How to Organize Your Wallet

It’s important to make sure you know how to organize your wallet and that it has the right balance of plastic!

What is in your wallet today?  Is it full of plastic?  Or is it a mix of plastic and cash?  Did you know that your wallet can be a gauge of your financial health and priorities?  Let’s open my wallet and learn something from it…

Family

When you first open my wallet, you will see pictures of my family.  That is because they are my priority.  I want to be able to tell people about my family and show pictures of them and our life.  They are the people there when your sick, when you need support, and will not leave you.

Credit Cards

After that, you will see a few plastic cards – two credit cards, a bank card, and a couple of cards I keep for my mom as we always shop together.  My family only has two credit cards of two different types.  We chose a card that earns the type of rewards we would use the most – hotel points redeemable for a free night’s stay.

Always pick a card that gives you what you need and you will use the most.  This has allowed our family to travel and cut our costs.  We also do not put anything on the card that we cannot pay off each month and have it included in our monthly budget.  That way we put any larger purchases on the card and thereby earn the rewards.  The bank card is what we use for groceries primarily.

Drivers License and Identification

Then you will see the back tab where my driver’s license is kept.  You have to have one to drive, you know!  I was shocked at the bank tellers telling me that many times people come in to cash a check and forget their driver’s license.  This license is required by law to operate a motor vehicle, so be sure to keep it on you when driving.

Cash and Checks

Then in the larger pocket, you will find some cash and a couple of checks.  I keep a couple of checks in my purse for medical expenses, so I can easily have the record of them.  These are carbon checks, so that I do not forget to record them in the checkbook register when I get home.

Medical & Emergencies

Tucked back in a slot, you will find a card for the medical sharing program, Samaritan Ministries, that we are part of in case I ever was to need that info for a medical appointment or an emergency.  In that same spot, you’ll find my AAA card in case of a car need.  So this is my “preparedness spot.”  In our world and economy, we all need a form of medical insurance or sharing to help cover the expensive costs.  Also, with me being a female having a roadside assistance service is important for my safety to make sure that I could get timely help in the case of a breakdown.  And I also have an emergency identification card with emergency contacts on it.

Gift Cards

There are two remaining items in my wallet – a few gift cards.  It was interesting to note that gift cards are a favorite of retailers as most people spend 20% over the value of the gift card as well as that there are many unspent gift cards which becomes “free cash” to the retailers.  So make sure to use your gift cards, but use them wisely in that you do not buy something you would not regularly use or need.  My family knows that a treat I like to get on occasion is a Starbucks frappuccino, so I have a Starbucks card as well as Hobby Lobby (craft store) where I like to get my craft supplies on sale!

Each of us needs to have the items we need in our wallet without it bursting at the seams, but we need to make sure that we use it as a tool not a stumbling block to lead to financial bondage or further debt.  Balance the plastic in your wallet our consumer driven world!