Look Ma, No Wallet

Somewhere around 8 years ago, I stopped carrying a wallet. Since that time, there has been not the slightest urge to go back.

I guess I had always thought a wallet in the back pocket was one of those things that simply went along with being a member of the male species. Never mind that sitting on the thing was uncomfortable or that the bulky wallet was unattractive. Furthermore, the wallet in the back pocket is a target for the pick-pocket.

One day I stopped, cold-turkey. This post is devoted to giving you the nuts and bolts of the items I do carry and how I am able to get by without the wallet:

1. Right front pocket—Keys and a flash drive. On the key ring, I have keys to ours cars, a key to the outside door of the house, a grand master that opens any building in the school system, my office at work, and the choir room at church. As for the other keys in my life, they do not earn a ride in my pocket everywhere I go. In lap drawer of my desk at work is a key ring housing keys to all of the filing cabinets. In my desk at home are keys to various locks at home. I only carry on my person those keys which are vital.
2. Left-front pocket—Magnetic money clip and a small amount of change. That’s it.
3. Shirt breast pocket—Waterman ballpoint pen and a credit card wallet.
4. Suit coat pocket—BlackBerry

The credit card wallet is really the key to allowing me to eliminate the wallet. In that credit card wallet, I carry:

1. 2 major credit cards
2. Driver’s license
3. Medical insurance card
4. Automobile insurance card
5. Business cards
6. A small memo pad (so that I can quickly jot down whatever comes to mind at odd moments)
7. An outside pocket on the credit card wallets provides a place for me to put credit card receipts I collect during the day.

The BlackBerry houses the following information:

1. Calendar—So there is no need to carry a pocket calendar
2. Task List—So there is no need to carry random scraps of paper
3. Address Book-So there is no need to carry a paper version
4. Notes—So there is no need to carry reference material somewhere else.
5. Pictures—Having the pictures digitally prevents having to carry paper ones.

Personally, I do not miss not sitting on an overstuffed, uncomfortable wallet.