Despite my career as a tech journalist, I’m slow to embrace change. I’ve become better at keeping more of my notes on an E Ink tablet, but I still wind up with pieces of paper sprawled out over my desk.
Unfortunately, that’s spread to my wallet, and I have a nasty habit of saving every gift card or receipt I’ve ever received.
I have no idea if most of the items in my wallet will ever be needed or even if they’re still good, but that doesn’t seem to matter.
For once, I decided to embrace modern technology and explore how an app like Google Keep could help eliminate clutter. I grew tired of carrying a George Costanza wallet, which always seemed to cause an imbalance when it was in my back pocket.
Here’s how Google Keep helped me lighten the load and save money in the process.
Gift cards and membership cards
I don’t use half the gift cards I receive
I appreciate it when people give me gift cards around the holidays, and I have every intention of using them, but I always wind up forgetting. My wallet becomes a black hole, not letting anything escape.
Google Keep is a fantastic way to organize your gift cards and save money in the process. I can take a picture of the gift card to scan in-store, so I don’t have to carry it around with me.
But even more, I can use Google Keep to mark down a running tally of how much is left on the card.
I don’t know how many times I’ve avoided using gift cards because I didn’t know how much was left on them. Now, I have the total remaining right under the picture of the card.
I love digital notetaking, but I’m a stationery hoarder, buying up every scrap notepad and cool-looking pen within a 50-mile radius.
Membership cards are another excellent example. I’ve signed up for numerous clubs and frequent shopper cards in the past, only to forget about them at checkout.
Instead of carrying a wallet full of unused plastic, I can take a picture in Google Keep and have all my discount cards in one spot.
The more convenient something is, the more likely we are to use it, and Google Keep helps simplify the process.
Membership cards aren’t the only way to save money
Don’t forget about coupons
As a homeowner, I’ve grown accustomed to random junk mail filling my mailbox to its capacity with services I’ll never use. However, not everything is junk, and I always love finding a coupon for a product I want to buy.
Even my massive wallet doesn’t have space for all the coupons I’d like to carry around, and I don’t have the time to create a coupon clipping binder.
Instead, I use Google Keep. I can take a photo of the coupon, throw it away, and let the store scan the bar or QR code to pick up a few extra dollars.
Sure, there will be the occasional hiccups, but it’s better than nothing, and it’s another way to slim down your wallet.
I’m also a magnet for receipts. I keep every record I get, but without a way to organize them, they’re useless. Google Keep is an ideal way to take photos of receipts and warranty items — things that will come in handy if you need to return something.
Some products offer promotional services or discounts after purchase, which is easily forgotten as I throw the packaging in the trash. Instead, I can take a quick photo in Google Keep and address any savings when I have a chance to sit down and focus.
Say goodbye to random bits of paper
Snap and toss is a lot easier
I have a horrible habit of picking up every piece of paper I can find. If there’s a random sports schedule, even for a team I don’t like, I find myself cramming it into my wallet.
With Google Keep, I can still file away all those random bits of paper, but without the unnecessary bulk in my wallet. It’s easy to organize and sort, and I can even swap information to Google Docs if I want.
I love digital notetaking, but I’m a stationery hoarder, buying up every scrap notepad and cool-looking pen within a 50-mile radius. The result is constant to-do lists and half-thoughts tossed about my office.
With Google Keep, I still get the satisfaction of writing ideas down, but I don’t need to keep the clutter. I can snap a photo and be done with it, which would make my wife a lot happier.
I don’t know how many different passwords I have, but I keep forgetting them. I wouldn’t recommend listing passwords in Google Keep, but it’s an easily accessible location to store password hints — it can save you time resetting your password every month.
Google Keep is simple yet versatile
I love Google Keep for its simplicity. It’s too easy to ask our apps to do too much, and I like that Google Keep only features the essentials.
If you’re like me, with a giant wallet hanging out of your back pocket, it might be worth it to get with the times and see how much of that clutter can be reduced by embracing technology — even if you were a huge Seinfeld fan.
