When at the grocery store yesterday, I watched a woman pay for her groceries in cash. Her paper currency wasn't in any sort of order in her wallet, and some of
it was folded. She even ended up dropping $5 and a bunch of receipts on the floor without realizing it as she was fumbling through her cash.
Here are a few tips for keeping an organized
wallet:
1. Choose a wallet that meets your needs. My wallet is
one of the larger types that does not fold over. It has a clear fold for my driver's license and 12 slots for credit and debit cards, insurance cards, etc. It also has two extra pockets; I use one for my unused gift cards and the other I use for gift cards that are partially used up. Finally, it has a coin purse for loose change. I've had it for years, I like it, and it serves me well. If the interior of your purse is one color, I don't recommend a wallet in the same color...get a wallet in a color that stands out against your purse's interior color so that it is easily seen.
2. Keep your paper currency in order and flat. Sort larger bills ($20s) first, smaller bills second ($10s and $5s), and $1s last. Keep all the money portrait side up, all facing in the same direction. All money
should be flat in your larger wallet, or flat once you open your folded wallet. And, by the way, don't carry around a large wad of money; keep only a small amount of cash in your wallet. This goes for coins too...the more you have, the more weight you're unnecessarily carrying around.
3. Insert your important cards into the wallet slots appropriately. If possible, reserve each card slot for ONE card each (credit, debit, library card, etc.) so you can see all of your cards right away, rather than you having to remove three cards from
one slot (for instance) to see if the one you need is behind another. Limit the credit cards (and other cards) you are lugging around to those you use when you're out. Prioritize your cards...those you use most down to those you use least.
4. Empty "extras" daily. If you get a store receipt, ATM receipt or carry coupons (or lists or gum wrappers, etc.) in your wallet, be sure you look inside of it every night and empty it of any of these extras (or trash) that you don't need to be carrying around with you.
5. Don't carry around store loyalty cards. These days, most stores will allow you to give them your telephone number and they can look you up and apply your loyalty discounts (like your Target card, your Panera's card, or your favorite
fuel card, etc.) Otherwise, there are phone apps (like Keyring) that allow you to scan your loyalty cards or card numbers into them, so that the store can scan your phone app rather than your card. Because of both of these options, there's really no reason to be lugging all of your store loyalty cards around with you.
6. Rotate old cards out and new ones in. When your debit card, library card, driver's license, insurance card, etc. expires, remove the old one and insert the new one right away. Don't leave old cards in your
wallet.
