When someone says “I hate big fat wallets,” they’re probably not using the phrase in reference to people who have a lot of money. For some men, the challenge of stuffing a wallet with all sorts of papers or cash in the back pocket can be comparable to stuffing a brick into a space meant to hold an envelope. Although men often make fun of women who carry everything but kitchen sinks in their bags, most are just as guilty of carrying things they don’t need in their handbags. The end result could have a bigger impact on you than you think.
Even when many men have made the “I hate big fat wallets” comment more than once, they don’t take the time to address the issue, possibly because they don’t realize the seriousness of the issue. Here are some of the downsides of carrying too much “stuff” in your wallet, and some good reasons to rethink what you consider essential.
– You can easily attract the wrong kind of attention. Although your wallet may contain ticket stubs from three years ago and receipts for gifts you bought last Christmas, a pickpocket may think he just cashed his paycheck or has a wide variety of credit cards. The best type of wallet is one that looks inconspicuous and does not attract the attention of would-be thieves.
– Identity thieves are also a potential concern. Those who use an RFD card reader can obtain personal and account information from any card with a magnetic stripe while it is still in their pocket. The more unnecessary cards you carry with you, the greater your risk of identity theft.
– An overloaded wallet can actually put unnecessary stress on your clothes and shorten their lifespan. Large pockets will cause the fabric to pull on the corners until it starts to wear down. The wallet shape will also cause discolored wrinkles where the fabric is stretched over the wallet shape.
– Receipts are often one of the biggest contributors to a bulging wallet. Most of us think of them as harmless pieces of paper that aren’t even needed unless they’re for something you can claim on your income tax or need to return the item. There are many differences in the way different stores print receipts today, some with credit card information, signatures, and other information. Just dropping a single receipt when opening your wallet could be all it takes to give identity thieves what they need to use your accounts or open new ones in your name.
– For some of the people who feel that “I hate big fat wallets”, the problem is really carrying a large amount of cash. Although there are things you must pay for in cash, there is never a good reason to carry more than is absolutely necessary. Instead, use your debit card that requires a PIN number to withdraw cash. If it’s stolen, you can block it from being used as a credit card and the thief won’t be able to withdraw cash without the pin.
– It just looks bad. Nothing will reduce the value of a nice and expensive suit faster than a cluttered purse.
If you’ve ever said “I hate big fat wallets” but never took the time to trim yours down, here are some good reasons to change your mind today.