Wallet Tune-Up “I recently did a wallet clean up prior to traveling and truly believe that if you are not tuning-up your wallets – men and women, that if/when you become a victim of crime and all the contents of your wallet are now in some strangers hands the consequences are very severe. The damage they can do in a short period of time is astounding. This article is from the International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners and clearly outlines how you can best prepare yourself.”

By International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners, Immediate Past-President Tom McKay, B. Comm.,

For most of us, the idea of a tune-up is something we think about when it comes to the lawn mower or our vehicle, yet how many of us could benefit from a wallet tune-up? The word ‘tune-up’ suggests a regular and recurring event, which can pay major dividends in the event of theft or loss- – just ask anyone who has had their wallet lost or stolen.

Do you really need to regularly carry more than a couple of credit cards, and what about the gift cards or valuable information associated with government issued identification, such as the Social Insurance Card that is unnecessarily carried around by countless Canadians?

I urge everyone to get in the habit of conducting a regular wallet tune-up including:

• Taking inventory of what you have in your wallet.
• Photocopying the front and back of all the cards that you use on a regular basis and cancelling or securely storing cards that you no longer or seldom use.
• Removing documents that aren’t required and/or contain valuable information (including PINs!) and storing them in a safe and secure place such as a safety deposit box.
• Limiting gift cards to the ones you plan to use.

Once you do your first clean-up, make it a regular habit, including paring down your wallet before going on a trip.

Hopefully, you will never have to rely on these tips to recover from a theft or lost, but in the event that one occurs, you will be glad you did.

Resources:

Peel Regional Police video – Give Your Wallet a Tune Up – YouTube

International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners – International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners – Home (iscpp.org)