The Fat Wallet Fix

The Fat Wallet Fix: Our Top 4 Tips to Carry a Wallet That's Half the Size

Our Top 4 Tips to Carry Less and Lighten Your Everyday Load

Have you noticed? Our phones have gotten bigger. Sure our technology can do more, but it means we have more to fit in our pockets. Not only do fat bulges in your back pocket look bad, they cause damage to your clothing (and not to mention damage to your lower back). Honestly, there's just no need for hauling a Costanza clunker around with you every day.

1. Pick the Essentials

If you're one of those people with a bulging wallet, (a telltale symptom of packrat tendencies), we recommend starting with the cards you use daily. Empty your wallet. Now put back only the must-haves you use every day, and save versions of those less-used cards in an app with password protection, like Dashlane. Scared? Try it for a day ... then a week ... Some cards might creep back in if you let them, but we bet you'll be happily surprised at what you don't miss.

2. Go Digital

There’s an app for that, as they say, so put that pocket-sized computer to work! In addition to Dashlane, we've compiled our favorite apps including: StoCard for those loyalty cards (though most stores simply use your phone number, and some like Starbucks have their own apps). Use Concur to digitize receipts, CamCard for business cards, or a powerhouse like Evernote to do it all!

If you own an iPhone, Apple Wallet can help you manage your gift card balances, coupons, boarding passes, tickets and more — so your real wallet doesn't have to. Your wallet is not a library; let an old shoebox be your nostalgic archives, and shred or recycle those crumpled paper dinosaurs.

3. Carry Less Cash

Not only does most everywhere accept plastic, our phones now offer services like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Wallet that further limit the need to carry paper money. For person-to-person payments try Venmo — it’s easy and totally free.

4. Get a Slimmer Wallet

Now that you have less to carry, your wallet will naturally be slimmer. But all that work is for nothing if your wallet is inherently bulky. We know what you're thinking, Does which wallet I carry really make a difference? A: Definitely.

In traditional wallet construction, every slot adds another layer of thickness. Using our trademarked Wally Pull-Tab™ mechanism, we're able to achieve a slim design without the typical leather dividers that create bulk. And whether it's physical or psychological, having a slimmer wallet is a great way to reinforce the behavior of carrying less. We made it slim, but you make it minimal. Discipline, young grasshopper. You can do this — you can slim your wallet!