card allowing entry to every one of their facilities in the state, I left 3 years ago but they send me a new one every year anyway, maybe they're trying to tell me something?
- Working With Children check (required in Australia if you volunteer to help out on school excursions, etc - confirms you've not been convicted of sex offences or sex-related professional misconduct like a shrink bonking a patient)
- a couple rewards cards my wife insisted we get but which I never use
- Fitness Australia card (professional association for trainers)
- Medicare card, usually only needed the first time you go to some physician, after that they have your details
- a few business cards so I can refer people to the competent tradespeople we've had
If I carried all that, plus some business cards and receipts, I'd have the George Costanza wallet in no time. You have to think about it a bit to be able to carry the minimum. Don't think, "what can I set aside or throw out?" just start by thinking, "I'm throwing out everything, what is the one thing I'll save and carry with me?" and then "what is the second thing?" and so on.
If you're unsure, start by taking all your cards and turning them backwards in your current wallet so you can't see which is which. When you pull them out to use them, put them back the right way so they're visible. Same time next week, open your wallet - any that still have your backs to you, you didn't use once, so they can be safely left at home.
