5 Steps to Spring Clean Your Wallet

Is your wallet bulging at the seams? Chances are you are carrying around more information than you need and some of it could help would-be thieves steal your identity. Take ten minutes out of your day to spring clean your wallet into something more manageable.

• Clean out all paper clutter – all those old receipts and notes have to go. Toss what you don’t need and organize what you do. Business cards should be stored in a cardholder and left at home. Add important contacts and numbers to your cell phone for easier access. Verify purchases with old receipts and get rid of them.
• Weed out all the cards in your wallet. Discount cards – get a separate holder or only carry ones for stores you frequent often. Store unused credit cards securely at home, keeping one or two major cards in your wallet for emergencies.
• Make a list of all the cards you carry and who to contact if one gets lost or stolen. Keep the list up-to-date and store it someplace secure. Leave any unnecessary items at home – this includes your social security card, your voter identification card, etc. Most of the time you won’t need this information and carrying it all the time makes it easier for a thief to steal your identity.
• Don’t carry around excessive amounts of cash. A good rule of thumb is to not carry more than you would be willing to lose.