ok, so the wallet and purse are a little lighter, but how much extra time are you wasting at the register looking up the #, reading it to the cashier, reading it again because they typed it in wrong, and then explaining your neat little trick to the manager because the cashier isn't sure he/she is allowed to use the # w/o a card present?

c0dek

Zen and the Art of not buying stuff from stores that track you. My next book.

dognose

At King Soopers, you don't need your card. At the checkstand, just press the SooperCard button, and type in your phone number that you wrote on your SooperCard application, area code first, then hit enter. At the self-checkout, tap "Alternate ID", put in your number, hit enter.

TuxRug

Surprised you didn't mention previously covered Just One Club Card as an alternative:
[lifehacker.com]
[www.justoneclubcard.com]

You still get the bar codes, but you can get 6 on one card. I made my own with an online bar code generator and PowerPoint before I found out about Just One Club Card (from Lifehacker, of course).

As far as stores tracking you, I always give them false information. You get the discounts, they still get their market research, but it's not actually linked to you.

joelena

Canadians don't use credit cards or cash all that much - they mostly pay for goods with leaves and goodwill. So it's easier for them.

This would never work in the US.

yrmhm

I agree with c0dek, that seems way more annoying and time-consuming than just pulling out the card. Keep them all in one place (for instance a small change purse separate from your actual wallet) and they're easy to access. That being said, I've stopped signing up for these things because they DO add up as far as the weight of my purse.

thewildboo

@c0dek: no more than you would fumbling around your wallet/purse looking for the card (amongst the dozens of others). I've yet to have a retailer demand to see the actual card, but maybe that's a Canadian thing.

ross.m

@TuxRug:
This. I don't know why more people don't do this. at any store that allows you to use your phone number, I keep the same number for all stores. It is so annoying when they ask the person in front of you if you have a card, then that person has to go digging through their big ass wallet or purse, or then they tell their rug rat to run to the car to get the card, or borrow one from a stranger. i carry no cards in my wallet. As soon as I come to the line, I type in my code in about 3 seconds.

cubensis

@cubensis: Thirded. You're standing there while they're scanning your purchases anyway, so why not take the three seconds to type in your phone number? I'm able to do this at the three local grocery stores I frequent.

It might be different at places like Barnes and Noble, however, where they charge you for membership. They would have good reason for not giving a discount without the physical card, so I'd test it out before leaving the cards at home.

witeowl

About three years ago, I bought a "magic wallet" from jCrew (they used to make a men's version back then). It's that kind with two halves connected with elastic straps. There's room for 2 IDs, 2 credit cards and cash on the inside. I made shrunken copies of my insurance card/japanese driver's license and stuck them behind my Texas driver's license. I don't carry any business cards (cell phone), club cards (also cell phone), stamp cards (unfrugal, but how often do I redeem them anyway?). The whole thing is ab out 3/4 of an inch thick and slightly larger than a credit card. No Costanza for me. At first I was nervous that I would need more stuff with me... but in three years I haven't. Only problem is that I live in Japan now and their money is too big to fit in it.

heymeadows

@witeowl: B&N can look up your membership account by phone number as well. For me, every single membership is accessible via phone number.

I only hope that people don't try to use this with important account numbers. Identity theft is no joke.

Luana Arrrr

Barnes & Noble can look up your card using your phone number. The same goes for a bunch of other retailers. Figure those out and you not only save the space in your wallet but the time transferring stuff to your phone.

quail

I've been doing this for years--putting all my membership numbers in Outlook Notes and then sync'ing with my PDA phone.

As joelana suggested, you could also combine all the barcodes onto one card--here's my advice for that and everything else about slimming your wallet:

Wallet efficiency and how to carry fewer bonus cards

Thanks for pointing out this great resource on Unclutterer!

Jared Goralnick

@heymeadows:

"No Costanza for me."

Ha!

BlogsOfSteel

I get regular emails from Borders with discounts you can print off; however, i don't have a printer. A couple of times I downloaded the coupon image onto my N95 phone, but they tell me all I need to give them is my email address, which they then enter into their system so that they know I've made use of the discount and can't use it multiple times.

da5id_nz

First, almost all store rewards cards come not only in full credit-card-sized cards, but also in little keychain cards. And unless you are trying to get your car stolen, you should have your keys with you.

Second, most of these cards are also linked to your phone number. You simply give the cashier your number or type it into the pinpad, no physical card necessary.

I have keychain cards for Albertsons, AutoZone, and ShopKo. And For the few times I do leave the keys in the car (i.e. the wife is outside waiting in the car), I simply use my phone number in lieu of the card.

[www.broward.org]

aaron8301

One more thing I do...always give my work fax number if I have to supply a 'real' phone number. It's something I can actually remember, and it's a nice surprise for them if they try to call and sell me something.

OX4

Funny enough I was in PetsMart and was fumbling around trying to find my card (which never saves me a dime anyway). The kid at the register said he'd take my grocery card because all you need is the same number of digits.

And when I'm actually at Giant grocery shopping, I always ask to type in my phone number instead of the card. You can put in any 10 numbers and still get the discount. 000-000-0000 is always fun when someone is looking over your shoulder.

OX4

Those with smartphones or blackberries can purchase a program called SplashID ([splashdata.com]) that will keep track of all of their numbers, categorized and encrypted. Very handy for when your wallet is stolen and you need to quickly call all of your credit card companies to cancel cards...

omlieber

Library cards as well. I have several and the bar codes fit nicely into my Treo (and by extension Address Book and Google addresses). Since the library cards all use the same PIN, I can do business online (reserve an item, use an electronic database) without having to carry the corresponding card.

Another tip - I carry an expired drivers license and a current health insurance card copy in my glove compartment along with a $20 or two. The long arm of the law can always look me up that way and verify my identity. They can still bust me for not having a valid license on me, but I'm low-profile.

vesuvian

RGP

@omlieber:

Why use SplashID which costs $30 when you can use the previously featured KeePass for free? Like SplashID, KeePass also has a mobile version which I use to keep sensitive information encrypted but available when needed.

SpriteMV

I've done something similar on my phone. I've got Microsoft OneNote installed, and I keep a single file with all of those numbers. Very handy.

Norcross

Ok, sooo when can we "pay" out of our cell phones? E-versions of Drivers Licenses, ID cards and such? I've read that the pay from cell phone as a "credit" device is already possible in some European countries.

amw1972

Delzhand

Who uses a wallet anymore? I carry exactly 3 cards in my pocket:

1. Bank debit/credit card
2. Drivers license
3. Work ID card

VizionQuest

I keep all my membership numbers on my phone as well. Store memberships, airline club memberships (which comes in really really handy when you check in at the quick check in kiosks at the airport) along with my flight itineraries. Besides saving me time at the supermarket, bookstore, library, etc. Ive saved myself the panic of losing my flight information while I'm at the airport.

Lazarus

[tomuse.com]

Who carries a wallet anymore? I carry exactly 3 cards:

1. Bank debit/credit card
2. Drivers license
3. Work ID card

VizionQuest

I hope to God that you encrypt that cell.

nman

@Delzhand: We can do the same at Barnes and Noble, Although all of our memberships are linked through phone #.
The people who actually have the number in their phone, is really nice, because I don't have to deal with them trying like 800 phone numbers before remembering which one they used.
I've also had people look up a coupon we emailed them on their iphone, and just typed in the barcode number...
But if you are going to do that, make sure you know how... nothing sucks more than trying to talk someone through accessing a coupon on their blackberry when they have no idea how to do it. (Although I doubt that applies to anyone reading this particular website.)

tptmanno1

One very important thing to watch out for when giving your phone number like that, and this happened to a good friend. This guy was chatting her up in a store and she was being nice and talking to him while waiting in line. She gave her phone number and he said "Hey, can I call you sometime?" as he was entering HER phone number in HIS Cellaphone. Kinda creepy but hey, they're out there.

kl0an

Someone please explain to my stupid Scandinavian brain how this card idiotism can be going on in the States?

(Direct replies appreciated, I *really* want to know.)

Lasse Rintakumpu

@ross.m: Sorry, man, but...

Shopper's Drug Mart - bring receipt back within 7 days WITH card
Air Miles - no card, no scan, no points at every retailer I've used
HBC Rewards - bring receipt and card back and you'll get credited

Now, on the other hand, they don't seem to care WHOSE card they scan. I was behind a chap buying close to $200 in groceries. When the cashier asked if he had an Air Miles, he said "No" turned to me, saw I already had my card out and said "He's got his card - use his." She didn't blink and eye and I got the credit.

Jim (The Canuck One)

It's all marketing. They "give" you discounts if you'll just let them track your purchases. It's catching on in Belgium now, but I don't subscribe...don't want to make the time or share the info.

But when I'm back in the states I'll remember the phone number trick. My belgian number, with country code, is just the right digits for the States. I use it all the time with online purchases.

Near as I can tell, it's not a valid stateside number.

karlawithak

So.... What happens when you lose your cell phone? Now they own your life?

(Pic:[earthissquare.com])

aikoto

I never thought to do it with my credit card numbers, but I have a document on my Treo that just has frequent flyer numbers and the like on it.

One of the best ways to slim down a wallet is to use a thin wallet like an All-ett or a Jimi.

LazyManAndMoney

@Luana Arrrr: @quail: That's exactly what I do. Just give them my phone number and first name and have em' look up my number for me. I've never carried any store cards (including store credit cards).

Not carrying the store credit card requires you to punch your soc number into the pin machine so they can look up your account.

thatdecade

I use SPB Wallet - [spbsoftwarehouse.com]

Love it.

rookcnu

Oh my gosh that is a photo of my wallet! Too funny.
[fjgruber.com]

Frank Gruber

I was just think how to make my wallet smaller this weekend. Summer is coming and along with that the beach and board shorts. I was thinking i need to slim down my wallet, and a lot of these tips should help.

bbobjoe

I put them all in a spreadsheet on Google Docs. That way I can get to them and modify them from any computer in the world, and view them on my phone if needed.

This is only useful for things like frequent flier numbers. Things like store discount cards can be looked up by phone number, or just ask to use the store card.

realjd

I use
[www.justoneclubcard.com]
Works great.

cafman

Some models of Nokia cell phones have a sort of an electronic wallet in them. I usually keep all of my membership card numbers in my 6230.

all_4_me

+1 dognose

I need to give that book to some of my family.

AndyW

Agreed. I've been using some sort of secure e-wallet since 2003.

onesix18

Like an accident waiting to happen.

Myles

kamnet