The $30 Find That Made Me Ditch a Traditional Wallet for Good

I used to find myself rushing out the door with my phone, only to find that I had inadvertently left my wallet behind, way too late for me to turn back and grab it. I thought I had found a solution when a friend showed me her phone case, which had a built-in hard-shell wallet. I ordered one immediately, but was quickly disappointed.  

The compartment had flimsy hinges that popped open easily, so my driver’s license and credit card would sometimes spill out onto the ground, which always left me in a panic. After my phone got knocked off the kitchen counter, the hinges broke entirely. I tried upgrading to more expensive brands, but none of them worked well. A couple broke when I accidentally dropped my phone, and others fell apart after a few months of regular use. I gave up on finding a great wallet that worked well integrated into a phone case. However, a similarly absent-minded friend facing the same struggle found the OtterBox removable phone wallet, and she said it was the best wallet she’d tried. She was right — I love it.

OtterBox is known for its extra-durable phone cases, and these wallets are no different. Unlike phone cases with built-in wallets, the OtterBox removable wallet attaches to any MagSafe phone case with a strong magnet. That means I am no longer limited to plain hardshell plastic cases for my phone. I now use an adorable embroidered OtterBox case that makes me happy every time I look at it. The wallet is made of durable synthetic leather and measures 2.54 x 3.83 x 0.39 inches.

Moreover, although I’ve used OtterBox cases for years with no plans on changing, I like having the option to move the wallet to a different type of case in the future. 

The OtterBox removable wallet is simple. To remove my credit card or driver’s license, I simply need to push up on the bottom of the wallet. The OtterBox removable wallet doesn’t have any movable parts, so I no longer need to worry about broken hinges. If I drop my phone, the wallet usually stays on. If it slides off as the result of a drop, which is rare, my cards stay securely inside, so I don’t worry about losing them. 

I also like that the OtterBox removable wallet is easy to take off. When I used an integrated phone case and wallet, I couldn’t use MagSafe charging because the cases were too thick for MagSafe to work properly. Now that I use a removable wallet, I can easily slide it off to charge whenever I wish. On the rare occasion that I do not need a wallet, I slide the wallet off so I am left with a slimmer phone case. I love the flexibility of using the Otterbox removable wallet and the simple design that stands up to the demands of everyday life. 

Buy: Otterbox Detachable Wallet for MagSafe, $17.50