Massive wallets. Am I missing out?

[CindersAgain]

My sister is a Massive Wallet user. She bought me one for my birthday so I can join the crew.

I usually use something like this. It has room for 9 cards, notes and a zip bit for coins.

https://www.next.co.uk/style/st310367/c62390#c62390

The one she’s bought me is this size.
https://www.fableengland.com/products/rebecca-purse-blooming-blue?_pos=3&_sid=a92cf6950&_ss=r

So, will my life be changed if I use it? So far all I can see is that it won’t fit in my pocket.

What’s the benefit of a bigger one?

Contactless payments work on ncf technology and don't need signal or reception.

Surely before you could do such payments carrying a card without back up cash like many people did is the same. I've never had an issue in the years I've been doing it though - you don't need a signal and I make sure my phone is charged, I also have a charger in the car and I've never lost a phone or dropped it done a toilet. I have lost a bank card on more than one occasion pre Apple Pay though far easier to do

Yeah but that must be wrong.

I never understood the reason for these huge ones.

Until covid I had a unisex one, enough card slots and a decent coint part.

Now I scanned all my cards or use apps, have a tiny one I got to fit in an evening handbag for some cash and my ID card. That fits in my jeans pocket.

I do have a handbag but I only use it for communting or if I know I have to wait longer as it also holds my kindle.

Phone case with card holder. Either one of those with slots in or one where the cards are built into the case like this...https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coolden-Compatible-iPhone-Shockproof-Protective-Navy/dp/B08M94F8G3/ref=mp_s_a_1_14?crid=3JVYS6VPKRVQA&keywords=phone+case+card+holder&qid=1680429141&sprefix=phone+case+card%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-14
Debit card and license fit in mine if needed. So id and payment backup sorted.

All store cards on "stocard" app which backs up to the cloud so no issue if lost phone.

Keys and phone and I am good to go. (But then I work somewhere we get searched everytime we leave the building so having a bag is a massive faff!)

The posters who say they carry a backup card for this reason make sense to me.

I never have carried just one card without backup cash if going anywhere I'd expect to need money - I'd always have another card or cash (almost always both and usually in a different pocket/ bag).

I strongly disliked having my vaccination certificate and negative COVID-19 test and cinema tickets and train tickets all on my phone during the height of the pandemic when those things were all required and everything was limited numbers and had to be booked in advance for that reason. Phones do crash etc. etc.

The less people use cash, the more shops will remove the option.

It's a good idea for as many people as possible to pay in cash whenever possible if those people value having the choice.

Use it or lose it - like the physical high street and local neighborhood shops themselves.

Exactly

Bank accounts are occasionally frozen due to misunderstandings / unexpected transactions or indeed genuine cases of fraud or hacking perpetrated by someone other than the account holder.

Payment systems go down occasionally too due to extreme weather events or other technical issues. It happened locally to me recently and problems persisted for several days.

It's always good to have the option of using cash!

I used to have one of those big ones, to keep
Every Single Card I Owned in - loyalty cards, membership cards etc. I've now radically downsized to one that can fit in my phone pocket, and only really has credit/debit cards plus whatever other cards I might need that day, eg National Trust. Most of my loyalty cards (supermarket, Waterstones, Boots etc) are in my Apple Wallet so I don't use the cards at all. I do often go out with just my phone, though.

In summer when I'm less likely to have pockets, I have a wristlet that fits my phone, necessary cards and cash. I very rarely take a handbag anywhere these days.

@MrsMullerBecameABaby this would all affect physical card payments too. Carrying large amounts of cash comes with its own risk and many places don't even accept it anymore

Yes it would. That's why cash should remain an option.

As well as the payment systems going down for several days (in all shops) where I live not long ago, I've experienced far more minor short term payment systems failures in individual shops.

Only about six weeks ago we were in a medium sized clothes shop and "the tills went down" meaning that no electronic payments could be taken and only those in the queue with the exact amount to pay for their purchase in cash could pay, everyone else had to leave their purchases to be put back. Obviously that's just an irritation but quite a big one if you've gone out to buy a specific item which you need the same day!

Well they have no choice but to be ok with it do they? I live in a town with lots of shops, so would vote with my feet and walk out of any one that told me I couldn’t use cash.

I always have a £20 note stashed in my phone case as well as my debit card and driving licence.

I rarely carry a handbag around with me these days.