What’s in my wallet for 2025?

These are the credit, debit and loyalty cards I’ll be using this year.

Though I’ve dozens of debit, credit and loyalty cards, I don’t actually use that many on a regular basis. So rather than carry them all with me I’ve slimmed them down to just a handful in my physical wallet, and put the rest in a digital one (aka my phone).

I thought it could be useful for you to see which ones I’ve picked and how I’ve managed to carry far less than I used to.

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On my digital wallet

I’ve got an iPhone, and I actually tend to use it for the bulk of my spending via the Apple Pay feature. The higher contactless limit is also pretty handy.

I add bank and credit cards to Apple Wallet and use it both to pay in shops and also online where the Apple Pay feature is available.

Really, I only use three or four cards regularly, but I’d probably have a couple more on there just in case. All are listed below.

I’ve then got the bulk of the other non-bank cards I would have had in my physical wallet in another app called Stocard.

Amex Vitality

This is my default spending card. It’s set both as my default way to pay and also my “Express Travel” card on the iPhone which means I don’t need to use Face ID when using London public transport.

It’s probably not a card most of you can get – I’ve only got it because my work offers me Vitality health insurance, and this is one of the perks.

It beats most other cashback cards because you can boost the basic 0.5% cashback rate each month if you do exercise. If I’m able to do 12,500 steps or an hour of more intense activity five times a week, I end up with 1.5%. Do less and it reduces, but I’m always able to get at least 1%.

It does have one drawback – you only get the bonus rate on the first £1,000 spent each month. I’m not always great at remembering this, so I’ll try harder in 2025 to move to another card when this total is reached.

Chase

My alternative to Amex for spending account is Chase, mainly when Amex isn’t accepted or if I’ve gone over the £1,000 monthly spend cap for that boosted cashback.

At this point a year ago we didn’t know if the rate would be extended beyond May, but it was, and as long as I transfer £1,500 into the account each month, I’ll earn it on the following month’s spending.

Plus, I have the round-up feature active. It earns me 5% on any spare change that’s moved over. So say I spend £2.80, and another 20p will be rounded up to my savings account.

Other debit cards

Apple Pay used to be limited to 16 cards, but since iOS 17 you can add more. However, from experience, the more you have the longer it takes to pick a card you do need!

I have though put a load of other debit cards in my Apple Wallet. The main ones are Halifax, Monzo, Barclays, Natwest, Lloyds, Virgin Money and Santander. This is handy in the rare times there’s a cashback offer running with those banks which requires me to use that debit card (usually this is just LNER train tickets!).

I also have a HyperJar and Trading 212 card on there. The HyperJar card was one of my main payment cards in the first half of 2024 as it offered 1.5% cashback, but since that offer ended I’ve not used it. Likewise, the Trading 212 card offered the same rate but has dropped to 0.5%.

In the very unlikely situation where I need to get cash out of an ATM and don’t have my Starling debit card, I can use the Natwest or Barclays apps to withdraw some money.

Other credit cards

In addition to my main Amex, I’ve got an Amex Rewards card, a Barclaycard Rewards card and also a John Lewis Partnership card. I use the latter for all my Waitrose shopping thanks to a 1.25% reward rate.

Loyalty cards

Other than the one or two that are paper-based, all my loyalty cards are now on my phone. Though you can access most via the retailers’ own apps or even the phone’s own digital wallet, I tend to add them to one called Stocard.

You simply scan the barcode or enter your membership number and it’s there to display when paying. This has really removed a lot of cards from my wallet.

Gift cards

I also use Stocard to add gift cards that have a barcode, as they can be scanned too. These are usually digital ones I’ve acquired as cashback site payouts or discounted via cashback apps.

Other cards

Finally, there are a couple of other cards. I’ve put my library card on Stocard, while my gym membership actually works with Apple Wallet. I still have a free Priority Pass from an old Amex, and that’s on there to get airport lounge access too.

I’ve also got a Two Together Railcard at a massive discount, which was digital only and accessed via the Railcard app.

In my physical wallet

I’d love to just have everything on my phone, but not only are there a few things that I can’t add digitally and I also worry about what would happen if the battery died. So I still have an actual wallet with actual cards in it.

Ideally, I’d carry just two banking cards on me at any time. A debit card for cash withdrawals and a credit card for when I want additional consumer protection.

Sadly I’ve also got to factor in that I do sometimes need to use alternative cards, whether that’s for specific offers, spending for work, places that don’t take Amex and a handful of non-payment cards I need to have. However, I’ve managed to limit it to just a handful.

American Express Vitality credit card

Since it’s my top-paying cashback credit card, it’s the main card on me.

Starling Bank debit card

Right now, Starling is my main bank account, so I’ve got that in my wallet for the very rare occasions that I need to take out cash.

Barclaycard Rewards credit card

This card is my backup to the Amex and Chase cards. It earns 0.25% cashback, so I really only use it when I need a credit card and Amex isn’t accepted, or if I need a credit card abroad (as it’s fee-free).

Cash

Right now I’ve got a £10 note. It’s not something I make a choice to have as I use it so rarely, though there’s no harm in having a little available just in case.

Gift vouchers

I’ve about £2 left from a Book Token, picked up via a TopCashback bonus earlier in the year.

Receipts

There are a handful of receipts, I normally clear these out but right now there are some business expenses I need to claim.

Other cards

The main card I can’t add to my phone is my driving licence. Though I don’t need to use it very often (especially as I rarely drive), I like to have it on me.

I’ve also got my NUS / Totum Pro alumni card for student discounts. I don’t use this much anymore either, but it’s handy to have when a retailer offers money off (find out here if you’re eligible for one).

A reusable discount voucher gives me 25% off greeting cards at WH Smiths.

That’s mainly it. The other items haven’t changed since my update last year. I’ve still got a paper loyalty card from the Indian restaurant chain Dishoom (I still need one more stamp to get a free breakfast), a plaster and a photo of my wife.

Everything else I used to carry, like Clubcard, Nectar and other loyalty and banking cards, are instead on my phone.