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I’m in need of a new card holder/wallet. I like the look of the Ridge range of wallets but I don’t like their prices.
What can you recommend that have similar features and styling but for under £50? (The further under the better!)
I have three minimo ones.
If you buy a second inner section you can get more cards in than they advise but the silicon band does stretch a wee bit but not enough to become unsecure.
One for my work cards in orange and blue.
Two I've used for my own. One blue and grey, the other red and black.
Don't you have pockets?
I'm increasingly of the mind that my wallet is useless. All the "buy five coffees and get one free" store loyalty cards are in a card app on my phone; I make purchases via Google Pay; money is a distant memory unless I fetch up in some backwater like Oswaldtwistle that's only just moved away from the barter system. About the only thing I use a wallet for is to stuff receipts that I don't want into, only to go "I should clear out my wallet" several years later when I can't close it for all the shit I've been carting around for no reason.
I have stamps in there for little other reason than because it's somewhere to keep stamps, with a side order of "whenever did I last need a stamp anyway other than to give to someone else?" and I realise suddenly now that as of three days ago they're worthless too. Driving licence also for much the same reason, and utterly pointlessly for much the same reason, when am I likely to need either when away from home? If I get pulled by the fuzz (in the non-sexual sense of the term) I'll have 14 days to produce documentation, most if not all of which is computerised now anyway.
If I do carry a wallet at all it's a little bi-fold thing with my bank card in one side in case my phone runs out of battery, and an emergency tenner in the other with occasionally a train ticket (because "you have been logged out" is a pain in the ass when confronted with a man in a hat at 11pm). I don't remember the last time my actual proper wallet left the house. "Going out for dinner, good job I've got my Screwfix card with me!"
Got a Ridge style knock off from Amazon. I think I paid about £12 for it. I've had it a couple of years and it's as good as new. It's my first minimalist wallet and I'm a convert. Wouldn't go back to a bulky folding wallet now. Though tba i could almost do away with them completely now everything is in the phone.
... what I do carry, and not always any more, is what some people call a "man bag" or as I like to refer to it, "a bag." I'm far more likely, when away from the house for like the entire day, to require a powerbank or emergency deodorant or a screwdriver or mints or snotrags or (old school I know but sometimes quicker) a pen. I can stash a bottle of water in it, a jumper over it, maybe even for some odd reason keep my wallet in there.
But EDC is probably a topic for a separate thread.
I use a Pelican Sports wallet, or Peli in the U.K., with my drivers license, my Nectar Card, my debit card and my building society card.
While I might have 14 days grace if stopped by the Polizei, there have been occasions when having photo ID with me has been very useful, and I’m pretty sure that I can’t use contactless at a filling station, so if I’m going to use my debit card, and my Nectar card, then I might as well carry my wallet. It’s also got a tracker in it.
There’s no way I’m just putting cards in a pocket on their own, far too high a chance of losing them.
There’s also the possibility of my phone battery dying, if I’ve forgotten to charge it, so carrying my debit card means I can still buy fuel, use the Tube or buses if needed.
Speaking of buses, I carry my bus pass around if I suddenly decide I want to pop down to Bath, ‘cos it’s free.
CZ - I use a digital Nectar card, Tesco clubcard etc and garages around here certainly take contactless. So it's mostly phone for me. However... I'm a serial breaker of phones, we live in a poor reception area and some people around here just prefer cash. I also have occasional use for my driver's license as photo id. So my micro wallet will stay in my pocket for the foreseeable, even if it doesn't actually come out very often.
I've got an Akielo from Amazon. Tried a few others before and not impressed by longevity but had this for about 2 years now and it's been great. For £13, recommended. Not sure if Amazon links work that well
I have a trove.
I like it alot... For a wallet.
It's almost exactly what I made for myself preceding the trove.
<p>I use an iPhone , not used cards or cash for a few years</p>
We sell these and they are perfect..for me anyway.
Notes in the main bit, cards in the top zip and change in the bottom. Easily fits in your jeans pocket and nothing falls out.
This is the link to my cheapie, but perfectly serviceable Amazon jobby pictured above. It's actually a couple of quid cheaper than I remember, £9.99. Bargain.
Timely subject. I’m on the lookout for a minimalist wallet and it turns out a guy from work makes nice leather ones. Great for holding four to six cards and will age well.
I use an iPhone , not used cards or cash for a few years
I leave my phone at home a lot. Not used cash for years but still prefer using a card to phone for some reason. Probably related to leaving it at home and being really bad at charging it
While I might have 14 days grace if stopped by the Polizei, there have been occasions when having photo ID with me has been very useful, and I’m pretty sure that I can’t use contactless at a filling station, so if I’m going to use my debit card, and my Nectar card, then I might as well carry my wallet. It’s also got a tracker in it.
There’s no way I’m just putting cards in a pocket on their own, far too high a chance of losing them.
There’s also the possibility of my phone battery dying, if I’ve forgotten to charge it, so carrying my debit card means I can still buy fuel, use the Tube or buses if needed.
When did you last actually need photo ID unexpectedly?
I haven't seen a service station that doesn't accept contactless in forever and the limit was raised to £100 a year or two ago (pre-lockdown I think). Google / Apple Pay on an unlocked phone might be more now, I'd have to look it up.
It sounds like what you need there is a mobile phone case with a card slot in it.
Stainless steel business card holder does form credit cards and notes. When I can be bothered to take that rather than use phone pay. When I can bothered to take the phone rather than the Apple Watch.
I can see at sometime I’m just going to get an RFID tag under my skin like our pet cat. Not sure I’m looking forward to it.
This is the link to my cheapie,
Credit where it's due, the wooden variant of that is really neat. If I needed a wallet I'd probably have that.
I can see at sometime I’m just going to get an RFID tag under my skin like our pet cat.
How did you get the cat under your skin?
For a while I had an NFC chip attached to my watch strap, looked identical to a SIM card and sat in a little rubberised clip. It was "BPay" under Barclaycard for a while, after and before being something / someone else, I forget, before eventually being retired completely. It was a bit of an arse because it was all prepay and top-ups and they hadn't really thought it through (unless the goal was "sit on everyone's money") but in terms of convenience in a shop it was astonishing.
I think "wearables" may be the future, but last I looked they were zarking expensive and the BPay Loop was about ten quid.
When did I last need photo Id unexpectedly?
When my line manager bought a set of ladders for me and I had to collect from Screwfix. He is middle England and I'm middle Scotland. As I never had the payment card they allowed me to take them once I had produced some photo Id. No idea what seeing my driving license did for them apart from confirming the photo had slightly more hair but she asked for it.
Samsung
Sorry missed the 50 quid bit
Thanks for the suggestions so far
I can second the Bellroy, I've had mine for years now. The only downside with mine is it's a shit colour but was half price in a sale.
Another vote for Secrid. Had mine a while after, replaced once under their lifetime guarantee.
Doesn’t the little lever on the Secrid catch on stuff?
I've just got a Tokyo Laundry faux leather card holder -
only £6 and does the job!
I think I just went to TK Maxx last time and bought the smallest wallet I could get. Room for two or three notes in the middle and six slots for cards three on each side but then stripped back the cards that I carry to three max. Probably cost less than £10
I went through this process last year - got fed up with how big my wallet was and started hunting around for a slimline alternative. I ended up with a Bellroy cardholder for about your budget. It's about as small as you can get with 4-5 cards and notes, good quality and works well. I'm a fan!
https://bellroy.com/products/card-sleeve-wallet?color=charcoal&material=leather&size=default
There was a similar thread about 7/8 years ago and Trove was recommended, mine's been perfect
I like the look of Ekster wallets, have still not gotten as far as buying one though…
Doesn’t the little lever on the Secrid catch on stuff?
Not that I've noticed, got into the habit of orienting it with catch upwards in my pocket, so never snags.
I recently got one of these: carharrt
Does the job for me, I rarely carry a wallet these days, and have cut down the cards I carry, but this does the job for when I want one, and is slim enough to go in a front pocket. I always worry about a wallet in a back pocket if going anywhere busy.
I had a Bellroy wallet (with a zip), zip went after about 4 years. Used a lot, but not sure I'd get another.
Currently using one of these https://www.lifeventure.com/products/accessories/rfid-card-wallet?sku=68256&gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjww7KmBhAyEiwA5-PUSokH2b_X5pgWGy8fxus9-IDNyN230mqlcPqJfxoTHqC42v1_jyGUkRoCCMMQAvD_BwE wallets. Does the job, holds 3 cards on one side with folded notes, mesh side has got keyring-sized loyalty and library cards, £1 coin and a hearing aid battery. Paper coffe shop cards and my NHS card in the pocket behind it. Small enough for my front pocket.
Npt as nice as the Bellroy, but probably work's better as a wallet
EDIT - it's cheap, but seems good quality
I used to carry a wallet everyday, I haven't carried a wallet since March 2020.
Well, I have, very, very, occasionally, you could count the times on one hand.
I still have my wallet, it's got my cards and driving license and some, now obsolete, stamps, but it just lives at home.
Trove wallet here. Actually it's the Hackett version because this is STW 🙂
2 cards (debit card and driving licence) plus cash. Membership/points cards saved on the Stocard app on my phone
This is my wallet - I've had it for the last couple of years. Useful for carrying my work c/card, driving licence, etc - stuff that I can't get away with a digital / phone version of. 'scuse the Amazon link. It's about as teeny tiny as a wallet can be, leather and entirely lovely despite the low price.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01I7WAJEO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
But when I don't want to carry a phone or a wallet or any cash I use this:
What a time to be alive! 😀
Interested in this as want to move to a small card holder.
For someone who is quite forgetful, good at losing things, would you think it’s a big difference between these and a normal fold over wallet? I kind of like the bulk of a fold over because I know it’s there, but equally I dislike the bulk. Being fairly old I’m set in my routine and the wallet is part of that….just worried that im going to lose the wallet.
I will report on an Ekster wallet that I have just ordered. Not cheap but lovely quality leather (hopefully) and a nice overall design. I did look at cheaper options but decided against it in the end.
I bought a recycled inner tube card holder from velo culture, think it was in a gift shop somewhere. Holds a couple of cards and a couple of notes. Plan was to use it just for days out on the bike, but ended up using it as the time. Cost less than a tenner and is probably a couple of years old. Guess in my pocket every day and doesn't look any different to the day I got it.
w00dster
Full Member
Interested in this as want to move to a small card holder.For someone who is quite forgetful, good at losing things, would you think it’s a big difference between these and a normal fold over wallet? I kind of like the bulk of a fold over because I know it’s there, but equally I dislike the bulk.
I've definitely found myself forgetting I haven't got my wallet with me because of its size. But it's only been once or twice, and that also means the rest of the time I can essentially forget I *do* have it, which is what I was after really.
But when I don’t want to carry a phone or a wallet or any cash I use this:
How's that working for you? Does it link to a bank account in a sensible manner or is it a stupid top-up system like BPay was?
I mentioned wearables earlier. I think it's the way forward, but if I spent £100 on a ring I wouldn't be able to buy anything with it.
That's a point. I never got around to setting up Garmin Pay on my watch as I'd need to open a different bank account but I might consider it now
Have a minimalist Bando wallet with various cards in but unless I know I’ll need one (English Heritage, Selco, etc) it tends to stay at home.
Have a slim MagSafe wallet that attaches to the back of my phone and has two
cards (our joint debit card, plus a credit card) and an emergency tenner.
Even then I leave that at home a lot, every payment card I have, Tesco, Nectar, Costco, ikea, etc cards I have on my phone. And I’ve even tested the “pay when your phone is dead” a couple of times on TfL late at night, it works fine.
the “pay when your phone is dead”
Wait, the what now?
My god. That totally hadn't occurred to me before but it makes sense - NFC is powered by the chip reader.
No, it just uses a little of the power buffer after shutdown to perform the transaction then shut down. Needs to be a card designated as an Express Mode one. https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT212171
1st time poster here 👋☺️
I purchased a brown leather in crocodile stamped effect Aspinal of London card holder off Fleabay new.
It's proved the test of time and has never split even though it is so small.
It's also held a card and a circa £200 in cash numerous times.
Would highly recommend it or equivalent quality holder.
They also make iPhone cases which used to be a bonus 😜
Quite like Paperwallet and similar- basically nothing to em at all which seems ideal. They're sized for cards not UK notes so they need to be doubled up which isn't elegant but it works, and I like how they age (though I am pretty rough on them, they stand up well). I'm on my third I think, I'd get another for sure.
I stumped up for a Ridge Titanium, it's nicely beat up now. Read some bad reviews about the screws falling out, but it's been fine
Ridge wallets seem massively overpriced for what they are although design is quite nice. £100+ for basically a small card holder seems a bit much.
This is what I use - didn't want leather as this goes everywhere with me and gets a soaking in sweat, mud and rain. Metal I reckon would be too hard and inflexible.
I've had one of these for quite a few years now and it's really solid and shows no sign of wear other than ageing to the leather. Really happy with it
I got a A-Slim Kumo.
It's nice and holds what I need which isn't a great deal now to be honest.
Bellroy Card Pocket
9/10 I just use my watch, but if I'm going to need id or if I'm away for a few days I take the Card Pocket. My driving licence stays in there permanently along with a couple of folded £20s, debit and a couple of credit cards plus staring/chase/monzo if I'm out of the country.
I do quite like the look of the Bellroy flip case. Although I’ve bought an Ekster now….could get one of these for my secondary cards…
I keep on getting Instagram ads pop up for those Ridge wallets, and every time mutter to myself that they are just overpriced business card holders. What am I missing?
I guess I'm just reading this thread to check that others are similarly inclined, that wallets and cash are only very occasionally needed, and for me the only time I really need a payment card with me is when I need to use a fuel pump at any of the rural filling stations around here that mostly close around 6pm.
Cougar
Free Member
But when I don’t want to carry a phone or a wallet or any cash I use this:How’s that working for you? Does it link to a bank account in a sensible manner or is it a stupid top-up system like BPay was?
I mentioned wearables earlier. I think it’s the way forward, but if I spent £100 on a ring I wouldn’t be able to buy anything with it.
Posted 2 days ago
@ Cougar - sorry missed your Q. They works really well, we bought 2. It is a 'top up' system so you 'load'the amount on it that you want - you can set it to auto top up straight from your bank account too although neither of us have done that as yet. No fees though and very straight forward to top up on the app. They only work for 3 years so I suppose you've got to budget that into it. Very easy to use in practice, just like Google/Apple pay on your phone - just hover your hand over the card reader. Instant ping on your phone to notify you, although if you've got your phone with you, you might have missed the point of the ring - the useful thing about it is that you don't have to have your phone or wallet anywhere close.....