What Should You Keep in a Wallet
Everyone should always have their wallet with them when they’re out of the house. There are many important items that you should keep on hand with you. However, it’s important to know what is most necessary to keep in your wallet.
Debit and Credit Cards
This may seem obvious, but your wallet is the place to keep your debit and credit cards. These are the most common forms of payment, so you want to always have them on hand. However, there are a few caveats here. If you have several credit cards, it would be best to avoid carrying all of them with you. Carry 1-2 with you at a time. This can help you keep better track of your spending and help you avoid going into credit card debt. With only one card, you won’t be tempted to split a bunch of large purchases across multiple cards.
Extra Cash
While a lot of currency is used digitally, it’s still a good idea to have some cash on hand. You never know when you’ll come across a situation where only cash is accepted. There are also situations where it’s simply easier to use cash rather than your card. You may be wondering how much cash should I have in my wallet? There are varying numbers, but most people agree that it’s a good idea to have about $200 in your wallet at any given time. This amount can help you easily cover daily purchases like groceries or gas. While $200 is an ideal amount, you shouldn’t keep it in large bills. $20 bills are a good to have on hand in addition to $10 bills and $5 bills. Avoid using larger bills.
Identification
Your wallet is the ideal place to keep certain kinds of identification. This includes your driver’s license and any forms of ID you would need regular. For example, your wallet can hold your military ID or work ID. Keeping these in your wallet at all times will help you avoid forgetting them when you need them. While you want to keep these types of identification with you, your wallet should not be a permanent home to your social security card or birth certificate as these can easily be used for identity theft.
Contact Information
If the unthinkable happens and your wallet is lost, you want to make it easier for it to be found. One way to do this is to keep contact information in your wallet. You can include your phone number and address so anyone who finds your wallet will know who to return it to. Another reason to keep contact information in your wallet is in case of any other kind of emergency. For example, if you’re in an accident, you should have a list of people who should be contacted. Your IDs and driver’s license can only get people so far. Having your current phone number, address, and emergency contacts in your wallet can make a big difference.
Tracking Device
If you’re someone who loses your wallet a lot or if you just want some peace of mind, then you should consider keeping a tracking device in your wallet. These devices are chips or cards that are inconspicuous and can be easily kept in your wallet. They’re Bluetooth devices that you connect to your phone. With a device like this, you never need to wonder where you left your wallet last.
It’s important to be prepared and think through everything you could possibly need on a daily basis. Your wallet is a convenient place to keep everything that you will need. Go through your wallet and make sure you’re prepared for anything you might face.