There are times when you don't want to carry your wallet or purse. A card holder attached to a lanyard is one option for carrying something like a transit card, but card holders are easily misplaced and most are easily damaged over time. The card holders that you might have from various conferences and tradeshows tend to be too big, so what can you do when you have a lanyard but no holder?

If your card has a magnetic strip on the back, then you can probably just punch a hole on either side of the strip. However, if it is a driver's license or an RFID card with embedded electronics, then punching a hole may not be the best option. In my case, the card is also a commemorative version, so I did not want to deface it.

If a lanyard is not available or just not your style, then I also show how to create a money clip version.

Step 1: Materials

1. Plastic Card (CAUTION: You may want to mask off any sensitive info with duct tape or electrical tape).

2. Tape (I chose heavy duty packaging tape so that I could still see the card. It's also easy to clean off tape residue with alcohol when it's time to remove the tape).

3. Reinforcement (washer, paper clip, etc.).

4. Lanyard (for necklace option) or Elastic (for money clip option).

Step 2: Tape Together

Place tape across the back of the card and place a washer next to it (Note: The washer could be closer in the photo, but later I will show how to use it as a money clip).
Fold tape over and across the top of the card (Note: You don't have to cover the entire card, but in this case I also use the tape to laminate and protect the commemorative card from scratches).
Cut or punch out the middle of the washer.
Clip onto your lanyard (Note: For wider lanyard clips, a paper clip works well).

If a lanyard is not available or not your style, then read on to see how it can be used as a money clip...

Step 3: Money Clip Option

To create a money clip, simply add an elastic and fold the flap back over the card. I found that a hair band works better than a rubber band because it doesn't get all twisted up when you insert/remove money.

Note: The metal washer adds some weight which helps keep the money clip secure at the bottom of your pocket.