Do you still own a physical wallet? What are your purchasing habits?

Hi,
how’s it all going?
I have had this discussion with some friends: do you still own a “physical” wallet?

With the recent problems Coop was facing with the payment terminals, and recently also Postfinance

The argument “you should always have some bills on you” is making a comeback, at least in my sphere of acquaintances, since most of us switched to a more “mobile-first/ contactless card” way of handling money.

I still have always somekind of card holder/wallet to always have my essential cards (ID, driver’s licence, Debit + credit card, insurance card) and pay my daily purchases with Twint mostly. I only actually use a “real” wallet when travelling, where I usually bring some cash with me.

Some of my friends just have no wallets/cards at all with them (only their phone with Samsung/Apple pay/ Twint, etc.) on a daily basis… I think one should always at least have one’s ID, it is nearly even a legal obligation to be able to identify yourself, no? I always feel “naked” if I don’t at least have an ID or driver’s licence on me. I might switch back to a “setup” to always have an “emergency” reserve of cash with me, if for example Coop terminals are out of order again… But I don’t want it to be too bulky…

Do you own a physical wallet/ card holder, or something else?
What are your purchasing habits?
Any “bad experiences” where terminals didn’t work?

1 Like

I still have a physical wallet with me, even though I try to use my phone where possible.

In there I have:

  • ID
  • SwissPass
  • Creditcard
  • Debitcard
  • Health insurance card
  • Some coins (e.g. for public toilets)
  • A 100 CHF bill that I never use
4 Likes

I have it and it’s normally at home unless I have to drive the car.

My smartphone and my physical wallet are set up in such a way, that I can live my daily life, like buying things and so on, with a smartphone only (in case I lose or forget my physical wallet) or with a physical wallet only (no battery charge in the smartphone). So I have Twint and Google wallet set up for electronic payments, SBB app set up to show digital SwissPass/abonements, photos of mine and children’s IDs and health insurance cards on my smartphone. I have some physical payment cards, SwissPass, ID, my health insurance card + always some cash in my physical wallet.

I don’t carry for example physical bonus cards, they are only electronic. If in a difficult situation I miss an opportunity to collect some Cumulus points, I don’t care.

2 Likes

I always have a card wallet (maestro, neon, driver licence, health insurance, SwissPass and my ID Card) with me and my smartphone where I can display everything in my card wallet but never use it. I prefer to pay with card, never use my Apple Pay (I should try one day).

2 Likes

Cool yeah that is pretty much what I am going for, just need to top up with some physical cash. What kind of wallet do you use then, one of those compact card holders, or a “classic” wallet with i.e. coin pocket?

Why keep SwissPass on oneself?
It is loaded up on the SBB app; and in the extreme case your phone is dead, they can easily look up your name in their database.


Myself, I carry a mini wallet with:

  • Driver’s license
  • Credit card
  • Debit card (primarily as backup, if CC doesn’t go, or to draw out cash)
  • 50/100CHF bill

If I go abroad I add an ID and a Revolut card, that’s it.

For some (irrational) reason I dislike the phone/NFC payments; I use it only when I forget my wallet.

1 Like

Nice, thanks for sharing. I am going for a similar setup. Do you have a specific amount of cash that you hold?

Between 50 and 100 CHF.

PS. I pay with Amex credit card whenever possible (Cashback), if not, Coop credit card.

Got a classic wallet with all cards (credit/debit/Insurance/Swisspass/Driver license/ID) and some reserve cash (50-100 CHF) since this month in case of electric supply issues (the big topic right now in at my workplace). I always got it with me and pay everywhere with card if I can.

2 Likes

I don’t use a wallet. I only have my phone and drivers license and key on me when I leave the house

Small tip to have a thinner walle:
If you have migros and coop bonus cards, just get a sticker from migros with the barcode and attach it to some piece of carton or similar. On the other side, you can attach a print of the coop barcode (or maybe the newer qr code). For the coop barcode you can easily create it online. I think I made mine here:

but I don’t remember the correct code

Or simply scan the barcode on the phone app

1 Like

I saved many codes for loyalty programs in Poinz app. It works well for it.

1 Like

I use Stocard app to scan loyalty barcode and it works like a charm.

4 Likes

I meant if you want to have a phisical one as well. Especially for places where they want it to scan it themselves, like at my local Coop. I won’t give them my phone to scan a code…

1 Like

I’m still very old-school, have a wallet on me with a debit and a credit card, swiss pass, notes and coins.
Notes value probably varies typically between Fr 100-300 (top up under 100 to 300)
I pay probably half my shopping by cash (in value <50%, in transaction number >50%).

No, not in Switzerland, whether a Swiss nor a foreigner. Exceptions may apply, for example I think Refugees must carry an identifying document.
source:

2 Likes

Same for me.
Except the cash, where I only carry 20 or 30 Francs, if not (as often) nothing,

One of the more widespread misconceptions I‘ve heard.
Nobody could ever point me to a law requiring carrying ID (that said, as I often cross the border, I do).

I come from a country where there is an obligation to carry an ID.

So since I’ve moved to CH, I stopped carrying my ID, to exercise my newly gained benefits of living in a free place.

I just switched from small wallet with bunch of cards to phone only.

Drivers licence and ID stay in the car. I also keep my maestro (contact less desactivated) in my car in case I need cash and carry it temporarly in my phones cover. Insurance card, and all the others are scanned and stored in the cloud for access if needed.

I use Samsung pay (Certo card) and Google Wallet (Revolut and I hope it works for AMEX) or twint.