I've carried a money clip as well as a wallet for years. I've always figured I can live without money or ID but not both. I never thought about the possibility of loosing my keys too. With this clever hack I can do it all in one shot. I think I'll stick with the got pants on good to go theme. It might be cool to make one out of an expired ID though.

Nedly

@h-town:

You can get a money clip that holds your ID. I have always been a wallet person, but I recently switched to a money clip. It's very snazzy -- there is a transparent area for my license on one side and in the middle it has a pocket so I can hold a few credit cards. On the other side is the clip that holds my cash.

iwantcokeinabottle

That is so awesome!

Maulleigh

@collider: That'd be pretty wide at the washers.. Maybe those two-legged pins you find in manilla envelopes would work instead!

collider

How about drilling the holes in the binder clip instead, and bolt a key on either side to give the illusion that they're keeping your cash in place?

collider

I like money clips, but isn't it a crime to not carry ID on you? Like vagrancy or something?

h-town

I'm sure this would work for someone, but I know I'd end up losing the keys, cards, money, and whatever pride I'd gained from making the thing. . .

Popsonian

g-h-e-t-t-o! lol.
but a good idea nonetheless.
i have a little thing that i got with my wallet that fits cards and has a money clip, i just use that when i go out and don't wanna carry my bulky wallet. i take my key & fob off the keychain. so a little bulkier but it doesn't look so DIY.

pinkskittles

Is that real money in the folder? OK, this is a stick-up. Hand over your money and your keys.

SnickerHaHa

I'd definitely recommend this:

[www.thejimi.com]

I bought one for about £9 and it's amazingly handy especially for a night out. They do another version jimix with a money clip but you can put a fair amount of notes inside the normal one.

As for keys one key ring on a carabiner does the trick.

Klopfer123

Very interesting idea!

rdn98

@h-town: Only in small towns in rural Washington. And only if you're a Green Beret who fought in the Vietnam War. And only if you're just looking for somewhere to eat and the sheriff wants to give you a ride out of town.

rpm773

When I need to be completely hands-free, like when I'm going for a motorcycle ride, I take only my ID, credit card, debit card, any folding money I want to carry, and any information I need to take with me on a folded 3x5 card and rubber band them to my cell phone. That can slip into a jeans pocket, boot top, or, *ahem*, bra (YMMV on that last option if you are male or below a C cup). Keys go on a brass snap shackle that attaches to a belt loop and the dangly keys get tucked into a pocket when not in use.

Hint: buy a few key rings that feature detachable connectors for individual keys. I leave one at home with my seldom-used keys, and carry with me only the keys I will need. Also makes it easier to hand off a key quickly, such as when dropping off a car for service. I use a model that features a retractable steel cable, so that you can leave your keyring attached to your purse, backpack, or belt loop and easily grab and "stretch" it to use...particularly useful for opening doors and mailboxes when you may already have stuff in your hands and really don't need to be fumbling for a key.

Keter

Very cool.

Anyone have any ideas for coins, besides the emasculating option of a coin purse?

longbourne

It's a good idea, but if you were to lose this, you'd not only have to cancel credit cards if you had them clipped, but change your house locks.....

slowvr4

@longbourne: You could make a duct-tape wallet with a coin pouch. Although that ruins the "slim" idea.

ninjabob7

I guess that would work for someone who doesn't care about how ugly it is and who only has two keys.

takeoutphoto

@takeoutphoto:

lol, that was exactly my reaction.

libertao

@longbourne: Coin purses aren't emasculating. Just ask my son, who's 6'7" and can kick your butt. :)

Seriously, those oval rubber squeeze-to-open change holders that were the in thing to have when I was a kid, are still available today and can slip into a man's pocket without causing his underwear to turn pink and frilly in the process.

infmom

So trailer trash.

Why does this site lean toward utterly graceless living? Not everything, but a large percentage of it.

Deprong Mori

I'm all for saving some money and making your life easier, but even a caveman wouldn't walk of the cave using that.

categorically

At first glance of the pics, I thought the keys were screwed to the back of a mouse trap. Hey, that might not be a bad idea!

Aquila76

Dude...so ghetto...I'd be embarassed to be seen with that.

I rock this:
[www.theswissstore.com]

btdown

@btdown

It's all about the simple life, lifehack inexpensively and finance your freedom.

I'll wait until my passive income exceeds my expenses before I buy the $55 Swiss money clip (which does look pretty slick, although, no key solution). Admittedly, I might be waiting a while :)

olivercmit

It's very hobo looking. Actually, not very- REALLY hobo looking.

ThePlumber

Cool idea, problem is I have too many keys. I have been replacing all my locks with that new SmartKey product so one key opens all my doors, once that is done, going to give this a try. Looking forward to not having that "are you happy to see me" bulge in my pocket anymore.

conciseusa

I never carry keys anymore. I bought a garage door opener that wires into my high beam car headlights, and I have a keypad on the wall for when I leave without a vehicle.
Paper money (tips, etc) can be folded around an ID card and 1 credit card easily.
i love not having to worry about a wallet.
What are "coins", again?

Jim K

@Jim K: 'Coins' are these things I pick up in four different currencies these days. Be nice to throw away all cash and go electronic, but int'l fees would kill me and many situations require cash for simplicity or convenience.
My ideal solution would be something that has a clip, holds 20+ coins, sits flat, and can be operated in the dark :) Then I can get one for each currency instead of jingling like Santa's reindeer every time I go through Customs.

longbourne

OK, there is nothng wrong with money clips in general, in fact they can be real useful for pubbing/clubbing. I've used one, as others have pointed out, the bare minimum is cash, 1 credit card and an ID. I like the idea of integrating a place for one or maybe two keys. I have to ask, however, when did aesthetic considerations lose all value? Something similar (and equally flat), but with some sort of acceptable minimum as far as the look of the design is concerned would be a much bigger improvement. I just don't see too many people willing to completely foresake the appearance of the creation.

It's kind of like the stereotypical neighbur DIY guy who shows you the table he made and asks what you think. "Wow, that works really well as a table, one might say. All the time thinking, "I sure wouldn't want that in my house!"

I'd say the idea is nice. Phase one, the design is finished, but phase two, the finishing touches need some work.

Krunky

I've been doing it like this for a while, but I should probably switch over to Olivers solution.

bkhl

I like the idea, but what if you put another layer on top of the keys they you have something that looks like a swiss army knife, but still thin. I have three keys I mainly use. I could put two at the top and one at the bottom.

IndustrialJones

@IndustrialJones: You may want to Google "Swisscard". About US$25 wherever Army-nut paraphenalia is sold.

longbourne

I always want to ask people who only carry bills, what do you do about the change you get after a purchase?

Tymian

This, and any of the hacks that require a business card or and old credit card, I go to my friendly neighborhood "W" store and get one of the cool gift cards with the great looking pictures on them. If you don't put and $ on the card, most of the time they will let you have one for free. I've gotten Disney ones, scenic ones, cool graphic ones, etc.
Just throwin' that out there! : )

Smokey80015

@Tymian: @longbourne: Try tip jars. People will thank you for it!

collider

Boy: "Hey baby, wanna come back to my place?" *flashes lifehacker keychain money clip*

Girl: "EWWWWWW! That's your keys? What kind of $#!^hole do you live in?"

PunkMunkey

@collider: Yeah....no. I don't earn enough money to turn all of my change into tips. I suppose I'll just keep my wallet.

Tymian

I tried to slim down and carry only a front pocket clip/wallet. It was great when I had a job with a big corporate place where all I needed was my ID card, my license and could toss my keys in my desk. And I do like this idea as well, despite the janky look of it. But my problems are: I have car keys with big plastic pieces on the ends; it won't hold the one thing I really need to carry everywhere now that I have my new job- my badge. Show me one of these that will hold a big fat black plastic-ended car key and a police badge and I'll stuff it in my pocket without a second thought.

Hockeycop

Nice, but I can't see leaving something like that hanging off my steering column.

bobbismal

@h-town: Would you really want your ID held in a money clip that also has your keys attached? Lose it or have it stolen and suddenly your address and front door key are in the hands of a potentially dubious character. Then again, if you're making a money clip out of binder clips, you probably don't have much to steal. Though I bet the money clip goes real nice with the Jethro clothesline belt.

ThickSkinned

@Smokey80015: Another good option is those junk credit cards you get in the mail. Maybe not as sturdy but they get the job done. I've got a stack of fake AmEx Blue cards for just such occasions...much to the chagrin of my wife :)

spacecoyote