I walk every where so I carry a super cool back pack (it actually is very cool) but itβs very small so I can only fit the essentials in there. I recently put my big girl pants on and decided that my giant Nancy Bird wallets (that I adore! Iβve had three of them!) are far too big, impractical and are basically receptacles for useless junk. I had to do something about it and I thought it was the perfect opportunity for a post. Hereβs how to downsize your ridiculously enormous wallet.
1. Ditch receiptsΒ
Take a photo of receipts on your phone, file them in a folder and throw the receipts away. As long as your digital receipt is a true representation of the original and is able to be assessed by the tax department, thereβs no reason to hold onΒ toΒ it.
2. Get rid of the loyalty cards
You can keep the one from your local coffee joint but the rest have to go. If you have one meatball sub a year at Subway itβs going to take you 10 years to get a free one for a saving of $6. That’s just ridiculous. Be a grown up and chuck it in the bin.
3. Lose the club cards
If you shop at a particular clothing store once every two years, youβre not going to get any significant rewards which means thereβs no point in carry around the card. Most stores will have your name on a database any way so just chuck them.
4. Buy the smallest wallet you can findΒ
My partner has a thing for small wallets so I just adopted this one from him but itβs changed my life. I often carry small bags or clutch bags on the weekend, so I would grab just my credit card and license and pop them in my bag. After a few weekends of doing this, I realised I was carrying around a bunch of junk that I never use. Iβve ditched my giant wallet and I use this tiny piece of elastic now. No regrets. Itβs awesome.
5. Choose the bare minimum of cards that you need every dayΒ
I carry my credit card, a debit card for cash, my license, my Myki card, my Medicare card (when travelling) and cash. I downsized my wallet a month ago and the only card Iβm going to add is my Nepresso card because you canβt go through the self service check out without it and I go there at least once a fortnight. Apart from that, I haven’t missed a thing. Good life choice.
Do you have a giant wallet thatβs full of crap? Are you in major need of a wallet declutter?
P.SΒ β If youβre keen to read something interesting, funny or just plain weird every day donβt forget to follow Smaggle around the interwebsΒ β Β Facebook,Β Twitter,Β Bloglovin,Β Instagram,Β YouTubeΒ and theΒ Smaggle weekly newsletter. Just a warning though sometimes I swearβ¦ ass hamburger.
35 Comments
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I love this! Every once in a while I do the same, my problem being coins (euros) making too much bulk in a small wallet so I end up either carrying a wallet only for coins and one for the rest of cards+IDs, or just the big one.
What can I do?xx Maria
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I usually have a hand bag so I just toss coins in the inside zipper pocket and then clean it out every few days!
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Great ideas Carly! I try to keep my wallet as light as I can, loyalty cards for coffee etc get tossed out because I don’t go to the same places enough to use them. Loose change is kept to a minimum, just enough for parking meters – the rest goes into my ‘shrapnel jar’. Kathryn x
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I have a robot money box that Mr Smaggle and I keep our coins in and we spend it on something fun at the end of the year!
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My wallet is like a crap magnet and it’s so heavy. It also has magic powers because no sooner do I declutter it, than it magically refills with crap again. I’m going to try to take a leaf out of your book, or a note out of your wallet and lighten the load. But one quick question, what will I do with my change?!
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I usually have a hand bag so I just toss coins in the inside zipper pocket and then clean it out every few days! You could also use a coin purse?
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I often look at my purse and think it’s way too big and heavy. A couple of years ago I bought a little leather card wallet and use it whenever I use a clutch or evening purse. Haven’t got enough big girl pants to complete ditch the big purse for good yet! Baby steps xx
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It just occured to me that I was using it less and less and carrying around a whole bunch of stuff I never use! You should try it by halves – just take what you need and keep your big wallet to store your extra cards!
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This is one of the things Im working on right now! Very timely post :o)
Ive been in the habit of tracking my spending so I have been keeping all my receipts and they create so much bulk in the bloody wallet. Taking a photo is a great idea!
Ive bought a small RFID case for my cards for when we travel, but I may use it all the time yet.
Im also downsizing from a big cross body bag to a small one. My kids are big enough to carry their own crap now.
Im over loyalty cards. I will be brutal and downsize in my minimising rampage :o)-
Good girl! You should try Shoe Box or ATO app. They have categories for budgeting and you can just pop your photographed receipts straight into the correct folder.
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This has been on my to-do list for a while – and I already have a small wallet. The challenge is finding an even smaller one – ladies wallets are just so huge. When I was in an uber corporate job the other year and people went out for coffees with “just” their wallets …well I’ve seen evening clutches smaller than those wallets!
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That’s why I’m using a dude wallet! Mr Smaggle is actually working on a wallet at the moment and I can’t wait for it to be released. It’s awesome – origami folded! π
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Very timely Smaggle! I’ve long been a gun at regularly reviewing and decluttering my wardrobe and my handbag in general, but my wallet is another story. I’m going to take your advice and clear it out this week π
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Oh well done! Although I don’t totally subscribe to Feng Sui there’s something very positive money wise about having a clear and organised wallet!
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I can’t believe how tiny your wallet is! I have a “normal” sized wallet, but keep it slimline by regular clean outs. Plus I need my loyalty cards because I work 10 minutes walk from Rundle Mall – and a girl’s gotta shop! π
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But don’t those stores have your details on a database? Sonia? Love? Do you REALLY need the loyalty cards???
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you are a trail blazer! lovely smags! … a catalyst for change! … whoops that’s me!
well I just had a toss out of stuff! dockets, old used tissues, used chewing gum in wrapped in said tissues! … HELP!
I like a back pack when traveling or cross body bag I like a slimline wallet
I’m eliminating some cards! simplifying that’s what I’m doing! … have to remember that!
it’s all good in theory but when one can practice what they preach then they are winning!
enjoy simple things! love m:)X-
Ha! Yes absolutely – I need to be constantly putting my money where my mouth is! π
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I use the StoCard app to store all the barcodes from loyalty cards in my phone. Then I don’t have to have them in my wallet! Win!
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Is that available in Australia? I’ll look it up! Sounds great!
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Suz – thank you so much for letting me know about this app. All my loyalty cards, apart from two of them, are now on this app & are out of my purse! thanks again!!
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I carry my passport with me at all times, and Irish driving licences are freakishly large so no matter what my wallet size is dictated by it’s ability to carry both π
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I misread that as ‘Irish Dancing License’ and I was like ‘You need a license to do that???’. That’s so annoying. Expact life hey?
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I have a big wallet, but I very rarely leave the house with a bag so I don’t carry it; I’m am way too likely to put it down and leave it somewhere. That’s why I used to carry a backpack and wear it constantly.
If I’m leaving the house with my husband, I’m literally only carrying my phone and that goes in my tiny lady pockets (fuck you tiny lady pockets!). If I’m leaving the house by myself, it’s the phone in one pocket and my bank card and key in the other. If I HAVE to carry more, on goes the backpack and then I have the wallet. But it’s such a pain.Why can’t all loyalty programs be accessed by your phone number? those are the best ones.
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I’m the same – If I leave the house with Mr Smags most of my shit goes in his pockets. He spent years putting his shit in my handbag so it’s pay back time!
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I think a man sized wallet is perfect. But would I look strange ie a bit butch using one?
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I think you’d be fine. I don’t think anyone would be thinking you’re ‘butch’ for the 20 seconds it took to pay for your coffee. π
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My handbag is always full of crap. My wallet has a lot of loyalty cards, even though I massively cut back on them when I realised they do almost nothing. I still have the ones for the stores I visit most which, depressingly, seems to be most stores.
The Viking has a phone case that is also a wallet. That’s pretty genius and I should probably adopt it.
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Oh I love those ones! This little piece of elastic has been excellent for me though… might just stick with it! π
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Nice woman at Jacqui E mentioned the Stocard app to me today, which was mentioned in another comment. Looks like a winner to me;- https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/stocard-loyalty-cards/id444578884?mt=8 (there is also an android version)
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Oh I’ve heard of that! I should totally do that – I never have my priceline or Myer 1 card with me!
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I had to do this 8 years ago because I had to fit my purse or wallet in my top pocket of my shirt. I just had to make sure the pocket button was done up when I bent over toilets or my purse would make a tragic dive! I would use an Oroton zip ouch and I still use it to this day. π
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Oh the plumbers top pocket! My dad’s top pocket was always full of awesome stuff – those rad flat pencils and mints! Little zip pouches are the bomb. I may upgrade to a fancy leather one at some stage.
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