my minimalist wallet. well, almost.

I think it was at the June Sushi with Larry that my lovely friend Monique of GOP fame complained that she had way too much stuff in her wallet. She then proceeded to pull out a brick-sized animal from her purse that looked like it was holding its breath and getting ready to kersplode and throw up enough credit cards and receipts to cover us and the tables within a 3 metre radius. You could almost hear the seams creaking.

I can't do that. I need to have a wallet small enough to fit in my back pocket because I'm paranoid and must have my wallet as close as possible to my person, short of stuffing it in my frilly panties.

Sadly, it's a very short slide between stream-lined and George Costanza's monstrosity, so I have to keep a close eye and do regular inventory checks, like I did with my purse a couple of years back (which I should really do again soon).

In order to avoid the slide, I make it a point to NOT put the following in my wallet...

1: Social Insurance Number card
- I will gladly share the state of my menstrual cycle, but never my SIN.

2: Cheque book
- This is in the vault at home. Or some hidden place I will deem 'the vault'.

3: Membership cards.
- I don't need my MEC card to buy a zhuzhu pet from toys'r'us, do I? No.

4: Receipts
- They get emptied out ever night into a zip top bag for later spreadsheet input. Also to avoid buyer's remorse. And to keep Roomie from finding the receipt for my retail therapy sessions.

5: Discount/Rewards/Points cards.
- "I can't buy that... I don't have my card with me." See? No impulse buying!

In today's check, I found...

1: Driver's License
2: Manitoba Medical Card
3: Credit Card
4: CAA Motor vehicle card
5: Organ Donor Card (Have you signed yours?)
6: "I Love You, Mom" artwork Lam made for me when he was 4yo.
7: "I Love Mommy" artwork Mini made with green construction paper cut into hearts.
8: Photobooth picture of Roomie and the kids
9: Formal picture of the kids
10: $60
11: Debit Card

Which looks like...


And folds down to...


Not bad.

So, how about you? What's in your wallet right now?