What Do People Carry in a Large Wallet?

At Allett Wallets, we are firm believers in ultra slim wallets that can fit comfortably in your front pocket. We have wallets of many different sizes, but it is our slim wallets that attract the most interest, because they are gentle in the pocket, easy to handle, and will not create an uncomfortable or visually unappealing bulge.

But there are some large wallets out there, including some very large wallets. Several designer wallets are designed larger than a cell phone, yet without enough space for the phone itself. It is the size of these wallets that begs the question: What do people carry in a large wallet anyway?

Large Wallets vs. Passport and Travel Wallets

Before we begin, let’s quickly note that there are a few specialty wallets that are quite large, but serve a very specific purpose. Passport wallets and travel wallets, for example, are much larger than traditional wallets but specifically to be able to carry passports, travel documents, boarding passes, and other critical information that typically needs to be on your person at all times when you travel.

When we discuss large wallets, we are not talking about these types of wallets. Rather, we are referencing wallets that are larger than our ultra slim wallets as part of their design, but manufactured for regular use.

What’s Inside a Large Wallet?

So, what is inside large wallets? Typically, if you were to (legally, of course) grab someone’s large wallet out of their hands and look through it, you would likely find the following:

• Receipts and Trash – Typically, when someone has a large wallet, they use the space because it’s there. So, you’ll often find a lot of old receipts, lotto tickets, expired hotel key cards, and other items that are being stored there in case they are needed later, but rarely removed because there is still plenty of space to store it.
• Gift Cards – These days, many of us receive a lot of gift cards as gifts, but rarely use them. Often they’ll end up stored in a large wallet, where they can be accessed at any time should a person find themselves near the gift card location.
• Loyalty Cards and Store-Cards – Similarly, many of us have cards specific to different stores. These may be loyalty cards, which have no cash value but allow a person to receive points for purchases, or store credit cards, which are the same as traditional credit cards but give cash back or discounts if you buy at the store the card is for.
• Coins – When we receive coins back from someone, and we have a large wallet, those coins will traditionally end up in the wallet. Coins take up a lot of room, but there is plenty of space, and so a large wallet can house them all.
• Business Cards – Business people often need a way to carry their own business cards, but you can usually fit anywhere from 3 to 10 in a normal slim wallet depending on the size of the card. However, for those that keep other people’s business cards on them at all times, a large wallet would be a necessity.
• Pictures – Now that more pictures are digital, keeping photos of your children or spouse is a bit less common. But, in the past, when more people printed photos, you could usually find some within one of these wallets.
• Health, COVID Cards, and Other Documents – Those with large wallets often use their wallets as a form of storage for all their most important items. These may include health insurance cards, the COVID-19 vaccination cards back when they were more common, and even cards you’re not supposed to carry with you like your Social Security Number.

If you look at the list of items that were found in big wallets, you’ll see that many of them are either not necessary to carry with you or have been replaced by phones and digital cards. As a result, big wallets are simply not as necessary as they were in the past.

Big Wallets vs Slim Wallets

At Allett, we have wallets in many different sizes. Some of our wallets are larger, designed for carrying a lot of cards, cash, and other items. But one thing that is fairly clear is that there is no longer a need for a “big wallet” anymore. There are many slim wallets with plenty of space, and many other items that you can probably leave at home or digitalize. See our wallets today and order one for yourself or a loved one.