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Ditch Your Costanza Wallet Poor George Costanza. The hapless Seinfeld character portrayed by Jason Alexander carried a wallet crammed so full of junk, it caused him to sit on a slant... until he stuffed a wad of napkins into his other back pocket to even things out. His buddy Jerry meanwhile suffered from back pain until he saw the light and slimmed down his wallet. George on the other hand, continued to accumulate more and more receipts, coupons, cards, and bits of this and that, until one day his wallet achieved critical mass and exploded on a street corner, spewing its contents into the wind.
It’s a funny bit because many of us (particularly guys) can relate to fat wallet syndrome. Over time, our wallets slowly grow as we amass a variety of items that we carry because, “Hey, you never know, I might need that.” However, the vast majority of what’s in there right now doesn't need to be. Whole legions of men (and women) have embraced minimalism and radically slimmed down what they carry in their pockets and bags. You can too. It's not a good look!
Your dad and grandpa most likely carried around a fat wallet in his back pocket. It's what men did. Aside from the nostalgia of it, there's very little reason for you to do the same. If you're a back-pocket/fat-wallet kinda guy, you might not be aware of how bad it looks to go around with that asymmetrical lump back there. But, while you might not be aware, other people (particularly women) certainly are. Doesn't matter whether jeans or dress pants, it's never a good look. So, what are you going to do about this?
Whatever you do decide to carry needs to be inventoried for safe-keeping. Step-by-step instructions are here. Loss and theft are ever-present dangers, and knowing exactly what you had on you makes life infinitely easier when trying to recover. (See Your Wallet is Gone for the list of eight things you must do quickly when it goes missing.)
Loading up your key ring with card tags is not the way to go, unless you want to look like a coupon-clipping suburban mall-dweller. Fortunately, there's a much better alternative if you carry a smartphone. You can dramatically lighten your load by using an app to store and display the majority of your membership and discount cards. There are two proven and trusted apps I use and can recommend to you. Key Ring
The app has additional features that I've never used, such as the ability to join new loyalty programs, and to receive "exclusive offers" when you're in a store. That's part of their business model and it keeps the service free. There are no nag screens or emails. Lemon Wallet
The free version is highly functional but there is an paid version too. Lemon Wallet Plus costs $4.99/month or $39.99/year and provides a lost wallet service as well as account monitoring and card expiration alerts. It'll nag you to upgrade until you unsubscribe from the reminders. After that, it (thankfully) stays quiet. Carrying what's left Once you've pared down to the essentials, how do you carry what's left? Fortunately, there are lots of great options. They fall into a number of categories: mini/thin wallets, front-pocket-only designs, pocket vaults, money clips, bands, and phone accessory storage. I've been a happy Big Skinny user for many years but have begun to explore other options recently. Wallet Alternatives
Fat wallet be gone
It's not an organizer, a secretary, or a friend. Sorry George.
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Start by performing a Wallet Autopsy. Empty out its entire contents on a desk and triage what you find. Group your credit/debit/ATM cards, membership cards, insurance cards, and the like. Separate out the other essentials, like your driver’s license, building pass, Metrocard, etc. You'll very likely have various receipts, notes, punch cards, and whatnot that can and should be jettisoned. Purging all the non-essentials will certainly help slim things down. But don’t be in a hurry to stuff the rest back in there.
Your next step is to perform a Wallet Audit
If you've removed all the non-essentials, but still want to carry what's left in a somewhat regular wallet format, consider one of Big Skinny's offerings. They're engineered for thinness and lightness. Mainly because they're not made of thick leather. (In my opinion, leather belongs on the cow, not in your pocket).
Just a quarter of an inch thick when empty, this wallet is shaped specifically to fit in your front pocket (although the other wallets mentioned above can go either in front or back). Aside from the aesthetic advantages of front-pocket carrying, that location makes it harder for pickpockets to ply their trade. This model also has shielding to prevent "electronic pickpocketing" of some newer credit cards which carry your information embedded in a RFID chip.
Billed as a "Portable Vault for Your Pocket", the Flipside is a locking, spring-assisted-opening, secure container for your cards and cash. It also features RFID shielding. Holds 7 cards in 3 slots plus 12 bills in the cash slot. Also features a detachable external clip for holding business cards and receipts and such. Intended for front-pocket carrying only. If the 2X is still too big, then consider the smaller Flipside Strata which can still carry 5 cards and has a money clip.
Simple in design but elegant in execution, the ConsoliWallet is constructed from two 6061-T6 aluminum panels held together by a shock cord. The beauty of this design is that it expands to hold whatever thickness stack of cards and bills you need to carry. RFID blocking is inherent. Plates are powder coated (not painted) for durability, and feature a corner cutout to facilitate opening and loading the wallet.
The Hu Mn wallet began as a 
Also a Kickstarter project, Dash 1.0 is now available on the dashwallets.com site while Dash 2.0 is available for pre order. Both versions feature an ingenious quick draw slot that allows you to extend the magnetic strip of a credit card or access card and swipe it without removing it from the wallet.
Some men swear by the card clip design, which combines a credit card holder and money clip. I'm not a big fan. They're available on eBay for just a few dollars but be aware the cheap ones have rough edges that will definitely scratch your cell phone screen if you carry it in the same pocket. Also, you should know that whipping out a "money clip" containing a wad of bills strikes many people as déclassé.
In my opinion, if you're going to go the money clip route, carry something that departs from the traditional. The HR Slim Clip is made from a single piece of folded steel. Its two outer folds carry a pair of credit cards each, while the inner slot will secure your bills. Corner cuts make card extraction easy.
Another 
Some men dispense with a clip altogether and just wrap their bills around their license and credit card with an ordinary rubber band. I'm not a fan of this technique. However, if you're going to carry stuff this way, at least upgrade the rubber band. I'll leave it up to you to decide if it's worth four bucks but the Money Band is sized exactly right to fit around the card stack and is a lot more durable than an office rubber band. Plus, it says "Money Band" right on it.
If the band idea is appealing and you desire to travel first class, then the Grand Band might be just the thing. Its patented sterling sliver sleeve can be monogrammed and makes it easier to insert and remove the band's contents.
In my personal quest for minimalism, I admit the band concept is appealing. However, I desire a bit more "technology" than a strip of rubber to secure my items. That's where the Xband fits, and why I'm currently using one. The Xband's unique shape and silicone interior tightly grips its contents yet releases them easily. Holds up to 15 cards (if necessary), plus bills. No RFID shielding of course, but that's not yet a personal concern of mine. 
Now we cross over into the cell phone-related category. Since you're already carrying a phone, why not get a case that doubles as a card carrier? The Incipio Stowaway case has a semi-hidden rear compartment that can hold up to 3 credit cards or their equivalent. Available now only for the iPhone 4 or 4S and soon for the Samsung Galaxy S4.
If you've got an iPhone 4 or 4S and only need to carry two cards and are seeking a minimalist solution, the Remora might be for you. Very sharp, engineered design has a hidden, snap feature that positively secures your cards with a satisfying click. 
So there you have it, a strategy to banish your Costanza Wallet once and for all. George may have had a special relationship with his wallet but that's his issue, not yours!
