When asked, “what item is most important to your everyday life?”, most people will answer: my wallet. The average man carries some of his most important items in his wallet. Licenses, cash, credit and debit cards, aren’t only important but essential to conducting daily life and accessing resources.
Wallets have been around since the late 17th century when paper money first started being circulated along with coin-based currency. Originally, they were worn on chains or ropes like coin purses, and it was generally agreed that a man with a large wallet on display was seen to be of higher stature and social standing than men with smaller wallets. In reality, the wealthiest people didn't wear wallets, relying more on vaults and financial advisors. Over many years, as it becomes more important to keep your wallet secure, the average size has shrunk and people tend to hide wallets in pockets or bags.
With advances in technology and security features on credit and debit cards these days, they are becoming smarter with card safety. Unfortunately, the darker side of technological advancement is also always evolving, and finding new ways to gain access to your banking information, allowing more than just money to be stolen. So, what can you do to protect them from being stolen? Well, there are a few options you can explore to answer that question. Because when it comes to your money, security is priority number one.
Smart wallets, RFID wallets, and cell phone wallets all provide different functionality, and which style you should carry depends on which of these functions better serves your individual purpose and style.
The Bi-fold Smart Wallet
As technology advances and makes our lives even easier and more convenient, fashion wallet designers are able to add technological features into the wallets most men carry every day. Bi-fold wallets have been around for generations, but the more modern versions definitely aren't the same as your grandpa’s wallet.
Some brands of bi-fold smart wallets feature accessories like wireless power banks and even tracker devices to ensure your wallet never gets lost again. Simply use an app on your phone, and it can locate the missing wallet. No more of those frantic mornings tearing your house apart, searching for a missing wallet. If you've ever carried a wallet, you definitely know that feeling all too well.
These smart wallets aren’t much bigger than your average credit card, yet they have cardholders with slots that lock cards into place and shield them behind RFID scanning devices that could easily hijack your bank account and drain it before you even realize anything is wrong. The card slots feature release buttons that not only raise your cards from the inner slots but will also separate them to make it easier to get the one you're looking for.
The Cell Phone Wallet
As our phones become more essential to our daily lives, they also become more important to keep safe. This style of wallet keeps your wallet and phone together by combining them into one, making the two of them easier to keep track of. These can be a bit on the larger side, but some say that makes them easier to hold and less prone to be dropped, which is definitely a good thing considering how much phones tend to hate impacts with the ground.
Cell phones have become a necessity for many people the world over, and wallets designed and crafted with them in mind is a very logical step in that progression. Think about how lost you would feel without your phone -- you may experience mild anxiety at just the thought. Everything from social interaction to banking has been made easier and more readily accessible thanks to our smartphones, so much so that phones have become as essential as wallets themselves.
These phone case wallets allow you to carry all your essential cards (from your driver’s license to your gym membership) in the same place as your phone, along with a slot for cash. Feature windows easily display your ID, so you won’t struggle to remove it while at the liquor store. These are definitely designed with convenience in mind and can be an excellent organizational tool.
RFID Wallets
One of the more dangerous objects in the arsenal of identity thieves is a tool known as an RFID scanner. This device is capable of reading the RFID chips in modern bank cards and even some passports and licenses. Access to this extremely sensitive personal information is definitely not something you want to grant anyone, especially an identity thief.
That's where RFID blocking wallets come into play. They are designed and crafted to block the radio waves that are emitted by the readers to scan your chips. Some scanners can pick up from several feet away, so it would be very easy for a scammer to walk through a crowd and steal dozens of accounts in an extremely short amount of time. Anyone with an RFID chip card or another tagged document is always at risk.
Not only can these wallets protect your valuable cards and information, but they can also be a very fashionable addition if the look is important to you. If you are more concerned with form and function, this style would still fit well, as they tend to be slimmer and sleeker. Not to mention they are made with extra strong materials and are usually very durable wallets that will hold everything you need in a convenient, easy to use package.
Security Counts. Especially With Wallets
Security is something we all seek in many different forms. The uncertainty of the world can get to be overwhelming at times for some people. But thanks to devices like these wallets, you can move through the world confident and stress-free about the safety of your personal information and funds.
Whether it is a secure RFID blocking wallet, a cell phone wallet, or even just an old leather billfold, wallets are something that matter to those who own them. Some are bought for security, some for convenience, and others simply for the look or fashion statement they make; but each serves the important purpose of protecting and organizing what allows you to move through the world: cards and cash.
These are just a few of the basic styles of protective wallets that are available to consumers both in stores and online all across the globe. But you can guarantee that as technology continues to advance the wallets that we use to carry our most important things will continue to get smarter, more convenient, and much faster to use.
Whatever the reason you may choose to carry a wallet, you definitely have a vested interest in keeping those things safe and secure from any potential dangers, loss, or even theft. So, when it comes time to buy your next wallet, keep in mind the importance of the things you’re going to carry around in it when you consider exactly what type to purchase.
Sources:
