Minimalist Wallets for Everyday & How to Keep Your Wallet Safe During Travel

Minimalist Wallets for Everyday & How to Keep Your Wallet Safe During Travel

Style & Travel 2021 | 7 min read 

With the current wave of minimalism in the fashion industry, compact yet functional products have never been more in demand. This idea of “less is more” stems from the desire to live conveniently, comfortably, and efficiently without being bogged down by the clutter that is associated with some clothing and accessories. An item that has seen much design improvement and refinement is something nearly everyone carries -- the wallet. From neutral color schemes and clean lines, wallets are getting slimmer as people realize there’s no need to carry months of old receipts and coupons circa pre-COVID. Minimalist wallets prevent unnecessary bulk in the tightest jean pockets and smallest micro backpacks so you can be sure your everyday carry (EDC) is adding convenience to your life.

To avoid being the inconvenience of a bulky wallet, find the best minimalist wallet for you:

Leather Bifold Wallet

This slim bifold is a traditional wallet with modern take. Its sleek silhouette is crafted with premium genuine leather for a soft yet durable finish. With a classic billfold , this high-quality leather wallet provides easy access to six card slots and a nylon-lined currency compartment. The Leather Bifold Wallet holds: credit cards, debit cards, business cards, ID cards, hotel access cards, and cash. For less frequently used items, there are two hidden slip pockets that allow you to tuck away keepsakes like: family photos, movie ticket stubs, or any other little mementos love to carry. 

To complement any wardrobe, this slim minimalist wallet comes in neutral tones: Black, Grey, and Brown. The overall slim profile, subtle branding, and refined details make the Leather Bifold Wallet the ideal everyday carry (EDC) or travel wallet

Leather Cardholder

This Leather Cardholder from VESSEL truly champions minimalist design with a silhouette that accommodates the basics and nothing more. This slim wallet for women and men features four credit card slots and a lined currency slot for the most essential cards and bills. Despite the hyper-minimalist design, this slim leather cardholder has enough room for a couple debit or credit cards, an ID card, cash, and a business card-- just in case. This card wallet is nearly undetectable in your front pocket or back pocket, and can easily be stored in your favorite backpack, duffel bag, or tote bag. Since this card holder only carries necessities, it makes for a great everyday carry (EDC) or travel wallet for those that want to avoid cluttered and bulky wallets

To provide durability, this sleek and sophisticated card holder is crafted with supple premium leather for a feel that is as luxurious as it looks. The Leather Cardholder is offered in four natural colors that include: Black, Natural, Grey, Brown to easily pair with any outfit of the day. 

Shop leather wallets for women and men

Zippered Wallet 

One of the best travel wallet styles is a zippered wallet because of its versatile storage options. Whether you’re visiting farmers markets in Italy or street vendors in Thailand, it’s likely you’ll need to carry physical currency throughout your trip. With a zippered wallet, there’s enough room for credit cards, bills, and coins, so you can be prepared.

This high-quality zippered wallet is not only equipped with four credit card slots, but also a zippered pocket and stainless steel key ring for quick-access. This pocket secured by a zipper, assures that bills and coins won’t fall out. The key ring allows you to clip the zippered wallet into a backpack or tote to ensure you can keep track of its whereabouts at all times. Because of these handy features, this zippered wallet is safer to travel with; compared to a money clip wallet or cash strap

With its minimalist design, this zippered wallet can be easily carried in your front pocket, back pocket, or slipped into your favorite travel bag. This zippered wallet comes in different colors including: Black, Blue, Natural, and Maroon. These timeless neutral tones complement any wardrobe and pair beautifully with most duffel bags, laptop backpacks, women’s totes, and other everyday carry bags (EDC).

Leather Essentials Pouch

If you’re looking for a compact passport wallet that also serves as an everyday carry wallet, this Leather Essentials Pouch is the best of both worlds. With a genuine leather outer, nylon interior, and sturdy metal hardware, this passport holder provides safe yet luxurious storage for your most important belongings. The expandable, main compartment reveals three internal slip pockets and one card pocket to accommodate: a passport book or card, boarding pass, several credit cards, cash, coins, and more. The Leather Essentials Pouch can be securely closed by a metal zipper and pull tab to ensure all contents are accounted for. From the office to destination vacation, this leather card holder is a great wallet for everyday carry and travel. 

Staying true to the minimalist aesthetic, the Leather Essentials Pouch is offered in: Natural, Blue, and Maroon. These beautiful, neutral colors are great for the spring/summer, but transition seamlessly into a fall/winter wardrobe. Pair your favorite colorway its matching backpack, tote bag, duffel, or leather accessory.

Have an Amazon gift card? Shop the VESSEL Amazon store.

Other brands that make excellent Women’s and Men’s wallets include: Bellroy, Herschel, Nomatic

How to Keep Your Wallet Safe During Travel & Other Helpful Tips

[Featured: Genuine Leather Valuables Pouch in Black]

1. Be Mindful of where you Stash your Wallet

Whether you’re traveling within the USA or abroad, it’s important to store your wallet in the safest place possible. If you plan to tour the town with a travel backpack, tote, or mini backpack, you should be aware of how to pack your travel wallet. Be sure to avoid storing your wallet in the front pocket of your bag, and make it a habit to use the interior pockets. This makes it harder for thieves and will give you more peace of mind. 

2. Favor On-Body Storage

The closer your wallet is to your person, the less likely a pickpocket will be able to make off with your money. You can opt to use under-clothing storage accessories like a money belt or bra stash, but storing your wallet in zippered apparel pockets is just as effective. For example, instead of slipping your wallet into your back jean pocket, try to keep it in pants or coat pockets that are zippered. Your money is close to your body, but still in a convenient spot for you.

3. Use a Dummy Wallet

If you’re traveling to a  place that is known for pickpockets, consider purchasing a cheap wallet to use as a dummy. You can fill it with old receipts and junkmail credit cards to make it look real. Thieves will go for this decoy instead of your actual wallet.

4. Divide Your Money

While you’re traveling, it’s best to divide up your credit cards, cash, and coins into multiple safe places. Whether you lose your wallet or a thief ends up with it, you won’t have all your eggs in one basket.  If you do this before traveling to your destination, you can split cards and cash between your personal item and carry-on. Of course, it isn’t wise to stow money in a check-in bag because of the possibility of it getting lost or misplaced. If you decide to split your money after reaching your destination, you should leave some cards and cash in a secure spot within your hotel room or vacation rental. Be smart with how you distribute your money to ensure you have enough for cab fare and food for a day or two.

5. Declutter Your Wallet before Your Trip

This may not directly keep your wallet safe, but it can help keep your wallet contents organized and manageable while you’re on-the-go. Before your trip, take some time to declutter old receipts and unnecessary gift cards, loyalty rewards cards, etc. Should your wallet get lost or stolen-- you’ll have less cards to replace. 

6. Use Small Bills 

If your trip requires using physical currency, keep in mind that you’ll be traveling with more cash than you would normally when you’re home. To avoid catching the attention of potential thieves, use small denominations like $1, $5, and $10 to make transactions. Plus, having small bills comes in handy when purchasing small items and souvenirs from vendors that only have small bills for change. 

7. Use Credit, Limit Cash

Depending on your destination, sometimes it’s recommended to use credit cards over cash. Using a credit card allows you (and your bank) to identify fraudulent transactions and quickly deactivate your card. 

8. Avoid Secluded ATMs 

When withdrawing money, stay in visible areas and avoid ATMs that are close to alleyways or far from other tourists and attractions. Opt to use the ATMs by your hotel, resort, or hostel, and try looking for drive-up ATMs if possible. It’s recommended to only make transactions at an ATM during the day, but if you need to go at night, be sure to have someone accompany you. 

Other Q & A’s

Q: Is it better to use a credit card or debit card while traveling? 

A: This depends on your location, spending habits, and safety concerns. Some locations may be cash-dependent like Ethiopia or Nepal-- some locations like Sweden may be completely cashless. When doing your travel research, be sure to account for what the trip calls for. 

If you’re cautious about overspending, it’s best to use a debit card. If you’re weary about potential fraud, use a credit card.

Q: What to do when your wallet is stolen while traveling

A: 1) Report your missing or stolen wallet to the police and file a report. This report can assist TSA officials when checking in for your flight. It may also make replacing the missing IDs easier when you get back home. 

2) Give yourself extra time at the airport. Keep in mind that your check-in process will be lengthier than most typical flights. When you’re trying to make it through security without a valid ID, this will add significant time. To be safe, you should arrive several hours before in case the country’s standard procedure for ID-less passengers takes a while. 

3) Check in with your airline. Some airlines take alternative forms of ID if you can’t present a government-issued photo ID. Some airlines may even prompt you to fill out forms with your address, birthdate, and other information to confirm your identity before you receive your boarding pass.

 

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