Wallet, billfold, pocketbook, cardholder, clip, coin holder purse – these are accessories for storing your money, be they in paper, metal, or plastic form. Normally, people are divided into two types – either they carry money in their pockets or buy up all kinds of money-storing items without considering their functionality. Let us tell you the difference between the most popular accessories for cash to help you choose the right one for you.
Wallet
Normally, a wallet is a large, roomy accessory with a lot of compartments and zipper pockets to hold your cards, bills, IDs, change, receipts, and other essentials. Wallets are long enough to store bills unfold. You need a wallet if you carry a lot of cash with you. Traditionally, wallets are not designed for a pocket so it’s best to keep it in a briefcase, backpack, or bag.
The modern fashion, however, dictates different rules. Now wallets can be of different sizes, not only the large ones. If you want to put a wallet (especially the bi- or three-fold) into your pocket, nobody is going to criticize. These items carry all possible designs, from inexpensive and colorful wallets for kids to badass leather biker wallets.
Pocketbooks, Billfolds, and Porte-Monnaies
As for billfolds, they are close relatives to wallets. Normally, they are thinner than wallets since they are kept in a pocket. To be as compact as possible, billfolds have fewer credit card slots than wallets and may not feature a change compartment. As its name suggests, a billfold is designed to accommodate bills, paper money. It has a bi-fold design, i.e. it folds in half (whereas wallets may have a tri-fold construction).
Pocketbooks are small wallets designed to be kept in a pocket. Originally, pocketbooks were small leather folders, which appearance resembled a book. They housed money, important papers, and small essentials. Today, this word is frequently used to refer to a woman’s purse.
You can also come across porte-monnaies, especially if you like European wallet brands. This German word refers to a relatively small rectangular wallet featuring bi-fold design without a change compartment. It places the emphasis on plastic cards and bills. A porte-monnaie is a luxurious, sleek, and classic accessory (apparently, wealthy guys don’t carry coins).
Coin Wallets, Money Clips, and Card Holders
More and more people around the globe prefer using electronic money instead of cash. If you are one of these, why carry a puffy wallet if there are small and compact credit card holders? Depending on the design, you can fit 6-10 cards, IDs, discount cards, and even a couple of bills if you happen to need them.
If you don’t trust ‘plastic money’, you probably accumulate a lot of bills and change. While bills are more or less organized, change gets lost all the time. Meanwhile, a few bucks in the coin form can buy you a cup of coffee or ice-cream. So that you don’t scatter change all over the place, make sure to get a coin wallet. These pieces are crafted from soft materials to help you easier get coins out.
Finally, if you don’t like anything described above, you can with a simple money clip. It won’t take any space in your pocket but will help arrange your bills and keep them together.
